By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Things are heating up in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2, and Matchday 20 of the 2021/22 campaign has plenty in store as Borussia Dortmund travel to TSG Hoffenheim in a tantalising top–four battle in the top–flight, while Hamburger SV host FC St. Pauli in a Stadtderby that could have massive ramifications on the second division promotion race.
Starting with the former, fourth–placed Hoffenheim go into Saturday’s meeting against second– placed Dortmund (kick–off: 3:30pm CET) with just nine points separating the two teams.
Sebastian Hoeneß’s home team could narrow that gap to six points and make a major statement in the European race with victory over Dortmund, who themselves are looking to reduce FC Bayern München’s lead to just three points.
While Hoffenheim gave up ground to fellow top–four hopefuls 1. FC Union Berlin last time out, Dortmund were rampant – dismissing SC Freiburg 5–1 as Erling Haaland struck twice.
There could be even better news for Dortmund as they head to Sinsheim, with USA international Gio Reyna on the cusp of a return from injury with the 19–year–old now back in training, pushing for a first team return as he rebuilds his fitness.
Before that showdown at the top of the Bundesliga, Hamburg will take centre stage on Friday night (kick–off: 6:30pm CET) when the dinosaurs of German football take on the country’s Kult Klub at the Volksparkstadion.
The derby will be another highlight of what has already been an eventful week for both clubs. In the DFB Pokal, which took place midweek, the two Hamburg teams caused upsets against their first division opponents. FC St. Pauli knocked out the reigning champions Borussia Dortmund with a 2–1 victory, while Hamburger SV kept their calm in the penalty shootout for a 4–3 win against 1. FC Köln, despite having conceded the equaliser in the very last minute of extra time.
Hence, this weekend’s derby opponents played a great part in ensuring that all former DFB Cup winners since 1992 have now been eliminated from this year’s competition.
The hosts – currently fifth – can jump into third if they collect all three points over their city rivals, while St. Pauli will be looking to the league’s 14–goal joint top–scorer Guido Burgstaller to keep them top after seeing their lead reduced to just one point following a run of three games without a
win.
Friday evening also sees Fortuna Düsseldorf take on 1. FC Nürnberg in the second tier at the same time as the Hamburg derby, while there is Bundesliga action from 8:30pm CET as Eintracht Frankfurt host DSC Arminia Bielefeld.
There’s yet more to come on Sunday, when a resurgent RB Leipzig under Domenico Tedesco welcome struggling VfL Wolfsburg to the Red Bull Arena (kick–off: 3:30pm) in the first of two Bundesliga matches.
The second of the two games takes place at the Olympiastadion where leaders Bayern are Hertha Berlin’s visitors.
Bayern go into the game having set a new 66–game record for scoring in the most consecutive Bundesliga matches and with Robert Lewandowski confirmed as the Best FIFA Men’s Player of the Year for a second year in a row, having reached three centuries of Bundesliga goals last weekend.
Meanwhile, there are 10 games across the two divisions on Saturday.
At the same time as Hoffenheim vs. Dortmund are Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs. FC Augsburg, Borussia Mönchengladbach vs. Union Berlin, Freiburg vs. VfB Stuttgart and SpVgg Greuther Fürth vs. 1. FSV Mainz 05, before VfL Bochum face 1. FC Köln at 6:30 pm CET.
In Bundesliga 2, there is SC Paderborn 07 vs. SV Werder Bremen, F.C. Hansa Rostock vs. 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 and FC Ingolstadt 04 vs. SV Darmstadt 98 (all kick–off: 1:30pm CET), while FC Erzgebirge Aue vs. FC Schalke 04 (kick–off 8:30pm) rounds out the day’s fixtures.
Matchday 20 concludes in Bundesliga 2 at 1:30pm CET, with Karlsruher SC vs. SV Sandhausen, Hannover 96 vs. SG Dynamo Dresden and SSV Jahn Regensburg vs. Holstein Kiel.