By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
While FC Bayern München continue to reign the league as undisputed champions, the rest of the Bundesliga is alive with fascinating ups and downs, drama and cliff-hangers.
The champions will battle for three points with Union Berlin on Saturday (November 8th).
Die Eisernen have at times represented a tricky banana skin for Bayern, and with the capital club playing at their always atmospheric Stadion An der Alten Försterei fortress this coming Saturday, the locals will no doubt look to make things very uncomfortable for their free-scoring visitors.
Indeed, it was only last March when a late Benedict Hollerbach (now of 1. FSV Mainz 05) goal denied the visiting Bayern all three points in a 1-1 draw in Berlin. Vincent Kompany’s men will thus be aware of what is facing them this weekend, perfect Bundesliga record or not.
While Union and Bayern are battling it out, another fascinating fixture will be taking place in Sinsheim, where two form teams will be going head-to-head. Climbing up to sixth place in the standings after their third straight top-flight win last weekend, TSG Hoffenheim are ready to test themselves against second-placed RB Leipzig.
Ole Werner’s visitors have been in sensational form of their own since being well beaten by Bayern on Matchday 1, Die Roten Bullen winning seven and drawing one of their subsequent eight Bundesliga games. Now second in the Bundesliga standings, Leipzig’s young stars have been a feature of this campaign, with players such as Yan Diomande, Assan Ouédraogo and Yohan Bakayoko lighting the way.
Speaking of teams shining, Borussia Dortmund continue to eye the top two from a short distance back in third and after confidently defending their way to a sixth clean sheet of the season last time out. They now visit Hamburger SV in confident mood on Saturday. BVB frontman Serhou Guirassy scored the winner against FC Augsburg to open Matchday 9, a goal that took the Guinea international to five in the Bundesliga in 2025-26.
Elsewhere in a packed fixture list, there is the big matter of a Rhine Derby occupying the Topspiel spot on Saturday evening. Borussia Mönchengladbach play host to 1. FC Köln, and given how the teams’ respective campaigns are panning out, there will be no shortage of action and drama.
Promoted Köln have been flying under coach Lukas Kwasniok and picked up their fourth win in the competition – a 4-1 triumph against Hamburg – to go seventh in the table last week. For their part, Gladbach had been enduring one of the worst seasons in their long history, until back-to-back victories in the DFB-Pokal and Bundesliga had confidence racing back.
A fine 4-0 triumph at FC St. Pauli last weekend has all concerned at the Foals rubbing their hands for a much-anticipated derby at Borussia-Park.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen will be eager to bounce back from a heavy loss at the home of defending champions Bayern when Kasper Hjulmand’s charges meet bottom-placed 1. FC Heidenheim 1846.
VfB Stuttgart and Augsburg also meet in an all-Swabian affair, having both suffered recent reverses, while Eintracht Frankfurt will have to make do without the injured Can Uzun for their Sunday game against local rivals Mainz.