Transfer window deadline deals, player bans, and local derbies. That and more in the Bundesliga this weekend.
FIFA Levels Ban on Hakan Calhanoglu
After the closure of the transfer window a boom was lowered against Bayer Leverkusen. Hakan Calhanoglu has been handed a four month ban by FIFA which will encompass the Bundesliga, Turkish matches, and Champions League.
This is a massive ban and will alter how Leverkusen will be in terms of being effective. He is a crucial player and now the rest of the squad will have to make up the quality drop that assuredly will happen.
This originated from his time as a youth where he signed for Trabzonspor and would subsequently take money from the club despite changing his mind and signing with Karlsruher SC. He would subsequently sign on with HSV and most recently with Bayer Leverkusen. In the mean time he established himself as a key member of the Turkish national team.
Transfer Window Closes
Mainz 05 made waves taking on Spanish international Bojan on loan from Stoke City in the English Premier League. While the player has shown brilliance he has been found wanting this season. This seems both a bold move and yet a practical one. It makes headlines and also fills the gap created by the loss of Yunus Malli.
Eintracht Frankfurt acquired from Hannover 96 Marius Wolf on loan. This is a chance for Wolf to make a new opportunity for himself. Found on the outside at 96 he fits the needs of Eintracht Frankfurt who anticipated the exit of Haris Seferovic.
As hinted last week CONCACAF blue chip teenager Leon Bailey has signed for Bayer Leverkusen. A second CONCACAF player who will be looked at as one for the future. The young Jamaican might find the pitch sooner than expected with Calhanoglu ban.
Matches of the Week
Borussia Dortmund has not started the ruckrunde off all that great. And to intensify things Now they host RB Leipzig. They fell 1-0 early in the season and it jump started their season. Fact is this club could use that. If the turmoil within the club is to be believed then this could awaken the potential deep within.
Leipzig’s scalp of BVB turned heads and they didn’t look back. Now that there is a title race this is the next big test for this team. Having lost at Bayern in the big road test this is the next step for the club.
Eintracht Frankfurt got a deserved win at Schalke and now are in third. A great turn around compared to what they faced at this time last season. Up next is the local rivals in the Hessian derby. In week two it was a horrible crazy loss when they visited Darmstadt. Now they host the rivals and they have yet to experience defeat this campaign at home.
Darmstadt is not looking likely to survive the Bundesliga relegation at this rate. Fact is that there was nothing bigger this season than when they got an undeserved 1-0 win over the rivals at home at the start of the season. A win here would mean some hope is there to survive.
Bayern Munich has not been typical Bayern Munich, but this is down to the fact that perhaps the squad is being conservative and leaving something in the tank to push past the Champions League semifinals. Players are starting to work their way back to fitness but the dominant performances have not been there. At home to Schalke they will need to be.
Schalke at the end of the day is still Schalke. After zero points from their first five matches they went on a seven match unbeaten run. Deep down there is ability, it is just that manager Markus Weinzierl does not seem to know which is the best team. Granted they have a lot of players out injured at present.
Bundesliga on FOX
Friday gets things started with HSV looking to capitalize on changes with Bayer Leverkusen on Fox Sports 2.
Saturday is a full slate of early matches. Bayern Munich hosts Schalke 04 on Fox Sports 1. Recovering Hoffenheim hosts reloaded Mainz on Fox Sports 2. On Fox Soccer Plus a USMNT face off between John Anthony Brooks’ Hertha Berlin and Alfredo Morales’ FC Ingolstadt. The traditional topspiel is the big one between BVB and RB Leipzig on Fox Sports 2.
Sunday is a double header on Fox Sports 1. First a relegation six pointer with FC Augsburg and Werder Bremen. This followed up with the second Hessian derby of the season as Eintracht Frankfurt hosts SV Darmstadt.
