After a short Christmas break, the Bundesliga is back this weekend. For FC Bayern, it's all about defending top spot against Mainz on Sunday (18:00 CET). Going into the 14th matchday, the Reds lead closest rivals Leverkusen and Leipzig by two points. fcbayern.com takes a look at the other games this weekend, especially the record champions' main pursuers and upcoming opponents.
Eintracht Frankfurt - Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Kickoff: Saturday, 2 January 2021, 15:30 CET
Significance: FC Bayern regained top position in the Bundesliga in a direct duel with previous leaders Bayer Leverkusen on the last matchday. The Werkself were the last team in the league to remain unbeaten, but Bayer are now two points behind FCB in second place. On Saturday, Leverkusen visit Eintracht Frankfurt and could at least temporarily overtake Bayern with a win. Frankfurt, for their part, were able to get three points in a 2-0 away win in Augsburg after nine straight games without a win. The duel between Leverkusen and Eintracht will take place again a week and a half later in the second round of the DFB Cup (12 January).
Key fact: Goals guaranteed! Frankfurt and Leverkusen have met 70 times in the Bundesliga but the teams have never shared a goalless draw. In the history of the Bundesliga, no other matchup has taken place as often without a single game ending 0-0.
Thanks to a last-minute goal by Robert Lewandowski, FC Bayern beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 on the last Bundesliga matchday and took back top spot in the table.
Arminia Bielefeld - Borussia Mönchengladbach
Kickoff: Saturday, 2 January 2021, 15:30 CET
Significance: As a warm-up for the duel against FC Bayern on Matchday 15, Borussia Mönchengladbach will visit Bielefeld on Saturday. Gladbach are without a win in four Bundesliga games and have slipped to eighth place in the table. Bielefeld, who are currently in the relegation zone in 16th place, were able to record a 1-0 victory at Schalke before the Christmas break and reduce the gap to safety.
Key fact: Mönchengladbach have scored the most goals from set pieces this season (11, including six penalties). At the other end of the scale are upcoming opponents Bielefeld: Arminia are the only team yet to score from a dead ball situation.
VfB Stuttgart - RB Leipzig
Kickoff: Saturday, 2 January 2021, 20:30 CET
Significance: RB Leipzig are lurking in third place in the table, level on points with Bayer Leverkusen. As the Red Bulls are two points behind FC Bayern, they could at least temporarily overtake the Munich side with a win on Saturday evening at VfB Stuttgart. Newcomers Stuttgart are seventh with 18 points.
Key fact: RB with a strong record: Leipzig have never lost to a promoted side in the Bundesliga - recording 14 wins and three draws.
In the last game before the Christmas break, Leipzig could not break the deadlock in a 0-0 draw with FC Köln.
Borussia Dortmund - VfL Wolfsburg
Kickoff: Sunday, 3 January 2021, 15:30
Significance: After only four points from the last five league games, Borussia Dortmund have slipped to fifth place. BVB welcome VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday afternoon for a duel with their neighbours in the table. The Wolves managed to climb to fourth place with five wins in their last seven Bundesliga games and are two points ahead of Dortmund.
Key fact: Advantage Dortmund: BVB are unbeaten in ten Bundesliga games against Wolfsburg, winning nine of them.
Matchday 14 overview
Saturday, 2 January 2021 | 15:30 CET
1. FC Köln - FC Augsburg
Eintracht Frankfurt - Bayer 04 Leverkusen
DSC Arminia Bielefeld - Borussia Mönchengladbach
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim - Sport-Club Freiburg
SV Werder Bremen - 1. FC Union Berlin
Saturday, 02.01.2021 | 18:30 CET
Hertha BSC – FC Schalke 04
Saturday, 2 January 2021 | 20:30 CET
VfB Stuttgart - RB Leipzig
Sunday, 3 January 2021 | 15:30 CET
Borussia Dortmund - VfL Wolfsburg
Sunday, 3 January 2021 | 18:00 CET
FC Bayern - 1. FSV Mainz 05
In a two-part review, we took another close look at FC Bayern's 2020. Here is part two:
Topics of this article