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Matchday 6: Four Bundesliga Matches to Watch this Weekend

By Ryan Wrenn

26 September 2018, North Rhine-Westphalia, Düsseldorf: Soccer: Bundesliga, Fortuna Düsseldorf - Bayer Leverkusen, 5th matchday in the Merkur Arena. Leverkusen's fans burn down pyrotechnics in the stands.(EMBARGO CONDITIONS - ATTENTION: The DFB prohibits the utilisation and publication of sequential pictures on the internet and other online media during the match (including half-time). ATTENTION: BLOCKING PERIOD! The DFB permits the further utilisation and publication of the pictures for mobile services (especially MMS) and for DVB-H and DMB only after the end of the match.) Photo: Federico Gambarini/dpa - WICHTIGER HINWEIS: Gemäß den Vorgaben der DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga bzw. des DFB Deutscher Fußball-Bund ist es untersagt, in dem Stadion und/oder vom Spiel angefertigte Fotoaufnahmen in Form von Sequenzbildern und/oder videoähnlichen Fotostrecken zu verwerten bzw. verwerten zu lassen. (Photo by Federico Gambarini/picture alliance via Getty Images)
26 September 2018, North Rhine-Westphalia, Düsseldorf: Soccer: Bundesliga, Fortuna Düsseldorf - Bayer Leverkusen, 5th matchday in the Merkur Arena. Leverkusen's fans burn down pyrotechnics in the stands.(EMBARGO CONDITIONS - ATTENTION: The DFB prohibits the utilisation and publication of sequential pictures on the internet and other online media during the match (including half-time). ATTENTION: BLOCKING PERIOD! The DFB permits the further utilisation and publication of the pictures for mobile services (especially MMS) and for DVB-H and DMB only after the end of the match.) Photo: Federico Gambarini/dpa - WICHTIGER HINWEIS: Gemäß den Vorgaben der DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga bzw. des DFB Deutscher Fußball-Bund ist es untersagt, in dem Stadion und/oder vom Spiel angefertigte Fotoaufnahmen in Form von Sequenzbildern und/oder videoähnlichen Fotostrecken zu verwerten bzw. verwerten zu lassen. (Photo by Federico Gambarini/picture alliance via Getty Images) /
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Patterns are finally beginning to emerge as the Bundesliga readies itself for its third set of matches in the last ten days.

Early results don’t always provide a clear picture of what’s ahead, especially in such a competitive league as the Bundesliga. This weekend should solidify some trends that might deserve some attention however.

Bayern Munich remain title favorites for the umpteenth year running, but their path to another trophy his something of a speed bump on Tuesday as they succumbed to a shock draw at home to lowly Augsburg and an even more disappointing loss to Hertha last night.

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The pace doesn’t slow on Saturday. It might not seem like it after looking at the table as present, but there are at least three big match ups that could make a difference to the young season.

Borussia Monchengladbach’s visit to Wolfsburg stands out most of all. Currently fifth and sixth in the table, respectably, both teams suffered slumps in recent years that they should be anxious to recover from. Wolfsburg even flirted with relegation in 2017/18, only avoiding it by winning a playoff round against second division side Holstein Keil last May.

Their places in the table after five matches might not mean much though. Coincidentally, both teams have thus far benefited from shambolic displays from a wildly underperforming Schalke side and a slow start to Bayer Leverkusen’s campaign.

Those fixtures likely produced some anxiety for Wolfsburg and Gladbach ahead of the season, and their subsequent wins might be inflating their potential just a bit. Their match against each other Saturday could prove a better test of their respective mettle.

If watching what might, in hindsight, be remembered as a match that decided the difference between 9th and 10th isn’t your speed, you could flip to Hoffenheim v RB Leipzeig.

In contrast to Gladbach and Wolfsburg’s slumps of late, these two teams have enjoyed historic highs in recent seasons.

Leipzeig tested Bayern in 2016/17, finishing second in their first attempt after promotion into the Bundesliga. While they slid a bit last season, they still retain some genuinely thrilling potential. Timo Werner isn’t Kylian Mbappé, particularly so far this season, but on his best days he’s easily one of the best young strikers in Europe.

Look for Werner to lead a lightning-quick counter-attack that could pick apart a Hoffenheim side struggling to reclaim the gusto that saw them catapult up the Bundesliga table in recent seasons. That leap up from relative obscurity came courtesy of an unlikely source: 31-year-old Julian Nagelsmann.

The German is by far the youngest manager in the Bundesliga currently, and his appointment at 28 in 2016 makes him the youngest ever in the league’s history. His feel for the game belies his years however, and he’s managed to piece together thoroughly impressive sides at Hoffenheim using limited resources.

While the match itself will be worth your time, there’s an added layer of intrigue. Nagelsmann, once rumored to be the heir apparent to the Bayern throne, will take over at Leipzeig next season. Don’t expect him to hold back on Saturday however.

Leverkusen’s managed to improve of late after those early losses to Wolfsburg and Gladbach, though they still sit 11th ahead of Borussia Dortmund’s visit late on Saturday.

Like Hertha, Leverkusen leans heavily on youth. Players like Leon Bailey (21), Julian Brandt (22) and Jonathan Tah (22) are thrilling to watch develop, but they can also suffer the same inconsistency of any other young players. When they are on form though, they can put on one of the best shows in Germany.

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Unfortunately for them, they will face off against an undefeated Dortmund side just coming off a statement 7-0 win over Nurnberg. Prior to that win, Lucien Favre was a enjoying a successful but oddly tame start to his first season at Jürgen Klopp’s former club. Pieces are falling into place however — Marco Reus is resurgent, while Christian Pulisic’s starpower grows every minute of every match — and that might spell doom for Leverkusen.

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