The final weekend of Bundesliga action in 2019 is set to be a thriller as teams come out of the midweek fixtures looking to finish the year on a high before the winter break.
The first matchday-17 game was decided on Friday, and there are more exciting clashes to look out for today (Saturday) and Sunday.
Home side TSG 1899 Hoffenheim defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-1 at PreZero Arena with two second half goals from Sargis Adamyan (79th) and Andrej Kramaric (87th) after Dortmund led 1-0 at halftime through Mario Gotze’s 17th minute strike.
League leaders RB Leipzig will play in one of five games today (Saturday) knowing that a win will crown them winter champions, sending them into Christmas and the New Year top of the table. It won’t be a simple task for Julian Nagelsmann’s charges though, as they play host to in-form FC Augsburg who have won each of their last three games, scoring nine goals in the process. Keep your eyes out for Augsburg wing-back Philipp Max who has scored twice in each of his last two Bundesliga matches.
Also Read: Rangers Boss Gerard Hails Aribo’s Grit, Desire In Win Against Hibernian
Defending champion FC Bayern Munich left it late to snatch victory away to Sport-Club Freiburg earlier this week but found a new hero in doing so. Eighteen-year-old Dutchman Joshua Zirkzee came on to replace Philippe Coutinho for his debut and scored with his very first touch in a Bayern shirt, earning his side a vital three points in the title race.
Robert Lewandowski also continued to define his status as a living Bundesliga legend by scoring the opening goal for Bayern in the eventual 3-1 win, which took him above former coach Jupp Heynckes into third place outright in the all-time top scorers list. It was his 19th league goal of the 2019/20 season already – such a record has only happened once before in league history, in 1977/78, by one Gerd Müller.
Elsewhere on Saturday, 1.FSV Mainz 05 welcome Bayer 04 Leverkusen to the OPEL Arena with Mainz striker Robin Quaison coming into the game fresh from scoring a hat-trick in the first half of his side’s thumping 5-0 defeat of SV Werder Bremen on Tuesday.
Bremen themselves travel to 1.FC Koln on Saturday, a side back in form with two consecutive wins to their name. A stunning comeback from two goals down to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 4-2 on Wednesday means there is sure to be an electric atmosphere at the RheinEnergieStadion.
FC Schalke 04 host Freiburg before the team joint-top of the table on points with Leipzig, Borussia Mönchengladbach, travel to face Hertha Berlin at the Olympiastadion on Saturday evening. The Foals will know before their game if they have the chance to perch atop the standings over the winter break.
And the last weekend of Bundesliga fixtures in 2019 is rounded off on Sunday as Fortuna Düsseldorf host 1.FC Union Berlin, before SC Paderborn 07 welcome Eintracht Frankfurt. The league then returns on Friday 17 January.
