- Monchengladbach - Leverkusen
- Frankfurt vs Braunschweig
- Nuremberg vs Bayern Munich
- Freiburg - Hoffenheim
- Werder Bremen vs Dortmund
- Wolfsburg - Mainz
- Hamburg vs Hertha Berlin
- Stuttgart - Augsburg
- Schalke - Hannover
Monchengladbach - Leverkusen;
Matchday 20 kicks-off with a hugely significant encounter at in the race for the Champions League. Having headed into the Winter break 3rd in the standings, back-to-back defeats for Lucien Favre's Foals (against Bayern and Hannover) has see Gladbach slip out of the top-four. The tough games keep coming, as they face 2nd placed Leverkusen on Friday evening. Sami Hyypia's side bounced back from their late loss in Freiburg, as they came from behind to beat Stuttgart and end their three-match losing streak. They're still in control of their own destiny however, although with their Champions League last-16 encounter with PSG coming up in 10 days' time, Leverkusen will be hoping to consolidate their league placing.
Prediction: Gladbach have slumped since the Winter break, but I believe they'll condemn Leverkusen to a third straight away defeat in the Bundesliga. Monchengladbach 2-1 Leverkusen.
Frankfurt - Braunschweig;
Frankfurt became the latest team to feel the pain of a drubbing at the hands of Bayern Munich. To most though, it was expected, but Armin Veh will be thankful that they have an encounter with basement-boys Braunschweig this weekend, with Sebastian Rode and Carlos Zambranoback in the squad, both of whom weren't risked for the Bayern clash as they were a booking away from a suspension. Torsten Lieberknecht's men travel south feeling unfortunate not to get anything from their slender loss to Dortmund on Matchday 19. They aren't dead and buried just yet, being just five points from safety, yet time is running out for them to cling onto their Bundesliga status.
Prediction: This is a hugely important game for both: Frankfurt can pull clear of danger, Braunschweig can close the gap. The first of those options will happen. Frankfurt 1-0 Braunschweig.
Nuremberg - Bayern Munich;
How does the saying go? You wait a long time for a bus and then two come along at once? Well that has been the case with Nuremberg and victories. They've been stuck in the bottom-three for the majority of the season, but they're out of danger (for now) after winning at Hertha and are starting to find the net; nearly a third of this season's league goals have come in the last two games alone! Bayern cruised past Frankfurt a week ago, and with Bastian Schweinsteiger close to returning and Arjen Robben close to committing his future to the club, everything is looking rosy. They'll be looking to make it 45 league matches unbeaten in this Bavarian derby.
Prediction: In the Hindrunde, this would have been a banker away win. But Nuremberg are a different prospect. A slender victory for the champions. Nuremberg 1-2 Bayern Munich.
Freiburg - Hoffenheim;
Christian Streich's men put in a disappointing performance at Mainz last time out, and got the result they deserved; they were simply second-best to Thomas Tuchel's men. But now, they must re-focus, having slipped back into the relegation play-off spot, as they look to make it three wins on the spin in front of their own supporters. Hoffenheim eased their own relegation fears, as they put three past hapless Hamburg last Saturday. Marcus Gisdol's squad are currently sat in 11th position, following just their 5th league win of the campaign, but they cannot afford to rest on their laurels, considering how tight the bottom-half is; they're still only four points above the drop-zone.
Prediction: Freiburg have the second-worst attack in the division, whilst Hoffenheim have the second-worst defence. But it's goals that count. Freiburg 1-3 Hoffenheim.
Werder Bremen - Dortmund;
Bremen's Ruckrunde hasn't got off to the best of starts. Having drawn 0-0 in a dull encounter in the snow with Braunschweig, Robin Dutt's team then went to Augsburg last weekend and were the masters of their own downfall as they were condemned to a 3-1 loss at the SGL-Arena. It doesn't help then when Dortmund are in town, although Jurgen Klopp's men picked up their first victory since late November as they had to battle to a hard-fought 2-1 win. Those three points moved them back into 3rd, of course at the end of the season, good enough for an automatic spot in next season's Champions League, the key aim for the Black and Yellows now with the title seemingly gone.
Prediction: Bremen don't score many, and concede quite a few at the other end. On that basis, Klopp and his side will be leaving the north with the points. Werder Bremen 0-2 Dortmund.
Wolfsburg - Mainz;
In my eyes, this is the most intriguing encounter of the Bundesliga weekend. Wolfsburg's second-half to the season hasn't started the way they would have hoped for, with derby defeat to Hannover followed by a tight defeat to European rivals Schalke at the Veltins Arena. It leaves them clinging on to 6th position, only on goal difference from Saturday's opponents. Mainz finished in 5th place three seasons a go, and at this rate, they're on course to match, even possibly better that. Their comfortable home victory over Freiburg means they're only four points behind Schalke in 4th, and if this consistent run of form continues, the Champions League isn't out of their reach.
Prediction: Mainz are unbeaten on their last four trips away from the Coface Arena, and although they'll continue that run here, it will be only a point they'll be taking away from the VW-Arena. Wolfsburg 2-2 Mainz.
Hamburg - Hertha Berlin;
Where do Hamburg go from here? Five straight defeats, there worst run in over 40 years, means the Bundesliga's most northern team and the Bundesliga's only ever-present side are in real danger of losing that historic and proud statistic. This weekend though could see the return of top-scorer Pierre-Michel Lasogga. Their tea-time opponents on Saturday also aren't in the best of form. Hertha have lost both their clashes since the start of the Ruckrunde, including that controversial loss to Nuremberg last weekend. They're still in the hunt for European football, yet if they're form doesn't improve quickly, they'll soon start to slip away from the top-six.
Prediction: With much riding on this game, it looks as if it's going to be a tight encounter. Sadly for Hamburg, it will be yet another defeat. Hamburg 0-1 Hertha Berlin.
Stuttgart - Augsburg;
In each of their three encounters since the Winter break, Stuttgart have thrown away winning advantages against Mainz, Bayern and Leverkusen, meaning any slim hopes of getting back intoEurope, look to have evaporated for another campaign. Augsburg on the other hand, are well and truly in the mix, picking up another three points last weekend against Bremen. Markus Weinzierl has got his side to find consistency, and that has been shown by this run of just one defeat in nine Bundesliga games. They're still the underdog for a Europa League position, but who doesn't like an underdog, eh?
Prediction: Stuttgart have won just twice at home all season, whilst Augsburg are improving on their travels. The points to be shard in my opinion. Stuttgart 1-1 Augsburg.
Schalke - Hannover;
These two sides met in an extraordinary encounter to open last season's Ruckrunde. Schalke won 5-4 that cold, Friday evening, and the neutral will be hoping for more of the same in Matchday 20's final clash. Schalke are back in that elusive 4th place, having picked up a hugely important victory over 10-man Wolfsburg a week ago. With tough trips to Leverkusen and Bayern to come in the next few weeks, Jens Keller will want another win to add to Schalke's collection. Hannover have also been impressive in the first two Matchdays of the second-half of the season, defeating Wolfsburg and Monchengladbach, and if they can defeat another Champions League contender on Sunday, the Europa League could still be on.
Prediction: Two in form outfits, and hopefully one exciting encounter. I just cannot see this game without goals. Schalke 4-2 Hannover.