Bayern Munich still have rivals for the Bundesliga title, at least in theory, and Leipzig is one of them.
after bayern matched Their points total in the Bundesliga midfield is higher than their record for goal difference, and Bayern’s 11-point lead will only come under threat if there is a dramatic collapse over the next four months.
Ahead of Saturday’s match, Leipzig sit in third place and have plenty of room to play in a tight battle for Champions League qualification.
major matches
Bayern demonstrated their determination at the start of the match by overwhelming Leipzig 6-0 in the first round. Leipzig have improved significantly since then and showed a strong awareness of set-pieces when they beat Freiburg 2-0 on Wednesday.
It’s been a tough start to 2026 for Bayer Leverkusen, who looked consistently in good form at the end of last year. Saturday’s match against Hoffenheim will be an important test after last week’s 4-1 loss to Stuttgart, which was postponed due to weather.
A major factor holding back 7th place Eintracht Frankfurt is their defense, which has conceded 36 goals in 17 games, ranking third worst in the league. Facing Werder Bremen’s lackluster attack on Friday is a chance to improve on that record.
Featured players
Lennart Karl’s breakthrough season at Bayern Munich was a must-see in the Bundesliga and Champions League. The 17-year-old attacking midfielder scored again in Wednesday’s 3-1 win over Cologne. When Jamal Musiala finally returns from injury, his success will create a selection quandary for coach Vincent Kompany.
Hoffenheim’s surprising Champions League qualification was thanks to the experienced Andrej Kramaric. Kramaric celebrates 10 years at the club this month and scored a hat-trick against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Wednesday.
who is out
Bayern are dealing with an injury list that includes midfielder Joshua Kimmich, who has spent the last month recovering from an ankle problem, and left-back Alphonso Davies, who has returned to training after an illness. Defender Josip Stanisic will be sidelined for the remainder of January, while forward Jamal Musiala’s long-awaited return remains uncertain.
Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsova will miss up to three weeks with a muscular injury after returning from the African Cup of Nations.
Forward Younes Ebounotalib scored. debut He played in Eintracht Frankfurt’s game against Dortmund last week, but was expected to be out for several weeks after damaging knee ligaments in Tuesday’s game. 3-2 loss To Stuttgart.
off the field
A snowstorm caused havoc in northern Germany last week, leading to a series of postponed matches in the Bundesliga, with three games postponed. Hamburger SV are undergoing renovations to the roof of their stadium ahead of Saturday’s game against Borussia Mönchengladbach in order to avoid further postponements.
Frankfurt’s six signings stand out in what has been a quiet transfer window for the Bundesliga club so far, especially since Ebunotalib and fellow forward Ayube Amaimouni-Ekguyab each scored on their debuts. Young Nigerian winger Suleman Sani has joined Leipzig from Trencin in Slovakia.
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