Bundesliga 2022-23: Matchday 12 preview

The next round of fixtures in the German top flight starts this Friday

Bellingham has been in sensational shape for Edin Terzic’s men of late, claiming his fifth goal in seven competitive appearances with his brace in the 5-0 demolition of VfB Stuttgart on Matchday 11. After netting four in four in the UEFA Champions League this term, the goals were Bellingham’s first in the Bundesliga this season. They contributed to his team’s first league win in four outings.

The result kept Dortmund just a single point behind Frankfurt, with the UEFA Europa League holders brushing aside Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-1 last weekend. The Eagles’ own in-form midfielder, Denmark international Jesper Lindström, scored twice to take his tally to five in 10 Bundesliga games this season and earn his team a fourth victory in their last five league encounters.

Lurking just behind Eintracht in sixth are near neighbours 1. FSV Mainz 05, whose 5-0 disposal of 1. FC Köln was their second successive win in a three-game unbeaten streak. Bo Svensson’s team will need that form given they travel this weekend to FC Bayern München’s Allianz Arena, a stadium where Mainz have conceded 23 times on their last five visits. Needless to say, they have returned home empty-handed every time.

A third win in a four-game unbeaten run for Bayern and their star striker Sadio Mane came with a 2-0 defeat of TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. It means the reigning champions are just a point behind leaders 1. FC Union Berlin, who slipped to only their second defeat of the season when they went down 2-1 at VfL Bochum 1848 last time out. USMNT striker Jordan & Co. will look to extend Union’s unbeaten record at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei this season when inconsistent Gladbach visit the capital on Sunday.

SC Freiburg could even be leading the table rather than coming into Matchday 12 third – two points off top spot – had they turned some of their recent draws into wins. Their 2-0 home victory over SV Werder Bremen last weekend was only their second maximum haul in six matches. A trip to struggling FC Schalke 04, who have lost their last five to slip to the bottom of the table, would seem to be the ideal opportunity to make it back-to-back triumphs.

Hertha Berlin were the team that added to Schalke’s woes last weekend, and they will hope Friday’s visit to Bremen, who have lost their last two, will bring them a positive result that will lift them further out of trouble. RB Leipzig have improved their fortunes with a four-game unbeaten run that was extended with a comic- book comeback from 3-0 down to earn a point at FC Augsburg last time out. The Bundesliga’s 2021-22 Player of the Season Christopher Nkunku scored in that game, and there promises to be more fireworks when Xabi Alonso’s Bayer 04 Leverkusen visit Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena on Saturday.

Augsburg will seek to bounce back from that disappointment at third-from- bottom Stuttgart, while Bochum – currently in 17th – are at VfL Wolfsburg. Midtable Köln, who have conceded 12 goals in their last three league games, will aim to keep it watertight against Hoffenheim to bring the curtain down on Matchday 12.

In Bundesliga 2, second faces third with SV Paderborn 07 entertaining Hamburger SV on Sunday. Leaders SV Darmstadt 98 have the opportunity to extend their two-point advantage at the top when they travel to Hamburg to take on a hit-and- miss FC St. Pauli on Saturday.