The Bundesliga is back this week after UEFA Nations League matches. Bayern is top of the table as expected and Wolfsburg and Hertha Berlin are also two wins out of two as unexpected. What is in store on Matchday 3? Let’s get to it!
BORUSSIA DORTMUND vs. EINTRACHT FRANKFURT (Friday at 1:30pm CT, FS1)
Paco Alcacer is expected to start for BVB as he begins his loan spell from FC Barcelona. Christian Pulisic remains a doubt with a leg injury that kept him out of the USA’s friendlies this past week. Last week, BVB were held by Hannover 96.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s injury worries are in the back. Carlos Salcedo remains injured and Jetro Williams is suspended after a red card last week against Werder Bremen. Timothy Chandler remains a long-term injury absentee. Ante Rebic could at least be on the bench as he recovers from a groin injury.
One streak may give way on Friday. Dortmund are 24 home matches unbeaten on Friday nights (17 wins, 7 draws) while Frankfurt are 11 matches unbeaten on Fridays (four wins, seven draws). Dortmund have won seven straight against Frankfurt at the Signal Iduna Park.
BAYERN MUNICH vs. BAYER LEVERKUSEN (Saturday at 8:30am CT, FS1)
James Rodriguez could make his first start of the season after ankle and calf injuries. Thomas Muller has already scored twice this season and Leon Goretzka may keep his starting spot over Javi Martinez. Kingsley Coman is confirmed out to injury while Mats Hummels is a doubt with a heel injury.
While Bayern is top of the table, Leverkusen are near the bottom with zero points. Bayern coach Niko Kovac and his brother Robert played for “Die Werkself” between 1996 and 1999 with Robert playing there until 2001.
Robert Lewandowski is expected to make his 200th competitive appearance for Bayern in this match. He already has six goals in four matches this season.
RB LEIPZIG vs. HANNOVER 96 (Saturday at 8:30am CT, FS2)
While new assistant coach Jesse Marsch has introduced a Wheel of Punishment when first-team players fall afoul of club rules, Timo Werner looks to re-introduce himself to the scoresheet for Leipzig while Die Rotten Bullen will look to re-introduce themselves to the win column after a loss to Dortmund and a draw to Fortuna Dusseldorf.
Hannover managed to hold Dortmund, two weeks ago. Niclas Füllkrug and Takuma Asano look to be the front two ahead of Hendrik Weydandt and Bobby Wood.
FORTUNA DUSSELDORF vs. TSG 1899 HOFFENHEIM (Saturday at 8:30am CT, Fox Soccer Matchpass)
Andrej Kramaric looks set to make his first start for the visitors. Hoffenheim had ten players on international duty including Nico Schulz who scored for Germany in a friendly against Peru. Numerous injuries in central defense may force Hoffenheim to go to a 4-3-3.
Fortuna’s draw at RB Leipzig two weeks ago ended a six-match top-flight losing streak (last being in the Bundesliga in 2013). They are winless in their last 14 top-flight matches.
VFL WOLFSBURG vs. HERTHA BERLIN (Saturday at 8:30am, Fox Soccer Plus)
John Brooks goes up against his former side in this one. Both teams have opened with two victories unexpectedly given that Wolfsburg were in the relegation playoff last season and the Capital Club also struggled last season.
Wolfsburg has never won three straight to open the season and Hertha are unbeaten in their last five against the Wolves.
FC MAINZ 05 vs. FC AUGSBURG (Saturday at 8:30am CT, Fox Soccer Matchpass)
Both teams have a win and a draw coming into this one at the Opel Arena. Jean-Phillipe Mateta opened his account with the 05’s in a 1-1 draw last week against FC Nuremburg. Despite withdrawing from Germany’s U-21 squad with a bruised ankle, Florian Müller is expected to be fit.
The question at Augsburg is whether Ja-Cheol Koo or Caiuby will start at midfield. Julian Schieber and Alfred Finnbogason remain unavailable due to injury. Augsburg’s four points to open the season is already a club best.
BORUSSIA MOENCHENGLADBACH vs. FC SCHALKE 04 (Saturday at 11:30am CT, FS2)
Schalke recently overtook their arch-rivals Dortmund in terms of official members on Thursday to become second to Bayern in that department. This match features two Americans on opposite sides. Fabian Johnson for Gladbach while Weston McKennie lines up for the Royal Blues.
Johnson scored in the 2-0 win over Leverkusen on Matchday 1. Raffael is a bit of a doubt with a calf injury. McKennie may be out of the lineup in favor of the returning Matija Nastasic coming back from suspension. Schalke are one of four teams yet to get a point this season after losses to Wolfsburg and Hertha. Die Foalen are looking for their best start since 2011-12 as they are currently on four points.
WERDER BREMEN vs. FC NURNBERG (Sunday at 8:30am CT, FS1)
Again, two Americans on opposite sides and hoping to break through to the 18. Josh Sargent is ripping it up for Bremen’s reserve squad in the Regionalliga North with five goals from seven matches. Yuya Osako and Florian Kohfeldt could retain their places after scoring in the win against Frankfurt.
Timothy Tillman, born in Nurnberg, is on loan to Nurnberg from Bayern and was an unused substitute in the draw against Mainz. Tillman recently switched his allegiance to the USA.
SC FREIBURG vs. VFB STUTTGART (Sunday at 11am CT, FS2)
An early battle of the two bottom clubs in the Bundesliga as neither have a point at this point. Freiburg’s coach Christian Streich has been absent with a herniated disc, but should be in the technical area at the Schwarzwald-Stadion on Sunday.
Benjamin Pavard returns to Stuttgart’s lineup after playing in both Nations League matches for France. Stuttgart are still looking for some positives after being knocked out of the DFB Pokal by Hansa Rostock and league losses to Mainz and Bayern. Mario Gomez could make his 300th Bundesliga start in the match for Stuttgart who are still looking for their first goal of the season.
