Bundesliga

Who do you support?

England – Tottenham Hotspur (Since 1990)

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Football began for me with Italia 90. England’s run to the semi-final is permanently etched in my memory, as is my first ever Panini sticker book. That was where I discovered that my new hero, Gary Lineker, played for Spurs. It turned out Paul Gascoigne did as well, but that wasn’t as important to my eight-year-old self. An FA Cup victory came immediately in 1991 and since then…two League Cups and a lot of suffering. I also have a soft spot for Portsmouth (where I went to school) and Havant & Waterlooville (my local side), who once led Liverpool at Anfield.

Spain – Celta Vigo (Since 2003)

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I used to like Deportivo La Coruña after Bebeto’s 1994 World Cup heroics, but I then got to study in Vigo for a year and from then on there was no question which Galician side I would be backing. La Liga tickets were 3 Euros a pop and a packet of 3 Champions League group stage tickets (AC Milan, Brugge and Ajax) were an absolute steal at 20. I got to see them take on Arsenal in the next round, too, but a toothless front line led by former Villa striker Savo Milosevic saw them relegated to Segunda at the end of the season. After Celta, I look out for Rayo Vallecano results and then the Yellow Submarine of Villarreal.

France – Lyon (Since 2004)

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I could have been a PSG fan, having been born and gone to school in the capital, but it didn’t end up that way. They’re the opposite of my type of club, so it’s just as well. While working in Lyon over the summer holidays, I got to see Les Gones take on Manchester United in the Champions League and Sochaux in Ligue 1 at the Stade Gerland. This was the time of Juninho, the Brazilian master of free-kicks, and Lyon instantly became my Champions League team, who I’d back over the English “big four” without hesitation. Seven consecutive titles came between 2002 and 2008 before the emergence of the PSG monolith.

Italy – Atalanta (Since 2017)

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I never really had an Italian side that I supported, but I would previously have said Inter if pushed, and I did enjoy Mourinho’s backs to the wall Champions League triumph with Samuel Eto’o leading the line. However, it was the other Nerazzurri that won my heart in the end. My first memory of watching them was their classy dismantling of Everton home and away in the Europa League. Since then, it has been a rollercoaster coming so close to the cup, the league and the Champions League, but not quite making it. As if I didn’t have enough of that as a Spurs fan!

Germany – Union Berlin (Since 2019)

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Yes, a latecomer to this phenomenal story. I was a minor fan of Dortmund when Lewandowski and the rest of the Polish trio were tearing it up for Klopp, but as soon as I watched this short documentary I was hooked on Union. From donating blood to raise money for the club to fans building their stadium with their own hands, the community spirit is unbeatable. Their first season in the top flight was very much about securing safety with set-pieces key, but in the last two years they’ve developed into a real force securing European football twice in a row. Here’s to more of the same!

Bundesliga Final Stretch Predictions

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CHAMPIONS: BAYERN MUNICH
Well, obviously. The perennial favourites will make it a tenth consecutive Bundesliga title completing a decade of domination of the German top flight. They have a six point safety cushion with seven games to go, so the Meisterschale ought to be a formality.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: BORUSSIA DORTMUND, BAYER LEVERKUSEN, LEIPZIG
Borussia are miles clear in second and have no other distractions. Bayer are also out of all other competitions and will finish third. Leipzig must balance the race for fourth with Europa League commitments, but are in the best form of the three main contenders.

EUROPA LEAGUE: FREIBURG, KÖLN
There will be more European football next season for the boys from the Black Forest, who have gone from strength to strength under Christian Streich. They will be joined by the Billy Goats of Köln, who will go on a late surge on the back of Anthony Modeste’s sparkling run of form.

CONFERENCE LEAGUE: HOFFENHEIM
The late run by Köln will push Hoffenheim down to seventh, but that should be enough for a spot in the Conference League, provided Union or Hamburg don’t win the Pokal. The Kraichgau outfit’s inconsistency will see them miss out on the Europa League.

