FC Bayern kick-off Matchday 20 in the current Bundesliga season with an away game at Hertha Berlin on Friday night (20:30 CET). After the convincing 4-1 win against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Bayern travel to Berlin with a seven-point advantage over second-placed RB Leipzig, before setting off to Qatar for the FIFA Club World Cup. What to look out for on this matchday from a Bayern perspective.
FC Schalke 04 vs. RB Leipzig
Kick-off: Saturday, 06.02.2021, 15:30 (all times CET)
Significance: Thanks to the narrow 1-0 win in the clash with nearest rivals Bayer 04 Leverkusen, RB Leipzig underlined their status as the main competitor for FC Bayern. Ahead of Matchday 20, the gap between RBL and the record champions is currently seven points and every dropped point will reduce the title ambitions of RB. Schalke 04 have clocked up as many points in the last six games under new coach Christian Gross as they did in the first thirteen matches (four points).
Key facts: Leipzig have won the last two Bundesliga meetings with Schalke with a goal difference of nine for and zero against. Last season's 5-0 win was the biggest away victory in the Bundesliga for RB Leipzig. Schalke currently have the weakest defence in the league with 49 goals conceded and, after 19 matches, they have the second worst record in the history of the Bundesliga.
Thanks to the winner against Leverkusen, scored by Christopher Nkunku, RB Leipzig retained second place in the table behind FC Bayern.
FC Augsburg vs. VfL Wolfsburg
Kick-off: Saturday, 06.02.2021, 15:30
Significance: VfL Wolfsburg have worked their way up the table step-by-step in recent weeks and the 3-0 victory over SC Freiburg last weekend took them into third spot. Only RB Leipzig have conceded fewer goals than VfL and in Wout Weghorst they have one of the best centre forwards in the league. Even the Wolfsburg legends Edin Dzeko and Grafite in the championship winning season of 2008/09 were unable to equal 13 goals from the first 19 matchdays.
Key facts: While VfL have equalled the club record in the Bundesliga with three clean sheets in succession, FC Augsburg have lost four of the last five games. FCA have not beaten Wolfsburg in the last six Bundesliga fixtures (three draws, three defeats). The previous meeting at Wolfsburg ended in a goalless draw.
Striker with a goals guarantee: Wolfsburg's Wout Weghorst has already scored 13 goals this season
Al Duhail SC vs. Al Ahly SC
Kick-off: Thursday, 04.02.2021, 18:30
Significance: Hosts Al Duhail SC and the Egyptian club Al Ahly SC face each other on Thursday in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup with the winner facing FC Bayern in the semi-finals. After Auckland City FC dropped out due to the quarantine regulations issued by the New Zealand authorities, the Qatari champions received a bye to the second round. In contrast, Al Ahly SC were in the quarter-finals as winners of the CAF Champions League.
Key facts: For Al Duhail SC it is the first time they have been in this tournament, while Al Ahly are competing in the Club World Cup for the sixth time. The perennial Egyptian champions from Cairo (41 titles) reached the semi-finals in 2006 and 2012 and ended the tournament in third and fourth place respectively.
Matchday 20 at a glance
Friday, 05.02.2021 | 20:30 CET
Hertha BSC vs FC Bayern
Saturday, 06.02.2021 | 15:30 CET
1. FSV Mainz 05 vs. 1. FC Union Berlin
Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs. VfB Stuttgart
FC Augsburg vs. VfL Wolfsburg
FC Schalke 04 vs. RB Leipzig
SC Freiburg vs. Borussia Dortmund
Saturday, 06.02.2021 | 18:30 CET
Borussia Mönchengladbach vs. 1. FC Köln
Sunday, 07.02.2021 | 15:30 CET
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
Sunday, 07.02.2021 | 18:00 CET
DSC Arminia Bielefeld vs. SV Werder Bremen
Bayern View follows a format in the former digital matchday magazine Pack ma's.
Almost three years to the day since his last Bundesliga goal, Jérôme Boateng again found the back of the opposition net – back then as now against opponents 1899 Hoffenheim.
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