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Things are ramping up at both ends of the table as the Bundesliga moves into midweek Matchday 30, with FC Bayern München looking to extend their lead at the top of the table, FC Schalke 04 desperately trying to avoid relegation, and the race for European football reaching fever pitch.
FC Bayern’s nearest challengers RB Leipzig kick things off on Tuesday night when they travel to Cologne to face a team placed second–bottom; three points adrift of the relegation playoff place and four away from outright safety.
A Leipzig win would move Julian Nagelsmann’s side to within four points of the top spot before FC Bayern host European hopefuls Bayer 04 Leverkusen later the same night.
Jamal Musiala will be hoping to start after becoming the Bundesliga’s youngest player to score six goals, while Robert Lewandowski is back in training and edging closer to being match fit. But the team will be looking to ease their talismanic striker back into the game, to avoid further injury. As such, his participation in this game is not confirmed.
Die Werkselfwill have one eye on proceedings at the Deutsche Bank Park, where goal–hungry Andre Silva and his Eintracht Frankfurt side host FC Augsburg.
Just six points separate Frankfurt in fourth and Leverkusen in the sixth, a gap that could be reduced to as little as three points or extended to as many as nine, depending on how both teams fare.
Meanwhile, Schalke will confirm their relegation if they lose at fellow strugglers DSC Arminia Bielefeld. It would be the Royal Blues’ first top-flight relegation since 1987/88 and, even with victory, they will still remain at least 10 points back from 16th–place’s playoff place –with just 12 to play for when Matchday 31 comes around at the weekend.
Wednesday night will be another day of reckoning for teams at both the top and bottom of the Bundesliga.
Following a brace against SV Werder Bremen, that kept Borussia Dortmund in contention for a top-four finish, Erling Haaland will be looking to add to his half–century of goals for Dortmund, when Union Berlin arrive at the Signal Iduna Park.
The Berliners are also still hoping to secure European football next season, and a win against Dortmund will improve their chances greatly –putting them within three-point of their hosts.
Borussia Mönchengladbach start level on points with Die Eisernen –albeit with a one-point advantage on goal difference–as Marco Rose’s farewell tour makes its way to TSG Hoffenheim. The Foals also have their sites firmly set on European football next season, so this game is a must-win.
The same can be said for both VfB Stuttgart and VfL Wolfsburg –who meet at the Mercedes–Benz Arena –with the hosts still mathematically in the running for a top–six spot and the away team looking to further secure their third–place position in what has been a stunning campaign for the Wolves.
Werder Bremen play 1. FSV Mainz 05 on home soil in MD30’s remaining fixture –with Hertha Berlin vs. SC Freiburg postponed –and each side will know that victory will largely alleviate fears of the drop, while defeat will intensify them.
