Bundesliga round 11

Dortmund v Hertha
Stuttgart v Bayern
Hamburg v Monchengladbach
Nurnberg v Bremen
Cologne v Hannover
Wolfsburg v Mainz
Schalke v Leverkusen
Freiburg v Hoffenheim
Eintracht v Bochum

Top game this week sees first play fourth at the Veltins Arena with the home side a little more secure, financially speaking. Push was about to crash headlong into shove down Gelsenkirchen way with the threat of a points deduction should the club be unable to prove they had the finances to complete the season. Had they not been able to, the points would have been deducted as it would have been taken to mean that they had provided false information in order to secure a license for this season. A large cash injection has staved off that threat and meant that player sales in January won't be needed in order to secure the club's immediate future. After a way better start than any could have imagined, that latter fact is a massive boost to Felix Magath as he looks to repeat his efforts from last season with Schalke. The visit of Leverkusen is a big test of both club's title credentials with a draw probably favouring Bayer. Either way, it promises some good, open football.

Hamburg have a relatively straightforward job at home to Gladbach and can take advantage of any dropped points by Leverkusen in Gelsenkirchen and Hoffenheim should be too good for Freiburg. Bremen are on a terrific run and Nurnberg shouldn't pose them too many problems. Bayern take on Stuttgart in what, in any other season, would be a humdinger. As it is, Bayern start as heavy favourites with patience wearing thin with Markus Babbel in Stuttgart. Defeat in the cup in midweek saw the board give Babbel their support, but if results continue to go against them, then action will have to be taken before it gets too bad. Bayern are threatening to destroy themselves from within, again, as Martin Demichelis criticised Louis van Gaal in this week's papers saying how he felt he was the only injured first-teamer who had to force his way back in. Memo to Demichelis: Daniel van Buyten is much better than you and Holger Badstuder, despite being just 20, doesn't come up with half as many hilarious brain farts as you do.

Wolfsburg's game against Mainz is a big one for the champions. Lose here and they get sucked into the mid-table scramble and a little too distant from the top than would be comfortable. For their part, Mainz are going well and are more than capable of winning here. Hertha are still comically bad despite last week's goalless draw with the champions and they go to Dortmund in the Friday game where even a single point looks too much to ask. Finally, Eintracht host Bochum. Home win.