Despite a 3-2 defeat at Borussia Mönchengladbach on Matchday 15, FC Bayern remain top of the Bundesliga table. Since their closest rivals were also unable to win last weekend, the Munich team will enter Matchday 16 with a two-point lead on second place. FCB have a home match against SC Freiburg on Sunday afternoon (3:30 pm CET) - with that Bayern could extend their lead at the top. fcbayern.com takes a look at the most important games this weekend, focusing on Bayern's league rivals and upcoming opponents.
1. FC Union Berlin vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen
KO: Friday. 16.01.2021, 20:30 CET
Keep an eye on: Fifth against third - the chasing pack vying for the top spots. 1. FC Union Berlin and Bayer Leverkusen open Matchday 16 on Friday evening. The Berlin side are without question the surprise package of the current season, having only lost two games. Particularly against teams from the top half of the table, the Irons have done excellently so far, with one win and five draws. Leverkusen, on the other hand, who were top of the table until Matchday 13, have only picked up one point from their last three league games. With an emphatic 4-1 win in the DFB Cup against Eintracht Frankfurt in midweek, the Werkself were able to pick themselves up ahead of this match.
Stats corner: Union, are about to play their 50th match in Bundesliga history, and they are currently on a roll. They are unbeaten for five games (two wins, three draws) and have scored eight times in the opening fifteen minutes of games. That makes them top of the league in this respect ahead of this weekend's opponents from Leverkusen (seven goals in the first 15 minutes). The two teams have faced each other five times in competitive matches so far, two of them in the league and three in the DFB Cup. Leverkusen have thus far won all five matches.
After two defeats in a row, Leverkusen picked up a point last weekend with a 1-1 draw against Bremen.
VfL Wolfsburg vs. RB Leipzig
KO: Saturday, 16.01.2021, 15:30 CET
Keep an eye on: RB Leipzig suffered a painful 3-1 defeat in the match against Borussia Dortmund last week and thus missed out on the chance to leapfrog their way to the top of the table. However, the Red Bulls have never suffered two Bundesliga defeats in a row since Julian Nagelsmann took the helm. Should they win at sixth-placed Wolfsburg, the men from Saxony would be ahead of Bayern for at least 24 hours.
Stats corner: Wolfsburg are on a roll at home and are the only Bundesliga team to have won their last five home games in a row. Wolves are one of only three teams (Bayern and Eintracht Frankfurt being the other two) unbeaten at home so far this season.
SV Werder Bremen vs. FC Augsburg
KO: Saturday, 16.01.2021, 18:30 CET
Keep an eye on: Bayern's opponents for the final match of the first half of the season (Wednesday, 20.1.21, 20:30CET), FC Augsburg, face SV Werder Bremen this weekend. The North Germans are struggling at home - Werder have lost all of their last three home games - and the Bavarian team will want to build on their strong away form. After 1-0 victories in Bielefeld and Cologne, Augsburg could win three games in a row away from home for the first time in six years - nearly a club record.
Stats corner: Augsburg have collected 11 of their 19 points this season via away matches. The Bavarians have never picked up more than the current 11 away points that they have accrued in the first half of a Bundesliga season and could now set a new record with a point or more in Bremen.
In Bremen, Augsburg want to put their recent 4-1 home defeat to league rivals VfB Stuttgart behind them.
Matchday 16 Overview
Friday, 15.01.2021 | 20:30 (all times CET)
1. FC Union Berlin vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Saturday, 16.01.2021 | 15:30
Borussia Dortmund vs. 1. FSV Mainz 05
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim vs. DSC Arminia Bielefeld
VfL Wolfsburg vs. RB Leipzig
1. FC Köln vs. Hertha BSC
SV Werder Bremen vs. FC Augsburg
Saturday, 16.01.2021 | 18:30
VfB Stuttgart vs. Bor. Mönchengladbach
Sunday, 17.01.2021 | 15:30
FC Bayern vs. Sport-Club Freiburg
Sunday, 17.01.2021 | 18:00
Eintracht Frankfurt vs. FC Schalke 04
The Bayern View is a format from the former digital matchday magazine Pack ma's.
Leaders Bayern Munich welcome SC Freiburg on Matchday 16 - for one FCB legend, a home match against SCF marked the end of his outstanding career:
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