By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
With only four points between leaders FC Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund in seventh place, the jostling for early-season positions continues as the Bundesliga returns from the October international break.
The action kicks off in Dortmund as BVB host promoted FC St. Pauli having not lost a Bundesliga home game on a Friday night in well over 20 years. BVB have already won two such fixtures this season by 4-2 scorelines against 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 and VfL Bochum 1848. As for Pauli, they’ve shown steady improvement since losing their opening three, including an impressive 3-0 victory at SC Freiburg a couple of games ago.
Saturday afternoon will have a big impact at the summit with four of the top five in action. The pick of the bunch is undoubtedly champions Bayer 04 Leverkusen against high-flying Eintracht Frankfurt. The Eagles snatched a point off Bayern last time out thanks to a brace from division top scorer Omar Marmoush. The Egypt international will look to keep the spotlight on him at the Bay Arena, where two of African football’s best players right now will be on display as Victor Boniface also lines up for Leverkusen.
RB Leipzig have quietly gone about their business this term, and it’s only goal difference that’s keeping them off the summit. Marco Rose’s men haven’t lost a league game since February but now visit 1. FSV Mainz 05 – the Bundesliga’s consistently inconsistent side. Bo Henriksen’s team boast two wins, draws and losses each so far.Which Mainz side will turn up this Saturday?
Eyes then turn to Munich in the evening as Bayern look to get out of their mini slump of back-to-back draws and rediscover their rich goalscoring form under Vincent Kompany. Their next tough assignment sees last season’s runners-up VfB Stuttgart come to town. Sebastian Hoeneß’s men have started to find their groove after a rocky start, including a 5-1 win over Dortmund, with summer signing Ermedin Demirović leading the way on five goals – the same number as Harry Kane – and boosted by Deniz Undav, who also demonstrated his impressive form for Germany during the break.
Elsewhere on Saturday, fourth-placed SC Freiburg are looking to continue their good start under Julian Schuster as they welcome an FC Augsburg side who got their second win of the season last time out but have lost both away games this term by 4-0 scorelines.
There’s an early-season six-pointer at the lower end of the table as struggling TSG Hoffenheim welcome bottom side Bochum still seeking their first win, while two of the three teams yet to draw this season meet when Borussia Mönchengladbach host Heidenheim.
Turning to Sunday, Holstein Kiel have their fourth attempt at earning their first points at home in the Bundesliga – and first win at this level – when revitalised 1. FC Union Berlin visit the Baltic coast having already beaten Dortmund and held Leipzig in their climb to sixth place thus far.
The Matchday 7 action concludes at the Volkswagen Arena. VfL Wolfsburg’s two wins this season have both come against the bottom two, while they’ve lost to Bayern, Frankfurt and Leverkusen. Visitors SV Werder Bremen make their shortest away trip of the season having earned seven of their eight points this term on their travels and beginning the weekend a point above their hosts in mid-table.