A week before the perhaps landmark top game against pursuers Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen is defending its lead in the table against the bottom team. Xabi Alonso’s team will be playing in the German Bundesliga in Darmstadt on Saturday (3:30 p.m.), while Bayern, who are two points behind, will host Borussia Mönchengladbach. RB Leipzig is hoping for its first points of 2024 in the home game against Union Berlin.
03.02.2024 12.57
Online since today, 12:57 p.m
At the Böllenfalltor, the Bundesliga team from Darmstadt, which has been without a win for the longest time (twelve games), will meet the team from Leverkusen, which has been unbeaten for the longest time (19). Nevertheless, Alonso warned his professionals not to underestimate the bottom of the table. “We know that the atmosphere there is very special. They play with heart and quality. It doesn’t matter where both teams are in the table. “Anything can happen in a football match,” said the Spaniard.
But a win is planned in order to go into next weekend’s top game as league leaders. With a view to the duel with Bayern, Alonso could do without Granit Xhaka, as the Swiss midfielder would miss another yellow card against Munich. The coach recently took a similar approach with defender Jonathan Tah. Alonso can again plan with two returnees from the African Cup (Edmond Tapsoba and Amine Adli).
Bayern wants to get into position
Bayern, for their part, have the chance to take the lead in the table with a win against Mönchengladbach and next weekend against Leverkusen. The series champions have to do without ÖFB team player Konrad Laimer because of his torn muscle fiber in his calf and other regulars such as Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry, Dayot Upamecano and Minjae Kim, but probably not coach Thomas Tuchel.
IMAGO/Team 2/Maik Hölter With a home win over Gladbach, Bayern would like to position themselves for the summit meeting with Leverkusen
The coach was on the mend after a flu-like infection, but left the final press conference on Friday to sports director Christoph Freund. “We definitely want to win the game, that’s our big goal,” said the Salzburg native, confirming Bayern’s usual approach. Late winter signings Sacha Boey from Galatasaray Istanbul and Bryan Zaragoza from FC Granada “are ready,” said Freund about their potential Bayern debuts.
Leipzig loses sight of the top
Leipzig has long since lost touch with the top duo, and a Champions League starting place is also in danger after the team with the Austrian trio Xaver Schlager, Christoph Baumgartner and Nicolas Seiwald lost all three league games in January. With a home win against Union Berlin on Sunday, coach Marco Rose’s team wants to turn things around and keep Eintracht Frankfurt, who are two points behind, at bay.
Frankfurt has to do without the two top performers in Cologne, striker Omar Marmoush (ill) and defender Willian Pacho (suspended), striker Hugo Ekitike, who was signed shortly before the end of the transfer window, is not yet an option for coach Dino Toppmöller. ÖFB team player Sasa Kalajdzic, who was brought in in the winter and is hoping for his first goal for Eintracht, should be in the attacking position.
German Bundesliga, 20th round and supplement
Friday, February 2nd: Heidenheim Dortmund 0-0 Saturday, February 3rd: Darmstadt Leverkusen 3:30 p.m. Bayern Munich Mönchengladbach 3:30 p.m. Freiburg Stuttgart 3:30 p.m. Mainz Bremen 3:30 p.m. Bochum Augsburg 3:30 p.m. Cologne Frankfurt 6:30 p.m. Sunday, February 4th: Wolfsburg Hoffenheim 3:30 p.m. Leipzig Union Berlin 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 7th: Mainz Union Berlin 6:30 p.m
Tabel:
2024-02-03 11:58:31
#Football #Trials #fire #German #title #fight
