Bundesliga MatchDay 6 Preview: Bayern Munich seek return to winning ways

Champions FC Bayern München and their star striker Sadio Mane are out to return to winning ways in the Bundesliga against VfB Stuttgart, while there’s
another crunch encounter on Matchday 6 between RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund.

Bayern lost top spot to surprise package SC Freiburg last week after being held to a 1-1 draw at fellow unbeaten side 1. FC Union Berlin.

Having since had to travel to Italy for Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League group-stage opener against Inter Milan, Bayern will look to get back on track domestically in their home game against Stuttgart on Saturday.

Led by American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo, the visitors have drawn four from five so far after sharing a goal apiece with FC Schalke 04 last weekend.

Dortmund are now one point ahead of third-placed Bayern – and only behind Freiburg on goal difference – thanks to their 1-0 victory over TSG Hoffenheim on Matchday 5.

Captain Marco Reus struck the winner in that game, and he’ll hope to do further damage to Leipzig on Saturday afternoon.

Die Roten Bullen have just five points after suffering a worrying 4-0 reverse at Eintracht Frankfurt, so Christopher Nkunku, Timo Werner & Co. will need to turn
things around quickly if the DFB Cup holders are to challenge for the top places.

The same could be said of Bayer 04 Leverkusen after they went down to a fourth defeat from five at home to Freiburg last week. Gerardo Seoane’s team are on the
road at Hertha Berlin this time, with the capital club a point ahead of the visitors in the standings.

A goal from Marco Richter in just his second game since having a tumour removed secured Hertha a heartfelt first win of the campaign at FC Augsburg on Matchday 5.

Augsburg are now third from bottom and will be seeking only their second victory when they get this round of fixtures underway at midtable SV Werder Bremen on
Friday night.

Bremen edged VfL Bochum 1848 in their last outing, leaving the Ruhr club in last place and still without a point.

They will hope their luck can finally change when they travel to fellow strugglers Schalke for Saturday’s late kick-off in the first of back-to-back local derbies for the Royal Blues, while second bottom VfL Wolfsburg will want a similar upswing earlier that afternoon.

The winless Wolves are at reigning UEFA Europa League champions Frankfurt who – with Mario Götze pulling the strings – are currently on a four-match unbeaten
run in the Bundesliga and come into the game on the back of their Champions League debut on Wednesday.

Seventh take on fifth when Hoffenheim face 1. FSV Mainz 05, while there are also two games on Sunday.

Like Bayern, USA forward Jordan and Union will be gunning for a fourth win from six when they travel to 1. FC Köln. The Billy Goats haven’t tasted defeat yet, though, and are only two points behind the fourth-placed visitors following their 4-2 win at Wolfsburg last week.

Last but by no means least, table-toppers Freiburg on the back of their best-ever start to a season are at home to Borussia Mönchengladbach looking to make it two
weeks at the summit for the first time ever.

Gladbach are four points behind the home team following their 1-0 defeat at home to Mainz but – with goalkeeper Yann Sommer in record-breaking form – they did draw with Bayern in their last away match.

In Bundesliga 2, meanwhile, three-time German champions Hamburger SV can go top – at least temporarily – if they win at seventh-placed Holstein Kiel on Friday.

Current league leaders SC Paderborn 07 host SSV Jahn Regensburg on Saturday –the visitors are five games without a win – while sixth meet fourth when 1. FC
Kaiserslautern play SV Darmstadt 98 on Sunday.