Berlin (dpa) - The aftermath of the round of 16 games in the DFB Cup extend into the 21st matchday of the Bundesliga.
Werder's coup against Borussia Dortmund and the racist allegations from Schalke 04's game against Hertha BSC are still having an effect. The best of the game day comes at the end.
CAN ALSO BE BUNDESLIGA: That is the crucial question for the North Germans. Four days after the cup coup against Dortmund, the trend-setting duel with Union Berlin in the league is on Saturday. If Werder wins, the Bremen team will regain their confidence and pull the newcomer deep into the relegation battle. If the green-whites lose, the euphoria is gone and the situation is more difficult than ever. Werder coach Florian Kohfeldt is hoping for striker Davie Selke, who was injured against Dortmund.
DORTMUNDER PROBLEMS: The renewed cup-out in Bremen seems to have destroyed the good mood after the great start of the second half of the season. Coach Lucien Favre is suddenly again heavily criticized because he spared the new top scorer Erling Haaland in Bremen for a half time. In addition, the weeks long absence of captain Marco Reus is annoying.
SCHALKER PROBLEMS: Regardless of all the problems surrounding the racist allegations by Berlin professional Jordan Torunarigha after the cup game against Hertha BSC, the Schalke troubles before the home game against Paderborn personnel worries. Suat Serdar and Weston McKennie, like goalkeeper Markus Schubert, are stricken, Jonjoe Kenny, Salif Sané and now also Daniel Caligiuri are missing. After all, there is a clean sheet against the promoted team: Schalke has won all three competitive games against Paderborn so far.
RHEIN-DERBY: For the 90th time, Gladbach and Cologne meet in the Bundesliga for the traditional derby - for the first time since August 2017 in Mönchengladbach. For law enforcement officers and the police, this means as usual on Sunday: high-security game with big action. In sporting terms, the two rivals are in good shape: Gladbach wants the ninth home win in a row, Cologne has won five of the last six Bundesliga games under new coach Markus Gisdol.
LEIPZIG CRISIS: The focus is on the top game on Sunday at FC Bayern. After the defeats in Frankfurt in the league and cup and the draw against Mönchengladbach, the Leipziger hope in Munich for the turn. Sports director Markus Krösche took the pressure off the players as a prophylactic measure. "Bavaria is not a final. We want to go to Munich to win there. To do that, we have to put our way of football on the pitch over 90 minutes," said Krösche.
BAVARIA SERIES: In the cup, the Munich team made it 4: 3 against Hoffenheim after a 4: 1 lead and took their lessons for the top game against Leipzig with them. "We are wide awake and want to show that on Sunday," said captain Manuel Neuer. Eight competitive wins in a row bring self-confidence, and Bayern returned to the top of the table unexpectedly quickly and even before the direct duel. "We know what an opponent is coming. But we play at home and we want to win the game. We will give everything," said sports director Hasan Salihamidzic.
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