Bundesliga Preview: Berlin Derby Takes Centre Stage, While Bayern And Dortmund Face Tricky Opponents

A first-ever all-Berlin derby in the Bundesliga takes centre stage on Matchday 10, while Borussia Mönchengladbach will try to maintain their place at the top of the standings ahead of defending champions FC Bayern München.

It’s a momentous match in the capital as 1. FC Union Berlin – the first club from former East Berlin to reach the Bundesliga – host Hertha Berlin at the Stadion a der Alten Försterei for a maiden top-flight derby in the unified capital. It comes one week short of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Further up the table, Gladbach will be looking to preserve their one-point lead over Bayern when they make the short trip to eighth-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

Only four points separate these two teams who hail from either side of the Rhine river, but Leverkusen are without a win in three. Marco Rose’s visitors, in contrast, have won five of their last six Bundesliga matches, with French pair Marcus Thuram and  Alassane Plea both scoring four league goals this season.

Kicking off at the same time, Bayern will seek to profit from any Gladbach slip up. Niko Kovac brings the record champions to face his old side Eintracht Frankfurt, who sit ninth after their 4-2 defeat in Mönchendgladbach last week. The Munich club will once again be counting on star striker Robert Lewandowski, who made history in the 2-1 win over Union as he became the first player ever to score on each of the first Bundesliga nine matchdays of a season.
Fifth hosts fourth when Borussia Dortmund welcome VfL Wolfsburg. Following a 0-0 draw in the Revierderby against FC Schalke 04 last time out, Lucien Favre’s team are three points off the lead but are up against the only team yet to lose this season.

The Wolves boast the tightest defence in the league as well as five-goal striker Wout Weghorst. The weekend action kicks off on Friday as fast-improving TSG 1899 Hoffenheim aim to make it four wins in a row when they host bottom side SC Paderborn 07, who picked up their first victory of the season at home to Fortuna Düsseldorf last time out.
Tipped by some as title contenders, RB Leipzig have dipped of late with no wins in their last four, and Julian Nagelsmann’s side will look to set things right against a midtable 1. FSV Mainz 05 outfit that has picked up wins over 1. FC Köln and Paderborn recently.

Third-placed Sport-Club Freiburg were the team to beat Leipzig on Matchday 9 and they’ll be out to continue their sensational start away to an SV Werder Bremen side that has drawn their last four matches. Freiburg will be wary, though, of USA striker Josh Sargent, whose two goals this season have both come at home.

Fellow American Zack Steffen will be trying to keep goals out for Friedhelm Funkel’s Fortuna, who have lost four of their last five. On Sunday they’ll seek to make home advantage count against fellow strugglers Köln in the weekend’s second Rhine derby.

The action is rounded off at FC Augsburg, who have secured credible back-to-back draws against Bayern and Wolfsburg. The Bavarians welcome a Schalke side very much at the right end of the table but having twice missed out on top spot after going three games without a win.