On Thursday, Germany was announced as host of Euro 2024. It will be the first time a unified Germany has hosted the Euros as West Germany hosted in 1988. You can view the ten stadiums that will be used for the competition. Many of those stadiums will be in used this weekend for some exciting Bundesliga action. Welcome to Matchday 6.
HERTHA BERLIN vs. BAYERN MUNICH (Friday at 1:30pm CT, FS1)
Both teams are recovering from non-victories in midweek. Hertha fell to Werden Bremen on Tuesday and have fallen to joint-fourth in the table. Ex-Bayern keeper Thomas Kraft is expected to deputize for the capital club after Rune Jarstein went off at halftime injured. Hertha are the only Bundesliga club not to have lost a single one of their last three Bundesliga games against Bayern (three draws), but that is after losing eleven straight to Bayern. It will also be a novelty if they do not concede a penalty like they have their first five matches this season.
Bayern are coming off a surprise draw against Augsburg at the Allianz. They are still top of the table, though two points clear of both Borussia Dortmund and Werder Bremen. Coach Niko Kovac had two spells at Hertha (1991-96 & 2003-06) as a player. After squad rotation on Tuesday, James Rodriguez and Robert Lewandowski look set to return to the starting XI after being unused subs against Augsburg.
VfB STUTTGART vs. WERDER BREMEN (Saturday at 8:30am CT, Fox Soccer Matchpass)
Stuttgart are still looking for their first win of the season after dropping a 2-0 decision to RB Leipzig. They have also looking for their first home goals of the season at Mercedes-Benz Arena.
Bremen are one of three teams and the only one not named Bayern or Dortmund to be unbeaten in the early season. They have won their first two away matches this season, but have never won their first three away matches to start a season. They also have not won at Stuttgart since 2013. Josh Sargent might get a look after scoring five times for the second team. Claudio Pizzaro could also make his 450th appearance in the Bundesliga.
VfL WOLFSBURG vs. BORUSSIA MÖNCHENGLADBACH (Saturday at 8:30am CT, Fox Soccer Plus)
After winning their first two matches, Wolfsburg are winless in their last three and have slumped to sixth in the table. Wolves have won more games against Gladbach than any other team in the Bundesliga (20). John Brooks has played every minute so far for Wolfsburg.
Gladbach bounced back from a 4-2 defeat to Hertha to down Eintracht Frankfurt, 3-1, on Wednesday and moved them to joint-fourth in the table. Forwards Alassane Plea and Thorgan Hazard scored against Frankfurt, and should continue in attack, with club captain Lars Stindl and Raffael still out. While Gladbach are 3-for-3 at Borussia Park, they are 0-1-1 away from it so far. Coach Dieter Hecking led Wolfsburg to the DFB Pokal in 2015 and Fabian Johnson played 16 matches for Wolfsburg before moving to Borussia Park.
FC NÜRNBERG vs. FORTUNA DUSSELDORF (Saturday at 8:30am CT, Fox Soccer Matchpass)
A battle of the two promoted sides, the hosts are looking to recover from a 7-0 thrashing by Dortmund on Wednesday. Nürnberg were without influential defensive midfielder Ondrej Petrak in Dortmund because of a neck problem, but he should return for this clash. Top scorer Michael Ishak was a sub in that game and can be expected to start on Saturday. Nürnberg have yet to score in the first half this season.
Fortuna have yet to allow a goal in the first half, but have conceded six in the second half. Fortuna are coming off a loss to rivals Bayer Leverkusen, but are currently unbeaten away from the ESPIRIT Arena. The away side won both games between the teams in Bundesliga 2 last season with Fortuna coming back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Nürnberg, 3-2, to finish first.
TSG HOFFENHEIM vs. RB LEIPZIG (Saturday at 8:30am CT, FS1)
Julian Nagelsman is already set to become RB Leipzig’s manager next season. But first, he leads Hoffenheim against the visitors. Squad rotation is likely to continue as they host Manchester City on Wednesday in the Champions League. All nine of Hoffenheim’s goals have come from open play this season.
Leipzig are unbeaten in their last four league matches under Ralf Rangnick—who used to lead Hoffenheim from the third tier to the top flight. Jean-Kevin Augustin is expected to start after scoring against Stuttgart. Augustin has scored six goals in his last five Bundesliga matches, stretching back to last season.
FC SCHALKE 04 vs. FSV MAINZ 05 (Saturday at 8:30am CT, FS2)
Domenico Tedesco is certainly on the hot seat after Schalke have opened with five straight losses. Only Fortuna have opened a campaign with six straight losses in 1991. Weston McKennie is back in training after a thigh injury and Naldo is expected to return to action after being rested in midweek as are Sebastian Rudy and Mark Uth. Schalke have won their last four against Mainz.
Mainz have allowed just three goals so far this season which is joint-fewest with Bayern, but they have only scored four themselves with only Schalke and Stuttgart scoring fewer. Anthony Ujah has accounted for half of Mainz’s scoring so far. Despite the lack of goals, Mainz are still seventh after a goalless draw on Wednesday with Wolfsburg.
BAYER LEVERKUSEN vs. BORUSSIA DORTMUND (Saturday at 11:30am, FS2)
Bayer started with three straight losses, but now have back-to-back wins in the bank. Kevin Volland score both goals in the win over Fortuna. Kai Havertz has scored three goals in his last three matches in all competitions.
Dortmund ran rampant on Nürnberg on Wednesday with Marco Reus netting his 100th goal for the club in all competitions. Abodou Diallo is back from suspension and Paco Alcacer is back after injury. However, Mario Götze is out with an illness.
EINTRACHT FRANKFURT vs. HANNOVER 96 (Sunday at 8:30am CT, FS1)
Frankfurt slumped to their third defeat against Gladbach on Wednesday. However, they have won five straight in all competitions against Hannover. Ante Rebic is set to make his first start for the Eagles and pair up against Sebastian Haller. Carlos Salcedo, Timmy Chandler, and Marco Fabian remain injured.
Hannover are winless in their last 15 away matches in the Bundesliga. Tuesday say a 3-1 reverse at home to Hoffenheim. The 96ers are currently third from bottom and one of three teams still looking for their first win of the season.
FC AUGSBURG vs. SC FREIBURG (Sunday at 11am CT, FS2)
Mario Götze’s brother Felix helped snatched a point at the Allianz for Augsburg on Tuesday. However, he is likely to come on from the bench while Michael Gregoristch is more likely to start for FCA. Andres Luthe made eight saves in the draw against Bayern.
Since coach Christian Streich has returned to the technical area after a back problem, Freiburg have claimed seven points from a possible nine. Their latest match was a win against Schalke on Tuesday. In 26 competitive fixtures between the two teams, there has never been a goalless draw.
