By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
As the Bundesliga returns from its winter break this weekend, the world will remember one of Germany and football’s greatest players Franz Beckenbauer.
Beckenbauer sadly passed away on Sunday aged 78.
Fittingly, it is Der Kaiser’s former club Bayern who get the action back under way as they recommence their pursuit of league leaders Bayer 04 Leverkusen in what promises to be a title race to the wire.
Perennial champions Bayern lift the curtain on German football in 2024 when they host TSG Hoffenheim on Friday night, with goals as good as guaranteed.
Thanks to his record return of 21 goals in 15 games, Harry Kane has inspired the record champions to a rate of goals which, if sustained right through to the end of the campaign, would see them score a total of 111 times this term.
Hoffenheim have scored at least once in their past 20 Bundesliga matches, though, and with Bayern netting in each of their past 42 league outings, fireworks can be expected as the Bavarians know a win would take them to within a point of Leverkusen, who head to FC Augsburg on Saturday looking to extend an already record-breaking start to the season.
Indeed, Xabi Alonso’s men have won 22 and drawn three of their 25 competitive games since August, not losing a single fixture to establish a new German record for invincibility at the start of a season. That will count for little if they end the campaign empty handed, however, and their Neverkusen reputation still hangs over them like a curse that Die Werkself will be bidding to banish in 2024.
Florian Wirtz has been finding some continuity after a lengthy injury absence, and with summer signings Victor Boniface and Alejandro Grimaldo helping to ensure the second most prolific attack and the meanest defence in the Bundesliga this season, plus the fitagain Patrik Schick in the Nigerian’s absence, Augsburg will have their work cut out trying to burst their bubble.
Behind the front two, VfB Stuttgart have been one of the positive surprises of the season, although they will have to manage without the firepower behind 17 of their goals with Serhou Guirassy representing his country Guinea at the Africa Cup of Nations when they head to Borussia Mönchengladbach on Sunday.
Sebastian Hoeneß’s men have only once before scored more, after 16 games, than their 37 goals so far this season (39 in 1996/97), and they are actually three goals down on their Expected Goals (xG), meaning there is margin for improvement in a side who last played European football in 2010/11, but can harbour realistic hopes of a return next season.
Fourth-placed RB Leipzig have become accustomed to playing in Europe, on the other hand, playing seven straight seasons in continental competition, and they come into 2024 in fourth, six points clear of Borussia Dortmund.
Marco Rose’s men, who have been inspired by the on-loan Xavi Simons, kick the new year off at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, while Dortmund will be keen to ensure that gap does not grow any wider when they travel to SV Darmstadt 98 on Saturday evening.
BVB were sixth and nine points off the pace when play recommenced at the beginning of 2023 before a remarkable run saw them take the title race into the final day and decided only on goal difference. Could they repeat the feat again this year, inspired yet further by the returning Jadon Sancho, preparing to make his first Bundesliga appearance since May 2021?
The England international has returned to Westphalia on loan until the end of the season and will be looking to add to the 38 goals and 51 assists in his first spell with BVB after a disappointing 18 months at Manchester United.
Elsewhere, 1. FC Union Berlin will hope the winter break has not disrupted their revival at the end of 2023 under new coach Nenad Bjelica, who takes Die Eisernen to SC Freiburg, while VfL Wolfsburg head to 1. FSV Mainz 05, and Timo Schultz sits on the 1. FC Köln bench for the first time with 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 the guests to the RheinEnergieStadion. Finally, VfL Bochum host SV Werder Bremen in Sunday’s early kickoff.