Protecting a hitherto unthinkable 45 game unbeaten run is to be the primary focus of newly crowned Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen when they host Stuttgart at the Bay Arena in Saturday’s late kick off. Big guns Jeremie Frimpong, Victor Boniface and Florian Wirtz are among first team regulars pushing for starting slots after they all came off the bench when Die Werkself needed a 97th minute leveller to draw 2-2 at Borussia Dortmund.
Xabi Alonso’s leap for joy following Josip Stanisic’s late equaliser at Signal Iduna Park implies he will field a strong side against a Stuttgart side aiming to bounce back from last week’s 1-2 setback at Werder Bremen next Thursday’s Europa League semifinal at AS Roma notwithstanding.
Nathan Tella is available for selection despite limping off injured at Dortmund but forwards Adam Hlozek and Borja Iglesias remain sidelined. Patrick Schick, Tella and Amine Adli are the alternative forwards who usually start in Europe but they could all be used against Stuttgart if Alonso chooses to lay emphasis on overcoming AS Roma.
No hold barred action is to be the name of the game when RB Leipzig lock horns with Borussia Dortmund in a winner takes all battle for an automatic place in next season’s Uefa Champions League. Marco Rose’s hosts hold a two point cushion over Edin Terzic’s visitors but both managers know clashes between the sides are a toss up in which neither home advantage or previous records count for much.
Though the Bundesliga is likely to get an extra place in Europe’s premier club competition, Terzic will ignore Wednesday’s semifinal showdown with Paris Saint Germain to target all three points at Leipzig. Sebastian Haller’s injury and the need to keep Niklas Fulkrug fresh dictates Youssoufa Moukoko, Jamie Byroe Gittens and Marco Reus are candidates to start at the Red Bull Arena.
Wrapping up Harry Kane’s bid for the European Golden Shoe is among the targets for Bayern Munich when they host an Eintracht Frankfurt side that precipitated their Bundesliga implosion by tormenting the Bavarians 5-1 at the Mercedes Benz Arena. Kane’s 33 goals to date are the highest among strikers from any of the continent’s top five leagues but he will resist manager Thomas Tuchel’s temptation to rest him for Tuesday’s showdown with Real Madrid.
FRIDAY
Bochum v Hoffenheim
SATURDAY
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt,
RB Leipzig v Borussia Dortmund,
Freiburg v Wolfsburg,
Augsburg v Werder Bremen,
Bayer Leverkusen v Stuttgart
SUNDAY
Gladbach v Union Berlin,
Mainz v Cologne,
Darmstadt v Heidenheim