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Bundesliga Weekend Preview: Round 14

Werder Bremen-Wolfsburg and Hoffenheim-Dortmund are among this weekend's fixtures to watch...

Nov 27, 2009 3:20:09 PM

Bundesliga: Werder Bremen - Borussia Dortmund (Getty Images/Bongarts)

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Bundesliga: Werder Bremen - Borussia Dortmund (Getty Images/Bongarts)

Teams

Friday (all times local)

20:30 Bochum – Koeln

Saturday

15:30 Hertha Berlin – Eintracht Frankfurt
15:30 Mainz – Hamburg
15:30 Nuernberg – Freiburg
15:30 Hoffenheim – Borussia Dortmund
15:30 Werder Bremen – Wolfsburg
18:30 Borussia M’gladbach – Schalke

Sunday

15:30 Bayer Leverkusen – Stuttgart
17:30 Hannover – Bayern Munich

Bochum – Koeln

Bochum picked up a gritty victory in Hamburg last week, and will be eager to build up some momentum as they try to launch out of the relegation zone. Their win may have been a great morale booster, but in its wake, Bochum remained in 17th place. Victory on Friday would at least guarantee that the home side leapfrog Koeln in the standings.

Last week’s 4-0 defeat to Hoffenheim was a new low note for a Koeln side that is creeping ever closer towards a potential return to the 2. Bundesliga. After 13 matches, Koeln have one of the league’s best defences, but have scored just seven goals, a league low.

Hertha Berlin – Eintracht Frankfurt

Hertha did well to earn a 1-1 draw with Stuttgart in their most recent outing, but were somewhat fortunate along the way. Their performance has improved in recent weeks, but the fact remains that Hertha have just five points from 13 matches.

After going undefeated in their opening seven matches, Frankfurt have been far from impressive, slipping to their usual mid-low table equilibrium. Currently in 11th place, Frankfurt are in little danger of relegation, but also lack the ambition and means to make a run for a European berth.

Mainz – Hamburg

Mainz were lucky to take a point from last week’s match with Dortmund, and will need to step up their game as they prepare to face Hamburg. Currently in sixth place, Mainz could pass their guests with a win on Saturday. Given their impressive home record, which has seen them drop just two points from six home matches, Mainz have to like their odds.

Hamburg may have dominated possession, but failed to score in last week’s 1-0 loss to struggling Bochum. Mladen Petric has returned to training, but remains unavailable, and Bruno Labbadia will have to rely on limited striking options as he tries to right Hamburg’s sails.

Nuernberg – Freiburg

Bundesliga newcomers Nuernberg sprung out of the relegation zone with a surprise 3-2 win in Wolfsburg in matchday 13. Freiburg are vulnerable after their most recent outing, and this weekend’s fixture could be a great opportunity for the Bavarians to build momentum.

Mesut Oezil tore apart the Freiburg defence in matchday 13, a game that Werder Bremen won 6-0. Their opponents on Saturday are just a single point behind, and the match will undoubtedly be a tantalising affair.

Hoffenheim – Borussia Dortmund

In many ways, Hoffenheim were the most impressive team in matchday 13, having picked up a 4-0 win in Koeln against one of the league’s best defences. Currently fourth, the village club is now very close to the Champions League spots and has one of the league’s most impressive squads.

Dortmund were unlucky to only draw with Mainz in their last outing, and sit ninth in the table overall. With their abundance of talented youth, the Ruhr club have all the potential of making a run into the league’s top tier, and will look to signal their intent with a win against red-hot Hoffenheim.

Werder Bremen – Wolfsburg

After their 6-0 demolition of Freiburg, Werder must be considered the league’s hottest team. Boasting the league’s best offence, second-best defence, and perhaps its best player (Mesut Oezil), Werder are just a single point behind leaders Leverkusen. Claudio Pizarro remains sidelined with injury, but his absence has hardly slowed Bremen’s progress up the table.

After a 2-1 midweek loss to CSKA, Wolfsburg are dangerously close to crashing out of the Champions League. Armin Veh faces somewhat of an existential crisis: should he focus on the league, or put all his attention on attaining a home victory over Manchester United?

Borussia M’gladbach – Schalke

After going nearly two months without a point, M’gladbach are undefeated in their last four matches. Truly the definition of streaky, the Rhine club have shown enough quality to beat the likes of Hamburg and Mainz, and so the Schalke match may not be a 'mission impossible' situation after all.

Schalke may not be the prettiest team to watch, but Felix Magath has worked wonders since his arrival in Gelsenkirchen. The man who coached Wolfsburg to the title in May has taken a largely unchanged squad that underperformed last year and turned it into a title-contending side. Schalke have tough matches against Werder and Mainz on the horizon and will need to take whatever points they can get beforehand.

Bayer Leverkusen – Stuttgart

Leverkusen failed to assert their league-leading status in last weekend’s 1-1 draw away to Bayern Munich. Instead of playing for a win, the Rhine club was content to sit back and hope to hit their opponents on the break. Against Stuttgart, their attitude will surely be different, but Leverkusen will need a classy performance if they are to beat resurgent Stuttgart.

Swabian side Stuttgart have played in a number of matches they should have won, but have ultimately failed to get positive results and have now slipped into the relegation zone. Their 2-0 victory over Rangers in midweek will certainly go far to boost morale in Markus Babbel’s side, but they will have it all to do if they are to take points from their hosts.

Hannover – Bayern Munich

Their last match may have ended in a 2-0 defeat to Schalke, but Hannover played very well in an inspired performance that remained close until the end. Bayern have exhibited dodgy form this year, and Hannover will surely be motivated as they prepare to face Germany’s most historically successful team.

Bayern got a new lease on life after winning 1-0 against Maccabi Haifa in midweek. Despite having drawn 1-1 against Leverkusen, the Bavarian giants are only four points from a European berth and will look to finish 2009 with a good run over the last month before the midseason break.

Clark Whitney, Goal.com

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