The 18th matchday of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season is just around the corner!
So it’s time again for us to provide you with the last important information before the weekend.
Five last-minute changes
Bayer 04 Leverkusen: How BILD reported in his lineup post, “Maza will be in the starting lineup.” How accurate this information is remains to be seen. But we’re turning it up Men vor Fernandez.
1. FSV Mainz 05: There is a rumor circulating that Amiri is sick. If this is true, Nebel, Kaishu and Lee could occupy the three-man midfield. Silas, Nordin and Sieb could be considered as speed players alongside Tietz in the attack. We choose Silaswho, according to PK’s statement, is ready to get started right from the start.
1. FC Union Berlin: After the game on Thursday, we see Trimmel taking a break for the weekend. The fresh one He had could take over on the right track in Stuttgart.
FC St. Paul: And Jones apparently didn’t have any problems from the last Bundesliga game, we’ll rotate him before Kaars. In terms of player type, Jones is a better fit for upcoming opponents Dortmund. But Kaars also remains a hot candidate.
1. FC Cologne: Since we see Kamiński as a hot candidate for the double six in the future and because of the coach’s statement (“If Said is to play from your point of view, Kuba has to go somewhere”), we ultimately decide to use him in the starting eleven The Bad. However, it remains very possible that he will only enter the game as a joker. We’ll take Bülter out for this, but he could just as easily start in the attack, which is where we end up Ache rank before Schenten.
As always, all information is without guarantee.
50/50 duels
FC Bayern Munich:
The big question: Will Joshua Kimmich start after an injury break, and if so: in which position? In the absence of several right-backs, he could step into the breach in this position. Otherwise the role goes to Raphaël Guerreiro. Kimmich could also take his usual position in the center and thus displace Tom Bischof or Leon Goretzka there. Further ahead, it is questionable whether Lennart Karl will be allowed to start again or whether Serge Gnabry will be allowed to start again.
Borussia Dortmund:
Rotation will be an issue at BVB in January. The topic could, for example, play a role on the right where Julian Ryerson and Yan Couto are fighting a duel. The former could possibly be spared for the CL. For the same reason, Emre Can might rotate in for Niklas Süle. And Niko Kovac also has a full selection in the attacking midfield.
SC Freiburg:
Niklas Beste was no longer as firmly in the saddle as he was for long stretches of the first half of the season. Depending on whether Christian Günter remains in the starting line-up instead, Philipp Treu will take over the role at the back left or at the front right.
VfB Stuttgart:
At VfB Stuttgart, the extent of the rotation is unclear. A lot of things can happen. Before intense weeks, it could also affect top performers.
TSG Hoffenheim:
The decision between Bazoumana Touré or Fisnik Asllani is a difficult one. It’s hard to take Asllani out, but Touré was also a regular before the Africa Cup of Nations and may be fresher in the English week. It is just as conceivable that both of them would come into play, but then it would be a different caliber, e.g. B. Grischa Prömel or even Andrej Kramarić despite a hat-trick.
1. FC Heidenheim:
The extent of the adjustments is difficult to estimate. In terms of the system, coach Frank Schmidt could also switch back to dual leadership.
Hamburger SV:
On the right-hand side it is not immediately obvious which line-up is the best. It seems similarly unclear whether Jean-Luc Dompé will be able to pull through with his ongoing Achilles tendon problems.
And now you are asked:
What are your 50/50 matchday matchups? Feel free to write it to us in the comments!
