The Bundesliga resumes on Friday. Questions and answers about the restart.
Can Bayern still be stopped on their way to an eleventh championship title in a row?
Bayern Munich are once again enthroned at the top, the chasers have almost been shaken off. Whether the hoped-for excitement returns to the title race depends above all on the record champion’s start to the year at third-placed RB Leipzig. On Friday (8.30 pm/Sat.1 and DAZN), the Saxons challenge the leaders – and could jump to within three points with a win. Not only BVB, who were too changeable in the previous year, are eagerly looking forward to it, but also the surprise teams SC Freiburg, Eintracht Frankfurt or Union Berlin are still lurking in wait for slip-ups by the Munich team, who still have some work to do.
How is Bayern’s goalkeeper search going?
Manuel Neuer can’t, Alexander Nübel doesn’t want to – and Yann Sommer isn’t allowed (yet): So Sven Ulreich will probably be the goalkeeper for the record champions after the World Cup break. Gladbach have publicly said no to Sommer as their preferred solution, but the Munich club have not given up yet – as board chairman Oliver Kahn once again made clear. The two clubs would be “in a process. What the end of this process will be, I cannot say at this point,” he said.
What is the form of the Bayern chasers?
RB Leipzig may be saying goodbye to the championship battle with a defeat against Bayern, and now of all times they are missing their most important player in Christopher Nkunku. The return of Timo Werner is all the more significant, as he is once again a serious option, at least as a wild card. At Borussia Dortmund, the hopeful player is Sebastien Haller. Actually, BVB did not expect a comeback until late in the second half of the season, but then the attacker surprisingly flew to the training camp after his shock diagnosis of testicular cancer. However, he will hardly be able to fix it on his own; the Black and Yellows also have to get a grip on their defensive problems. The contract poker for Youssoufa Moukoko is causing a stir, with sporting director Sebastian Kehl giving the striker an ultimatum until the game against FC Augsburg on Sunday.
What is the situation in the relegation battle?
After nine points from the first 15 games, things can really only get better at Schalke. That things could actually get worse, however, is something to fear from the preparation. None of six test matches won, key players such as Sebastian Polter and Alex Kral out for long periods, plus a lack of serious reinforcements. A race to catch up? Seems utopian. The same applies to Bochum, our neighbours in the league and in the Ruhr region. They, too, have not won in seven preparatory games, and hopeful new arrivals are also in short supply.
Who else has to tremble?
Hertha BSC, for example, FC Augsburg or VfB Stuttgart, who went back to their roots during the winter break. Almost ten years after his dismissal from the Swabians, Bruno Labbadia returned to relegation-threatened Stuttgart. The 56-year-old immediately tightened the reins in training, scheduling some training sessions at the unpleasant time of 7.30 am for late risers. The performances in the test matches, however, were still very changeable.
Are there any other “new” faces?
So far, there have been no big hits in the Bundesliga. Instead, returnee Florian Wirtz is already dancing again as if he had never been away. In the test against FC Venice, the Bayer Leverkusen playmaker dribbled into the penalty area with ease, leaving five opponents in his wake and finishing into the far corner. Coach Xabi Alonso is already comparing him to Lionel Messi. “Florian is a gift for me as a coach,” the Spaniard enthused. With Wirtz finally fit again after tearing his cruciate ligament, Bayer wants to forget the disappointing first half of the season.