By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
We’re all set for one final Bundesliga matchday of 2023, and the 16th round of fixtures comes hot on the heels of a weekend which witnessed yet more record-breaking exploits from FC Bayern München star Harry Kane.
Kane should be well prepared for his first taste of an ‘Englische Woche’ – or ‘English week’ – as the calendar year closes out with a set of midweek fixtures.
For the record champions and their 20-goal centre-forward, they end 2023 with a trip to VfL Wolfsburg on Wednesday night hoping to close the gap on leaders Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
Kane scored his 20th Bundesliga goal in just his 14th outing – no player in history has reached that tally quicker – as Bayern brushed aside fourth-place VfB Stuttgart last time out, and they will be looking to their talismanic Englishman to set the tone once more this week.
Meanwhile, Xabi Alonso’s pace-setters will end the year in top spot regardless of how they fare against VfL Bochum 1848, but victory could see them go into the winter break with at least a four-point lead, and potentially up to seven should Bayern slip up against the Wolves.
There has been no slip-up so far for Alonso’s unrelenting side, who remain unbeaten in all competitions this season. Their run in the Bundesliga was taken to 15 games without defeat in the 3-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday, with Victor Boniface, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz – all standout players so far this season – providing the goals.
Those are two of six fixtures on Wednesday, which begin with 1. FC Union Berlin hosting 1. FC Köln at 6.30pm CET. Bayern and Leverkusen then kick-off their matches from 8.30pm CET, alongside Frankfurt vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach, Stuttgart vs. FC Augsburg and 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 vs. Sport-Club Freiburg.
Tuesday’s action that gets Matchday 16 under way serves up three more festive crackers, with Borussia Dortmund vs. 1. FSV Mainz 05 one of the standouts. Dortmund have just one victory in their last seven league outings, meaning a final fixture of the year at the Signal Iduna Park takes on added importance.
Donyell Malen earned the Black-and-Yellows a point in their weekend draw at Augsburg, but three points will be expected by a fifth-placed BVB against a Mainz side that are in the relegation zone. Niclas Füllkrug – with his 10 goal involvements so far this season – is likely to factor heavily for the hosts at the Signal Iduna Park as they seek to sign off with a win.
That game gets underway at the same time as TSG Hoffenheim vs. SV Darmstadt 98 (8.30pm CET), which follows the Matchday 16 opener of SV Werder Bremen vs. RB Leipzig from 6.30pm CET.
Having won each of their last three in the Bundesliga, another three points for Leipzig would move them level with Bayern in second-place – at least until the champions’ outing the following day.