Bundesliga Matchday 15: Dortmund hosts Leverkusen, fight for Spot 2

As the Bundesliga closes to the winter break in mid December, Dortmund will be hosting Bayer Leverkusen in a direct test between the two sides. Dortmund currently trails the factory team by three points, while Bayern Muenchen leads Leverkusen by four.  Bayern will traveling to Bremen, but will be without Arjen Robben, who was injured during the DFB Pokal competition against Augsburg.  Currently he is scheduled to sit out for at least six weeks.

Fourth place Borussia Moenchengladbach trails Dortmund by three points and will be hosting Schalke 04 on Saturday.  Schalke has had a troubled season and has dropped back to fifth spot, four points behind Gladbach.  This is another game that will determine whether Schalke will be able to compete among the top six. Wolfsburg trails Schalke by one point and is guest at SC Freiburg on Sunday.  Freiburg has been struggling to move out of a relegation spot, with just three points ahead of the bottom two, Nuernberg and Braunschweig.

Stuttgart hosts Hanover 96 and the two sides are separated by one point, making this another critical match.  Hamburg hosts Augsburg, another match where the two  sides are only separated by one point.  On Saturday, Frankfurt hosts Hoffenheim and this should be another match to watch.  Hoffenheim has established a reputation this season that its matches will be blessed with lots of goals, which is nerve wrecking for coaches, but a delight for fans.

Eintracht Braunschweig, the struggling new side, continues to sit at the bottom of the league with just eight points.  On Sunday the side hosts Hertha BSC Berlin, which has done extremely well on its return to the top flight.  Braunschweig will be chasing its third win and valuable three points, while Berlin will be looking for three points to solidify its place in the top half of the league.

The weekend promises to be a another exciting one for fans with the top match in Dortmund and important matches for Gladbach and Schalke.  While nothing can be taken for granted, this weekend will be filled, once again with surprises and goals. 

6 December

1. FC Nürnberg vs FSV Mainz 05  1-1

7 December   
   
Bor. Mönchengladbach vs Schalke 04   
VfB Stuttgart vs Hannover 96   
Werder Bremen vs Bayern München   
Hamburger SV vs FC Augsburg   
Eintracht Frankfurt vs 1899 Hoffenheim       
Borussia Dortmund vs Bayer Leverkusen   

8 December
   
SC Freiburg vs VfL Wolfsburg       
Eintr. Braunschweig vs Hertha BSC   


Posn  Team             GP   W   D   L    GF/GA   Points
1      FC Bayern        14    12   2    0       32:7         38
2      Leverkusen       14    11   1    2       31:14       34
3      Dortmund         14    10   1    3       35:15       31
4      M'gladbach       14      9   1    4       31:16       28
5      Schalke             14      7   3    4       29:26       24
6      Wolfsburg         14      7   2     5      20:16       23
8      Mainz                15      6   2    7      22:29       20
7      Hertha BSC      14       5  4     5      20:17       19
9      Hannover           14     5    2    7     17:22       17
10    Augsburg           14     5    2    7     15:23        17
11    Hamburg            14     4    4    6     30:31        16
12    Stuttgart              14    4     4   6     24:26        16
13    Bremen               14     4     4   6    19:27        16
14    Hoffenheim        14     3     5   6     32:34        14
15    Frankfurt            14     2     5   7     17:26        11
16    Freiburg              14     2     5   7     14:25       11
17    Nürnberg             15     0     9   6     14:30        9
18    B'schweig            14     2     2  10      8:26        8