Bundesliga matchday preview, week two

Lewandowski, Neuer, Flick and Nagelsmann nominated for UEFA's top awards FC Bayern München's Robert Lewandowski and Manuel Neuer have been nominated for the UEFA's Men's Player of the Year award, with Hansi Flick and RB Leipzig's Julian Nagelsmann up for the Coach's equivalent. Courtesy: Bundesliga

Week two in focus

Following a blockbuster start to the new campaign, the 2020/21 Bundesliga season heads into its second week with some teams looking to build on the opening weekend, and others in search of an early turn of fortune to kick-start their season. The headline result of Matchday 1 came from the first game of the season as defending champions FC Bayern München dismantled FC Schalke 04 in an 8-0 win at the Allianz Arena.

Former Royal Blue Leroy Sane scored against his former side and will now be looking for his side to continue their jaw-dropping start to the season away to TSG Hoffenheim.

Lewandowski competition

You may assume you’d have to go far and wide in search of a striker in just as good form as Robert Lewandowski. However, you need only go as far as FC Bayern will on Sunday when they come up against Andrej Kramaric. The Croatia international was one of two players – the other being Serge Gnabry – to score a hat-trick during the opening weekend. In fact, Hoffenheim’s star forward has now scored seven goals in his last two Bundesliga outings having hit four past Borussia Dortmund on the final day of 2019/20.

Dortmund strong out of the blocks

As for Dortmund, last season’s runners-up began the new campaign in style with a 3-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach – including a first Bundesliga goal for future USMNT squad member Gio Reyna, as well as an Erling Haaland brace. Lucien Favre will take his side to face FC Augsburg on Saturday afternoon, the scene of Haaland’s 23-minute debut hat-trick as a substitute back in January. Same again this time?

Fixtures Roundup. Courtesy, Bundesliga

German Capital

This weekend all the action will begin in the German capital as Hertha Berlin play host to Eintracht Frankfurt at the Olympiastadion. The hosts come into this one on the back of a thumping 4-1 win away to SV Werder Bremen, with debutant Jhon Cordoba slotting his first goal for the Old Lady off the bench. He and Hertha will be looking to continue their bright start against the Eagles who, thanks to Andre Silva, earned a point against newly promoted DSC Arminia Bielefeld on the opening weekend.

SchücoArena back in action

Bielefeld will host 1. FC Köln on Saturday afternoon for the club’s first Bundesliga match at the SchücoArena since May 2009. There is another mouth-watering fixture on Saturday to look forward to as Bayer 04 Leverkusen welcome RB Leipzig to the BayArena. Patrik Schick will face his former side having joined Leverkusen this summer after a year on loan at Leipzig in the Bundesliga during 2019/20.

Tom Kirkwood