RELEGATED: GREUTHER FÜRTH, ARMINIA BIELEFELD
Fürth have looked doomed from day one, although they have been able to turn performances into points more frequently in the second half of the season. Arminia have lost four on the bounce and look unlikely to turn things around on current form.

PROMOTED: ST. PAULI, WERDER BREMEN
The Pirates have been out on top nearly all season and will love playing a division above city rivals Hamburg for the first time in Bundesliga history. Werder Bremen will take second to secure a rapid return to the top flight for one of Germany’s traditional big hitters.

RELEGATION PLAY-OFF: HERTHA BERLIN vs DARMSTADT
Hertha ended a terrible recent run of form with a surprise 3-0 win against Hoffenheim last time out, but it won’t be enough for them to escape a relegation play-off. Darmstadt have an easier run-in than Schalke or Nürnberg, so expect to see them challenging the capital side over two legs.

DFB POKAL WINNERS: FREIBURG
Remarkably, the only semi-finalist to have won the cup is the only 2. Bundesliga side left, Hamburg. Leipzig are favourites and will come through a semi-final with faltering Union. But Freiburg will defeat them in the final with Nils Petersen scoring his 100th goal for the club in a classic super-sub performance.

TOP SCORER: ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI
Who else? The Pole has once again been posting unreal numbers. He is also out on top of the Champions League goal-scoring charts. His 339 goals for Bayern put him 225 goals behind Gerd Müller. He would need about four of five seasons to get there at current pace. He couldn’t…could he?

CONTINUE READING…
LA LIGA FINAL STRETCH PREDICTIONS
LIGUE 1 FINAL STRETCH PREDICTIONS
PREMIER LEAGUE FINAL STRETCH PREDICTIONS
SERIE A FINAL STRETCH PREDICTIONS

Bundesliga – 10 games to go (2020-2021)

Teams are in reverse order. Last five games begins with the most recent.

18th – Schalke – 10pts – DLLDL – Team Profile
Four managers have already fallen victim to this poisoned chalice in just 24 games, and only one of them managed a win. The Miners are heading down.
Next 5: Wolfsburg (A), Gladbach (H), Bayer (A), Augsburg (H), Freiburg (A)

17th – Mainz – 18pts – DLWDW – Team Profile
They may say they’re “just a carnival team”, but they’ve been in the 1. Bundesliga for 12 years now. Jean-Philippe Mateta was a big loss to Crystal Palace.
Next 5: Freiburg (H), Hoffenheim (A), Arminia (H), Koln (A), Hertha (H)

16th – Arminia Bielefeld – 19pts – LDLLD – Team Profile
Arminia massively rolled the dice by parting ways with long-term manager Uwe Neuhaus at the beginning of March. Time will tell if it was genius or folly.
Next 5: Bayer (A), Leipzig (H), Mainz (A), Freiburg (H). Augsburg (A)

15th – Hertha Berlin – 21pts – WLLDL – Team Profile
Club legend and former coach Pal Dardai has returned to steady the ship after Bruno Labbadia lost his way. His son now plays in defence. They’ll be fine.
Next 5: Dortmund (A), Bayer (H), Union (A), Gladbach (H), Mainz (A)

14th – Koln – 22pts – DLLLW – Team Profile
A horrific home record has left the Billy Goats in danger. Timo Horn is still between the sticks, but might not fancy another year in the second tier.
Next 5: Union (A), Dortmund (H), Wolfsburg (A), Mainz (H), Bayer (A)

13th – Augsburg – 26pts – LWDLL – Team Profile
Polish keeper Rafal Gikiewicz seems to be on a mission to finish above his former side, Union. It won’t happen, but boss Heiko Herrlich isn’t complaining.
Next 5: Gladbach (H), Freiburg (A), Hoffenheim (H), Schalke (A), Arminia (H)

