Cologne v Mainz
Nurnberg v Hertha
Bremen v Hoffenheim
Freiburg v Bayern
Eintracht v Hannover
Stuttgart v Schalke
Hamburg v Leverkusen
Wolfsburg v Monchengladbach
Dortmund v Bochum
The top two clash this week in the Bundesliga when Leverkusen go to Hamburg with the sides separated by just one goal. The sides have virtually identical records and with Bruno Labbadia now in charge of Hamburg having been at the reins of Leverkusen last season, there's additional intrigue. The problem Labbadia has is up front where Markus Berg is his only fir striker. Paulo Guerrero, Mladen Petric, Collin Benjamin and Alex Silva are all out while Ebi Smolarek failed to impress during a trial period and has been let go. Without Patrick Helmes - knee problems - Stefan Kiessling has really stepped up to the plate and is the man in form. This should be a good one, but Hamburg's lack of firepower will be the decisive factor.
Bayern have given Louis van Gaal the vote of confidence ahead of his side's trip to Freiburg where he'll be without Franck Ribéry, Arjen Robben (arguably his entire attacking arsenal) and Ivica Olic. Back come the Mark van Bommel - hardly an attack-minded player - and the lumbering Luca Toni. Gomez and Toni up front together. What a prospect. Freiburg will never have a better chance of claiming this massive scalp. Schalke go to Stuttgart who are now no longer having a bad start, but are just not very good. With the top two playing each other, Schalke can really make up ground here. Markus Babbel is in a bit of trouble with the DFB. Without the necessary badges, he was given special permission to take control of Stuttgart so long as he attended the appropriate courses at the same time. He's missed a few sessions, so the authorities are taking a stern look at things in Mercedes town. Bremen in fourth take on Hoffenheim - a point and a place behind - with their boom youngster Mesut Ozil already declaring his loyalty. Unfortunately, he declared it to Barcelona. Demba Ba is missing for the Villagers while Thomas Schaaf has Torsten Frings back. Wolfsburg have Gladbach visiting. Having lost three times already, the champions need to get on a winning run and there's no reason why that shouldn't start here.
The bottom two clash as well, Hertha travelling to Nurnberg. Don't expect the same excitement as the game between the top two. Cologne, third from bottom, are at home to sixth-placed Mainz, Eintracht and Hannover will dispute mid-table matters and Dortmund are at home to Bochum in a game they ought to win quite easily.
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