Fortuna Düsseldorf - 1860 München

Before the national break Düsseldorf collected 7 Points out of 4 games which put them in a much more comfortable situation now. With 33 Points they are far away from relegation trouble but some Points are needed of course to be absolutely safe. A bit more difficult look the situation from 1860 Munich who is only 5 Points ahead of the red zone and it can become more difficult because Aue and St. Pauli face each other, therefore one of them are making a step forward. This puts additional pressure on 1860 today. 

After an important and deserved win against KSC with 3-0 Fortuna Coach Funkel has no arguments to change his successful team although the national break was long. He has all his players ready and can choose from a lot at the moment but it can start the same eleven to get the first home win since Matchday 10.

Fortuna is expected to play in 4-1-4-1 again with Bodzek as central midfield player while both youngsters Akpoguma and Bormuth build the central back. In offensive Funkel can field Sobottka, Ayhan, Bebou and Fink while leader Bellinghausen is sitting on the bench and is set as joker. Up front plays Hennings who is back in shape after scoring twice against his former club lately.

It was very important for 1860 to stop the losing run from 3 matches in a row with a 2-1 win against relegation rival Würzburger Kickers. This give them some self confidence and believe in their strength back. Although on the road they are one of the weakest teams in 2.Bundesliga with only 1 win so far (September 2016).

New Coach Pereira has found his eleven in the past weeks and he change only if it is a must or maybe according to some tactical things. Therefore it is not far away that he count on his winning team from two weeks ago again. In this case youngster Neuhaus remain in the team instead of veteran Bülow. Also one of the best players in squad from 1860 Munich Liendl sit on bench again. The situation for the top Austrian player is more as disappointing and he is already searching for new clubs. Although he was the man against Würzburg after he comes in, Pereira does not like him much. Also new and with a lot of hopes signed striker Gytkjaer has lost the fight for the offensive postion against Olic. He sit on bench now after could not convince much.  Not available are all the long term injured players like Mölders, Kager, Andrade and Simon.

Very nice encounter above if you take a look at the numbers. Düsseldorf has not won since Matchday 10 at home while 1860 Munich has lost all his last 8 road games. It looks like the draw is a good choice here. The Under can be a good one as well. Düsseldorf did not score in 7 of 11 latest matches and 1860 scored only 1 single goal in 5 attempts on the road including Cup.

Union Berlin - 1.FC Nürnberg

This match ends up Round 25 with an excellent encounter between two traditional teams. An very important match for the home side at “Alte Försterei” to overcome leader VfB Stuttgart with a win. This is only possible because they are running from win to win 2017 and their position is excellent right now. As mentioned with a win they can take the lead and come much more closer to their main aim “promotion”. Maybe this can be a very hard match anyway because with Nürnberg they are having not the easiest opponent, moreover they do not like them. The results are not in their favor in the past against this opponent. In 8 attempts against Nürnberg they can not manage a single win so far. In this period they got trashed with 7 defeats and only 1 draw, this is not their lovely opponent but they have to looks forward and turn things into their way to get the best possible position out in promotion race.

The first half of the Season was maybe average with 28 Points but after the winter break they are running an excellent streak by beating all opponents so far, only Dresden was able to get a draw against them. With a 5 match winning run they are coming to this encounter in excellent form. Beating Bielefeld 3-1, Karlsruhe 2-1, 1860 2-0, Würzburg 2-0 and St. Pauli 2-1 in the past and hope that they continue this run. Union Coach Keller has found his starting lineup which will be changed only if there is a must. As happened with keeper Busk and Pedersen who both should be back after the national break. Busk will be replaced by youngster Messenhöler once again and for Pedersen is Parensen ready to play on the back wing. Central back Puncec is back from suspension but should take place on bench because his replacement veteran Pogatetz made a great match against St. Pauli and should remain in starting lineup.

After getting only 2 Points on their side from the first 6 matches Nürnberg has stabilized them. Of course it is not what they have expected because they dreamed from more but they are on a solid midfield place now and should end up this Season there too. They started with a lose into 2017 and had with 4 Points in the next matches a good basis but they lost 4 matches in a row then what was the end for Coach Schwartz. With Köllner on the sideline they turned the negative run with a 1-0 against Bielefeld last weekend. 

Some changes can be expecting compared to the last weekend as with Gislason and Hufnagel they have two players back from injury, also Behrens and Mühl return from suspension what gives Köllner a lot more of options for the match in Berlin. It is not decided if Köllner changes much because youngster Löwen made a good starting debut against Bielefeld and can remain in team. The position in goal gets again on veteran Schäfer who gave his comeback last weekend according to the injury of first choice keeper Kirschbaum. Nevertheless their injury list is full enough with Erras, Sepsi, Parker, Sabiri, Teuchert and Leipold.

