Bundesliga 2022-23: Matchday 20 preview

The Bundesliga title race is simmering nicely as we head into Matchday 20, with just six points separating the top six teams in the table.

Second-placed 1. FC Union Berlin have won all four of their league games in 2023 as their dream campaign continues. After Jordan ended his scoring drought last week against 1. FSV Mainz 05, they will be confident as they head to RB Leipzig in the weekend's standout fixture. However, Die Roten Bullen are unbeaten at home this term and will be determined to bounce back after a goalless draw at 1. FC Köln.

Speaking of bouncing back, FC Bayern München finally picked up their first win of the calendar year at VfL Wolfsburg last Sunday, despite having midfield maestro Joshua Kimmich sent off. The champions welcome lowly VfL Bochum 1848 to the Allianz Arena looking to defend their one-point lead at the summit, before the small matter of travelling to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League next Tuesday.

Before their own European joust with Chelsea on Wednesday, Borussia Dortmund are hitting form. Die Schwarzgelben just put five goals past SC Freiburg, with Sebastien Haller scoring an emotional first competitive goal for the club since his recovery from testicular cancer. Like Union, BVB are hoping to make it a perfect five Bundesliga wins from five in 2023 against SV Werder Bremen, who claimed a stunning 3-2 win in the reverse fixture – despite being 2-0 down in the 88th minute!

Sitting fifth and sixth respectively, Eintracht Frankfurt and Freiburg are ready to pounce if any of the teams above them slip up. The Eagles will be hoping a red-hot Randal Kolo Muani can steer them past Köln on Sunday after his brace against Hertha Berlin, while Freiburg are seeking some home comfort after that heavy Dortmund loss, welcoming a VfB Stuttgart side who haven't won away in the league since December 2021.

FC Schalke 04 currently prop up the table and are in desperate need of points against Wolfsburg, whose remarkable post-World Cup momentum – a 6-0 win against Freiburg and a 5-0 win at Hertha – has been halted by defeats to Bremen and Bayern. Hertha are three points above Schalke in 17th but their situation is also precarious, and victory over an inconsistent Borussia Mönchengladbach would ease the pressure on coach Sandro Schwarz.

Andre Breitenreiter has already paid the price for TSG Hoffenheim's dismal run of form, being relieved of his coaching duties after a chastening 5-2 loss in Bochum. The club will be hoping for a new manager bounce when Bayer 04 Leverkusen travel to Sinsheim on Saturday, smarting from successive defeats to Dortmund and FC Augsburg.

Having beaten both Leverkusen and Gladbach at home in recent weeks, Augsburg will be looking to sharpen up their away form at Mainz, who are two points better off in the table. A win for either side would give them a bit of breathing space down at the bottom.

Bundesliga 2

The pick of the weekend's games in Bundesliga 2 sees second-placed Hamburger SV travel to third-placed 1. FC Heidenheim 1846, who are four points further back. When they met in August, the two sides were separated by a header from HSV's Robert Glatzel, who tops the division's scoring charts on 13 goals. Elsewhere, leaders SV Darmstadt 98 are out to preserve or extend their two-point lead over Hamburg as they entertain mid-table Eintracht Braunschweig, while recent Bundesliga members Hannover 96 and SC Paderborn 07 face off looking to boost their promotion hopes.