By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Having extended their advantage to ten points, Bundesliga leaders Bayer 04 Leverkusen will aim to move one step closer to their title dream when VfL Wolfsburg visit this Sunday.
With only nine more fixtures of the season remaining after that, a victory on Sunday, would keep Leverkusen firmly on course for their first-ever Bundesliga crown, ending Bayern’s decade of dominance.
Xabi Alonso’s side extended their unbeaten start with a 2-0 derby win away at 1. FC Köln. They will be hopeful of taking another three points when VfL Wolfsburg visit this Sunday, and with only nine more fixtures of the season remaining after that, a victory would keep them firmly on course for their first-ever Bundesliga crown.
Niko Kovač’s side have not won any of their past nine Bundesliga ties, most recently losing 3-2 at home to VfB Stuttgart. After finding the net four times in their past two fixtures, they are not short of attacking threat, however.
In-form Stuttgart now have five wins in their past six and have a league-high 17 goals in that spell. They have a chance to close down the four-point gap on FC Bayern München in second place on Friday evening in the opening clash of the matchday against 1. FC Union Berlin. Union continue to look over their shoulders in 14th place, but the eight-point advantage over the bottom three should provide enough of a cushion for them to retain their top-flight status.
After three away matches without a win, Bayern will be eager to continue their formidable home record against 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday afternoon. Harry Kane has three goals in his past two outings at the Allianz Arena, and will no doubt relish the chance of building further on his 27-goal haul and chances of winning the European Golden Shoe against a side locked in a relegation battle in 17th position.
The only side beneath Mainz in the table, SV Darmstadt 98, will be keen for a better performance this weekend after suffering a painful 6-0 defeat at home to FC Augsburg. They face the daunting task though of visiting an RB Leipzig side in fine goalscoring fettle after a 4-1 away win at VfL Bochum 1848.
Leipzig are engaged in a tight race for a top-four spot with Borussia Dortmund. The Roten Bullen will hope to move into fourth on Saturday lunchtime, but Dortmund would have a chance of instantly reclaiming it if they can win away at SV Werder Bremen on Saturday evening. The Black and Yellows’ 2-0 away win at Union was their fifth victory in eight since the winter break, while Niclas Füllkrug has 11 goals and eight assists from 22 Bundesliga games in black and yellow ahead of his return to the Weserstadion, where he won the Torjägerkanone last season.
Saturday’s other encounter sees Augsburg look to build on their big win against Darmstadt as newly promoted 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 visit. The two sides are separated by a point in midtable currently with Augsburg in 10th and Heidenheim 11th, and both very much still within striking distance of potential European qualification.
Sunday then sees two additional encounters before Leverkusen-Wolfsburg wraps up the matchday. Bochum host an SC Freiburg side without a win in six in the Bundesliga but looking to build on a resilient showing in a 2-2 draw against Bayern.
Eintracht Frankfurt then host TSG Hoffenheim in a clash of sixth versus seventh. Both sides go into that on the back of a win, with Frankfurt victorious in Heidenheim, while Hoffenheim’s 2-1 success over Bremen was their second consecutive victory. Hoffenheim striker Maximilian Beier boasts four goals in his past two appearances and could well get a call-up for Germany going into March’s international break in a fortnight.