No margin for error for the teams as Bundesliga heads into Matchday 29

Two points separate the top two and bottom three teams.

FC Bayern München remain top of the Bundesliga pile despite a 1-1 draw at home to TSG Hoffenheim last time out, with Benjamin Pavard's seventh goal of the season in all competitions cancelled out by Andrej Kramaric's fine free-kick.

Coach Thomas Tuchel will expect better on Saturday afternoon against his former club 1. FSV Mainz 05, even if they are unbeaten in nine league outings under Bo Svensson. Borussia Dortmund had a golden opportunity to snatch top spot last week but could only manage a 3-3 draw with 10-man VfB Stuttgart. Sebastien Haller, Donyell Malen and Gio Reyna were all on target for BVB, who need to get back to winning ways against European contenders Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Eagles will be hoping star man Randal Kolo Muani – who has 13 goals and 10 assists this term – can help break black-and-yellow hearts at the Signal Iduna Park on Saturday evening. Down at the other end, Hertha Berlin find themselves propping up the table after a heavy 5-2 loss to fellow strugglers FC Schalke 04, which spelled the end of coach Sandro Schwarz's tenure.

Pal Dardai begins his Hertha Berlin tenure

He has been replaced by Pal Dardai, who kicks off his third stint in the capital at home to an out-of-sorts SV Werder Bremen; Die GrünWeißen have failed to win any of their last six games. Schalke have certainly boosted their confidence before Sunday's trip to SC Freiburg, with Tim Skarke, Marius Bülter, Simon Terodde and Marcin Kaminski all on the scoresheet against Hertha. However, the Black Forest is a notoriously tricky place to win – only Dortmund and Bayern have managed it in the Bundesliga this season.

Fifth-place Freiburg are also dreaming of a maiden qualification for the UEFA Champions League. They currently sit one point behind RB Leipzig and two behind 1. FC Union Berlin, who could also play in Europe's top club competition for the first time in 2023/24. Union head to Borussia Mönchengladbach on Sunday evening chasing their first success in three, while Leipzig – the only club in the top four to have won last weekend – are set for a mouth-watering clash at Bayer 04 Leverkusen earlier in the day.

Race for European football ramps up

Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen have won five of their last seven, drawing the other two, and occupy the final European spot ahead of Frankfurt and Mainz by – you guessed it – two points. Two points is also the gap separating Stuttgart, in the relegation play-off place, from Hertha at the bottom.

Tasked with saving VfB from relegation, coach Sebastian Hoeneß has already overseen a 3-2 victory at VfL Bochum 1848 and the draw with Dortmund. In Friday's matchday opener he'll set his sights on FC Augsburg, who are winless in five. The Bavarians are only five points above Stuttgart and could still get dragged into the basement battle.

Battle for survival

Finally, VfL Wolfsburg are targeting just a third win in 12 outings as they try to boost their fading European hopes at Bochum, who are three points above the play-off place and have the league's worst goal difference (-30). Hoffenheim and 1. FC Köln also face off on Saturday, with the former in a position to all but secure their survival with a win.

All eyes in Bundesliga 2 this weekend will be on the Hamburg derby between third-placed Hamburger SV and fifth-placed FC St. Pauli, who are both still in the frame for Bundesliga promotion. St. Pauli romped to a 3-0 victory in October's reverse fixture. Elsewhere, leaders SV Darmstadt 98 are out to extend their fourpoint advantage at the summit at home to Karlsruher SC, while second-placed 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 entertain eighth-placed Holstein Kiel.