12th – Werder Bremen – 30pts – WDWLD – Team Profile
Mid-table mediocrity is just what the doctor ordered for Florian Kohfeldt after last season’s great escape. American Josh Sargent has stepped it up.
Next 5: Bayern (A), Wolfsburg (H), Stuttgart (A), Leipzig (H), Dortmund (A)

11th – Hoffenheim – 30pts – WDWDL – Team Profile
Hoffenheim have been the definition of inconsistent this season under Sebastian Hoeness. Record scorer Andrej Kramaric remains the focal point up front.
Next 5: Stuttgart A), Mainz (H), Augsburg (A). Bayer (H), Leipzig (A)

10th – Borussia Monchengladbach – 33pts – LLLDL – Team Profile
Why oh why do they do it? Every year there is a premature news story about a summer switch. The Foals have lost interest since coach Marco Rose said he was off to the other Borussia.
Next 5: Augsburg (A), Schalke (A), Freiburg (H), Hertha (A), Frankfurt (H)

9th – Stuttgart – 33pts – DWWDL – Team Profile
After securing promotion, the effortlessly cool Pellegrino Matarazzo has put Stuttgart back among the best with the help of free-scoring Sasa Kalajdzic and Silas Wamangituka.
Next 5: Hoffenheim (H), Bayern (A), Werder (H), Dortmund (H), Union (A)

8th – Freiburg – 34pts – LWLDW – Team Profile
Perennially punching above their weight, Christian Streich’s men have been at it again this season. His near ten-year tenure at the Black Forest side is the longest in the top flight.
Next 5: Mainz (A). Augsburg (H), Gladbach (A), Arminia (A), Schalke (H)

7th – Union Berlin – 35pts – DDWDL – Team Profile
Without question this year’s surprise package. After falling away badly at the end of last season, they brought in veteran Max Kruse, who has really got them firing.
Next 5: Koln (H), Frankfurt (A), Hertha (H), Bayern (A), Stuttgart (H)

6th – Borussia Dortmund – 39pts – LWWDL – Team Profile
Tipped to run Bayern close, this year has been a disaster for Dortmund in the league. However, they’re still alive in both the Champions League and the DFB Pokal.
Next 5: Hertha (H), Koln (A), Frankfurt (H), Stuttgart (A), Werder (H)

5th – Bayer Leverkusen – 40pts – WLDDW – Team Profile
Not only have they fallen away badly in the league, they’ve also been dumped out of Europe by Young Boys and the DFB Pokal by Essen. Peter Bosz will be looking over his shoulder.
Next 5: Arminia (H), Hertha (A), Schalke (H), Hoffenheim (A), Koln (H)

4th – Eintracht Frankfurt – 43pts – DLWWW – Team Profile
The Eagles have been flying since Luka Jovic’s reunion with Filip Kostic, and Andre Silva has had the best year of his career. Strong candidates for the Champions League next season.
Next 5: Leipzig (A), Union (H), Dortmund (A), Wolfsburg (H), Gladbach (A)

3rd – Wolfsburg – 45pts – LWWDW – Team Profile
Few expected Oliver Glasner’s Wolves to be mixing it at the top, but Koen Casteels has been flawless in goal, and Wout Weghorst a beast up front.
Next 5: Schalke (H), Werder (A), Koln (H), Frankfurt (A), Bayern (H)

2nd – Leipzig – 53pts – WWWWW – Team Profile
It’s been Leipzig’s turn to keep Bayern honest this season and they’ve done it admirably with six wins on the spin. No more Champions League football gives them an outside chance.
Next 5: Frankfurt (H), Arminia (A), Bayern (H), Werder (A), Hoffenheim (H)

1st – Bayern – 55pts – WWLDW – Team Profile
Defensively fragile, but still huge favourites. No Pokal this time after Holstein Kiel’s heroics, but Lewandowski could break the Bundesliga scoring record.
Next 5: Werder (A), Stuttgart (H), Leipzig (A), Union (H), Wolfsburg (A)

Why not check out:
La Liga – 10 games to go
Ligue 1 – 10 games to go
Premier League – 10 games to go
Serie A – 10 games to go