Bundesliga, Germany’s top league starts again more than two months after the last day: predictions on the 3:30pm matches.
In Germany they took their time. The break for the World Cup lasted much longer for the Bundesliga, which reopens after more than two months. Actually, this is not a surprising choice, as the German top league usually goes ‘into hibernation’ between December and January for purely climatic reasons. So it’s back to business. And the team to beat is, of course, always Bayern Munich, on the scene in the advance at the home of Leipzig.
The Bavarians have predictably reclaimed the top spot in the table, long occupied by Union Berlin in the first part of the season. The Capitolini were sumptuous until October, before going into a physiological decline, also the result of the double commitment in the Europa League. In the last three days of the championship, Urs Fischer’s men have won just one point, slipping to fifth place. The break, therefore, cannot have done the Union any good, as they are slightly favoured in the challenge against Hoffenheim, another team that arrived in November in great difficulty. After a positive start, the club from Sinsheim – grappling with a host of injuries – has lost almost all of them since September, only managing to beat the bottom-of-the-table Schalke 04. In the German capital we should in any case see an eventful match, with at least one goal each.
The predictions for the other matches
On Saturday afternoon in the Bundesliga, Eintracht Frankfurt, Napoli’s next Champions League opponents, will also feature. Oliver Glasner’s side, after a less-than-stellar start, had appeared to be in excellent form before the World Cup, even making the top four. All the conditions are there for Kolo Muani and his team-mates to start 2023 with a convincing victory against the disastrous Schalke 04, last in the table.
Glasner
This is likely to be a prolific contest in Frankfurt, but at least three goals in total are also expected in Wolfsburg, where the tournament’s second force, Freiburg, arrive. This is perhaps the most interesting match of this round, between the green-and-whites – completely reborn with the arrival of Niko Kovac on the bench – and Christian Streich’s troop, -4 behind Bayern Munich and in full fight for a place in the Champions League. There is no clear favourite, but there should be no shortage of goals. The salvation clash between the penultimate Bochum and Hertha Berlin is a thrilling one: the previous record gives comfort to the capital city, which had closed with a convincing victory against Cologne in November. It cannot be ruled out that they will at least manage to avoid defeat. Finally, there is a good chance that Stuttgart will also get at least a point. The red-and-whites have won their last three home matches and could repeat against a Mainz side that had slowed down in the autumn.
Bundesliga: possible winners
- Union Berlin (in Union Berlin-Hoffenheim)
- Eintracht Frankfurt (in Eintracht Frankfurt-Schalke 04)
- Stuttgart or draw (in Stuttgart-Mainz)
- Hertha Berlin or draw (in Stuttgart-Mainz)
The matches with at least one goal per team
- Union Berlin-Hoffenheim
- Wolfsburg-Freiburg
Bundesliga: matches with a total of at least three goals
- Wolfsburg-Freiburg
- Eintracht Frankfurt-Schalke 04