There are plenty of records and milestones that could be broken on matchday 14 of the Bundesliga campaign. We preview all of the Saturday matches in the German top flight and take a look at the facts and figures ahead of those encounters. Bayern München vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen will arguably attract the most headlines on matchday 14, but there's plenty to play for at both ends of the table. VfL Wolfsburg, FC Augsburg and FC Schalke 04 all face tough away fixtures as they look to cement their positions in European places, while VfB Stuttgart and SC Freiburg will want to pick up vital points at the bottom of the table.
Bayern München vs. Bayer Leverkusen
FC Bayern München occupy the ‘top game’ slot in the Bundesliga once again as they play host to third-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen. The record champions could wrap up the ‘Autumn Championship’ on this matchday with a victory over Leverkusen should VfL Wolfsburg in second position suffer a defeat at the hands of Hannover 96. It would be the quickest time that FCB would have clinched the ‘Autumn Championship’, equalling their own record from the 2012/13 campaign under Jupp Heynckes.
That’s not the only record that Bayern can equal on matchday 14 either. They will equal VfB Stuttgart’s record from the 2003/04 season of conceding just three goals from the opening 14 matchdays should Manuel Neuer and his back-four keep a clean sheet against Kießling, Bellarabi and Co. And there’s every reason to believe that FCB will do just that: The record champions are on a 17-match unbeaten run and have yet to drop a point at home in the league this term, conceding just one goal – that came on the opening matchday against VfL Wolfsburg.
Borussia Mönchengladbach vs. Hertha BSC
Borussia Mönchengladbach will be looking to bounce back from their run of three losses on the spin against a Hertha side that have found the going tough against the Foals in recent years, winning just one of the last eight Bundesliga fixtures away to Gladbach. The managers may well be forgiven if they sit in the wrong dugout in Borussia-Park on Saturday, with Lucien Favre previously managing the side from the capital once, and current Hertha boss Jos Luhukay also having a spell at the helm of Borussia.
Hannover 96 vs. VfL Wolfsburg
Hannover 96 have slipped down to eighth place in the table following two consecutive defeats and Tayfun Korkut and his side will want to pick up points again against second-placed VfL Wolfsburg. Despite sitting pretty in the Bundesliga table, the Wolves have suffered defeats in each of their last five league meetings against Hannover and will attempt to break out of this ‘mini-rut’ as they aim to maintain the pressure on runaway leaders FC Bayern. Goals should be guaranteed too – Wolfsburg have not played out a goalless draw in the top flight in 77 games!
VfB Stuttgart vs. Schalke 04
FC Schalke 04 are an opponent that VfB Stuttgart relish, not least after their recent 4-1 triumph away to SC Freiburg on the previous matchday. VfB have enjoyed 30 victories against the Royal Blues in the German top flight, with S04’s last win against Stuttgart coming over five years ago – one of only four in their entire history! Roberto Di Matteo’s side will want to transfer their impressive home form of late onto the road after Schalke have picked up just three points on their travels in the league this term – the worst of all Bundesliga sides.
1. FC Köln vs. FC Augsburg
It will be just the third meeting of the sides in the Bundesliga, with the clubs yo-yoing between the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga of late, resulting in few fixtures between the teams. FCA are enjoying the best season in their albeit brief Bundesliga history and have the chance to equal their first half of the season points haul of last season (24) with a victory. Kӧln face Augsburg on the back of two defeats on the spin and will want to pick up just their second home win of the current campaign.
SC Paderborn vs. SC Freiburg
SC Paderborn’s early season form seems to have somewhat deserted them in recent weeks and are now three matches without a top-flight win. Their form at home can give their fans some hope though with Andre Breitenreiter’s side unbeaten in three on home soil, most recently coming from 2-0 down to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to BVB. Visitors Freiburg will be a tough nut crack to for SCP, with SCF unbeaten in their last two matches on the road.
