By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Bundesliga log leaders Bayern Munich are heading to Bayer Leverkusen at BayArena stadium on Saturday after contrasting Champions League games in midweek.
Bayern was in rampant form in a 6-1 win at Atalanta in the first leg of their round-of-16 matchup, while Leverkusen had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Arsenal.
Bayern are one step closer to securing a second successive Meisterschale as they lead by 11 points at the top of the table with nine games remaining.
Leverkusen, on the other hand, are three points adrift of the top four but able to make up ground on one or two rivals this weekend.
On Sunday, fellow UEFA Champions League qualification chasers VfB Stuttgart host RB Leipzig at the MHP Arena in a clash that could have huge implications in the race for the elite European spots.
While Deniz Undav was on the scoresheet once more, Stuttgart could only draw 2-2 with 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Matchday 25. In contrast, Leipzig managed to secure all three points against high-flying FC Augsburg, moving them level with their fourth-placed Matchday 26 hosts.
A day earlier, Borussia Dortmund will aim to keep Bayern on their toes against Augsburg, even if the title now seems out of reach. They at least bounced back from a three-game winless run in all competitions to down 1. FC Köln last weekend, but Augsburg, who have won five of their last seven games, will be no pushovers.
Matchday 26 could ultimately prove to be a pivotal one in the battle for survival as six of the bottom nine face each other. On Friday, Gladbach get the weekend’s action underway when they welcome 16th-placed FC St. Pauli to Borussia-Park with just one point separating the two sides in the table.
On Saturday evening, Hamburger SV’s Volksparkstadion will provide the backdrop to their clash against Köln. Both sides were promoted from Bundesliga 2 last season, but while HSV sit in 10th place, five points above the bottom three, the Billy Goats are only outside the bottom three on goal difference.
In Sunday’s first game, SV Werder Bremen will aim to continue their resurgence against Mainz. Daniel Thioune has overseen back-to-back victories to take Werder out of the relegation zone, while the 05ers have lost just two of 12 Bundesliga games under Urs Fischer. Still, they trail Bremen by one point heading into the weekend.
Dieter Hecking will begin his second stint in charge of VfL Wolfsburg with a difficult trip to TSG Hoffenheim on Saturday, having replaced Daniel Bauer last Sunday following the Wolves’ 2-1 loss to Hamburg. They currently occupy 17th place, while Hoffenheim are third after defeating 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 in their most recent game.