Eintracht Frankfurt vs. VfB Stuttgart
As the sun begins to slowly return to the cold German skies, and the birds start to chirps following their long winter slumber, the Bundesliga is finally back in its familiar rhythm. As we approach the third matchday following the winter break, teams no longer have any excuses, and any lingering rust is now well and truly shaken off. One team who picked up exactly where they left off are VfB Stuttgart, who have claimed hard-fought wins against 1. FC Köln and Hamburger SV since the turn of the year. They come up against ex-Stuttgart man Armin Veh’s Eintracht Frankfurt side, in what is undoubtedly a crucial game in terms of alleviating relegation fears - even at this relatively early stage. Both teams come into the match on the back of impressive wins. Eintracht can boast seven points from their last three games, and Stuttgart have won their last three on the bounce - their longest such run since 2011. One thing is for sure, the game won’t be decided until the referee blows his whistle, as both teams share a joint league record for the most points won from losing positions so far this season (10). Kick-off: Saturday, 15:30 CET.
FC Ingolstadt vs. FC Augsburg
One of the highlights of the weekend sees FC Ingolstadt welcome FC Augsburg to the Audi-Sportpark, in what is a high-pressure Bavarian derby. Two points separate the sides in mid-table, and Ingolstadt will be hoping to arrest an alarming trend which has seen them lose all three of their matches against Augsburg in front of their home fans. Augsburg have been fuelling the fire this week, with manager Weinzierl claiming that "Augsburg are the second biggest team in Bavaria" because of their Europa League involvement. Ingolstadt would love to take a big step towards a potential European finish with a win on Saturday, but will have to find a way through an Augsburg defence which has conceded one solitary goal in their last seven matches. Kick-off: Saturday, 15:30 CET.
FC Schalke 04 vs. VfL Wolfsburg
Looking a bit higher up the table, Champions League hopefuls FC Schalke 04 and VfL Wolfsburg clash in what could be an important match in determining the success of their respective seasons. Germany international and ex-Schalke player Julian Draxler returns to his old club, where he spent 14 years as a developing footballer. When questioned about it this week, the winger said simply that he needs to "bite the bullet and get it over with." He will not be the only one feeling the pressure on Saturday, with the Wolfsburg team without a win in six, their longest winless run since 2012. The gap between them and third-placed Hertha BSC is seven points, making a result at the Veltins Arena all the more important should they wish to secure Champions League football again next season. For those who value tactical analysis, it may be interesting to note that Wolfsburg are the only side in the league yet to concede from a set piece this term whilst Schalke have netted the most goals from corners (5). Regardless of whether the game is won in the air, both teams will be fired up when they emerge from the mines of the Veltins tomorrow. Kick-off: Saturday, 15:30 CET.
Hannover 96 vs. Mainz 05
Mainz 05 will be hoping to further complicate the question of what four teams will qualify for potential Champions League football when they face bottom-of-the-league Hannover 96 on Saturday. The match falls on carnival weekend in Mainz, with the boys from Hessen having lost just one of their seven last matches during carnival. After having run a record 125.2km against Borussia Mönchengladbach last weekend, they will be hoping their carnival hangover has worn off for the match tomorrow. Fans will be hoping for a match filled with goals, after both sides signed proven goalscorers during the relatively quiet winter transfer window. Mainz welcomed Emil Berggreen from Eintracht Braunschweig and Hannover will be hoping Adam Szalai, who scored 21 goals for Mainz between 2010 and 2013, gets them important goals before the end of the season. Kick-off: Saturday, 15:30 CET.
Hertha BSC vs. Borussia Dortmund
One team that are not lacking top-class strikers are second-placed Borussia Dortmund, who travel to the capital to face the side who, despite being one place below, are currently ten points behind. The pressure is still very much on however, as Dortmund will know that anything other than a win will see another letter of Bayern’s name etched on the Bundesliga trophy. Hertha too know how important a win is should they wish to stay within touching distance of the two leading clubs. Hertha will be confident, given the fact that they have already won six games in Berlin this Bundesliga season. Having said that, they will have to play well should they wish to take points off a side with the best record after 19 games of any second-placed side in Bundesliga history. Kick-off: 15:30 CET.
Bayer Leverkusen vs. FC Bayern München
The team denying them first position are, as everyone knows, FC Bayern München. Bayern fans will be less confident than normal going into this weekend, as they face fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen away from home and are plagued with multiple defensive injuries. Despite that, it would take a brave punter to bet against Pep Guaridola's team, who have 52 points from 19 games so far this season. Both sides interestingly have won every game this season in which they have scored first, making a good start seemingly imperative in the late kick-off on Saturday. Lewandowski and Müller will be hoping to continue their incredible run of form this season, having registered 33 goals between them in 19 games. With 66% of Bayern’s total goals, they are well on course to break Dzeko and Grafite’s 2008/2009 record of 54 Bundesliga goals from one strike partnership. Kick-off: Saturday, 17:30 CET.