Beside the weak head to head record speaks all for Union. They have collected 19 from possible 21 Points 2017 and lost only once at home. Nürnberg could only win 2 of 7 matches 2017 and was not in the shape they need against such teams recently. It can be a shot out as well: An average from 5,33 goals had the first 3 encounter between these two sides in Berlin. Additional has Union the best offensive 2017 with 13 goals scored so far. Matches where Nürnberg take part had an average from 3,08 goals this Season, what speaks again for goals !!!

Bundesliga Saturday Matches 18.03.2017

1.FC Köln - Hertha BSC Berlin

- Hertha BSC is unbeaten in 7 games with Cologne, against no other BL club longer.
- The last 3 matches were all won from Hertha BSC.
- Cologne is waiting since 5 Rounds for a win, they managed only 2 from 15 possible Points.
- Only Eintracht Frankfurt was weaker in this period as Cologne.
- The last 5 away games were all lost for Hertha BSC.
- The last time they had such a run on the road was 2009 with 7 lost matches in a row.
- Cologne conceded in 7 games 2017 already 12 goals, in the first 7 this Season only 4.
- In the last 3 matches they conceded 8, what is a huge number and let them think.
- Cologne scored already 5 goals after counter attacks, Hertha BSC none.


1899 Hoffenheim - Bayer Leverkusen

- In 8 games where Leverkusen had to play in Sinsheim they are unbeaten (6-2-0).
- Against no other BL Team Leverkusen has such a run and not losing a single game in the first 8.
- Also no actual other BL Team won so many matches in Sinsheim as Bayer (6).
- Only Bayern Munich lost less games (1) as Hoffenheim (2) this Season so far.
- In BL history no other Team has so less Points after losing only 2 times as 1899 actual (42).
- Leverkusen is played the weakest Season in the last 14 years with only 31 Points after 24 Rounds.
- In Season 2002/03 they had 26 Points at this time and they was close to be relegated but saved them.
- 1899 is playing to often draw, this happened 12 times this Season already and is a new record for them.
- The last time they had so many draws was 2013/14 and 2011/12 with 11 !!!
- Leverkusen missed already 5 penalty kicks in this BL Season (from 6).
- The record is exactly at 6 missed penalties for a Team in BL, last time Freiburg 1999/2000.


Werder Bremen - RB Leipzig

- In the second part of the Season Bremen has exactly the same Points as RB.
- To begin of the Season RB had 23 Points more as WB.
- RB is not so dangerous as to begin of the Season and they created less in the past.
- In the last game RB has not one dangerous attempt on goal.
- WB is unbeaten since 4 games (3-1-0), 10 Points in this period had only Bayern.
- Against the 4 upcoming opponents lost Bremen all in first half of the Season.
- Keeper Wiedwald is on fire and saved 90% of the shot on his goal (18 from 20).
- Bremen is winless in 8 games against newcomers in the league (0-3-5).
- The last win against a newcomer was in November 2014 against Paderborn 4-0.


FC Augsburg - SC Freiburg

- FCA is with only big chances one of the weakest teams in creating, only D98 and HSV less.
- Freiburg has with 32 not much more but they are almost clinical in front of goal with 66% used.
- Goals expected? FCA in the last 9 without a clean sheet and SCF in the last 10.
- Both teams are running the longest streak in this category of all BL Teams.
- Augsburg won only 1 from the last 5 (1-1-3) and SCF lost only 1 of the last 5 (2-2-1).
- Problems in defense for FCA? Before the winter break they allowed 1,1 goals average, 2,0 now.
- Halil Altintop scored in all his 4 BL games against Freiburg (for Augsburg).

Borussia Dortmund - FC Ingolstadt 04 (Facts)

Dortmund without Bender, Dembele (suspended), Götze and Reus
Ingolstadt miss Hartmann

Some question marks are behind Aubameyang who missed the Cup game under the week already, Kagawa and Weigl. The opponent from Ingolstadt has no one questionable but they may play a bit more defensively compared to the last home game against Cologne.

- Ingolstadt won none of the 3 BL games against Dortmund, although the last one was close.
- Last Season they lost easy 0-4 and 0-2 but this Season they managed a draw 3-3.
- In this encounter they were up two goals but in the end Dortmund press huge and equalized.
- The 0-4 against Dortmund was Ingolstadt's highest lose in BL, also to Hannover 0-4.
- Dortmund is unbeaten since 32 home games (26-6-0), what is a new Club record for them.
- The last lose was 2 years ago to Bayern Munich 0-1 in April.
- Ingolstadt managed to collect more Points on the road as at home, same to Wolfsburg and FCA.
- Last Round Ingolstadt has 26 shots on target what is a new high for them in BL.

Overall this should be a clear thing, above all Dortmund must win after the lose in Berlin otherwise the teams behind overcome them this weekend. Although some key weapons are out or doubtful they should have the class to win this one. Ingolstadt played well last weekend but they need to many chances to get something on the scoreboard above all striker Hartmann is a big miss.