2. Bundesliga Saturday Preview | OneFootball

2. Bundesliga will continue with four matches on Saturday, including the Topspiel in cellar-dwellers Magdeburg.

Eintracht Braunschweig vs. 1. FC Kaiserslautern

With four of the teams in the top five going head-to-head in the matchday, Kaiserslautern have a chance to close the gap between them and the leading pack. Torsten Lieberknecht’s side ended their winless run thanks to Naatan Skyttä’s first-half hat-trick against Holstein Kiel.

Meanwhile, their Saturday opponents slumped to their fourth successive defeat at the capital against Hertha BSC. Braunschweig only managed to score once in this timeframe. However, they were 2-0 winners when the two teams last met at the Eintracht-Stadion on the 30th matchday of last season.

Predicted Lineups

Braunschweig: Hoffmann; Aydin, Ehlers, Frenkert, Breunig ©; Flick, Marie; Heußer, Bell Bell; Yardimci, Conteh

Kaiserslautern: Krahl; Sirch, Elvedi, Robinson; Abiama, Kunze, Sahin, Haas; Skyttä; Ritter ©, Prtajin

Holstein Kiel vs. Hertha BSC

Hertha’s win over Braunschweig helped them to climb into the top seven. With equal points to Kaiserslautern, their uninspiring start to the season is now behind them as they chase promotion in their third successive season in 2. Bundesliga.

In contrast, Kiel were in Bundesliga last term, but they’re rather heading for a battle to avoid back-to-back relegations. Marcel Rapp’s side has an identical record at home with two wins, draws, and defeats each before hosting Hertha on Saturday afternoon.

Predicted Lineups

Kiel: Krumrey; Rosenboom, Johansson, Komenda, Tolkin; Davidsen, Knudsen; Schwab; Bernhardsson ©, Köster, Kapralik

Hertha: Ernst; Gechter, Leistner, Dardai, Karbownik; Eichhorn, Seguin; Winkler, Cuisance, Reese ©; Schuler

SpVgg Greuther Fürth vs. VfL Bochum

The battle in Fürth could see one of the clubs ease their relegation concern with a win. The hosts have one of the league’s best goal-getters in Noel Futkeu, but they have only collected 13 points from as many games.

Similarly, Bochum are struggling like Kiel after getting relegated from the Bundesliga. Under their new coach Uwe Rösler, they head into the last international break of the year with solid form, but they lost a six-pointer against newly-promoted Dynamo Dresden at home on matchday 12.

Predicted Lineups

Fürth: Schlieck; Dietz, Ziereis, Münz; Reich, Olesen, Green, Abrangao; Klaus, Hrgota ©; Futkeu

Bochum: Horn ©; Morgalla, Loosli, Strompf, Wittek; Lenz, Ibrahima Sissoko; Miyoshi, Onyeka, Holtmann; Hofmann

1. FC Magdeburg vs. 1. FC Nürnberg

Matchday 12’s Topspiel will be hosted by the bottom-placed Magdeburg. Miroslav Klose’s Nürnberg were also in the same territory not so long ago, but they’re now in the top half of the standings after winning four of their last six games in an unbeaten run.

Magdeburg have only collected four points in this time, although they’re still in the DFB-Pokal. When the two teams last met, Julian Justvan scored a 94th-minute winner with the game’s seventh goal.

Predicted Lineups

Magdeburg: Reimann ©; Hyryläinen, Mathisen, Tob. Müller; Hercher, Michel, Ulrich, Nollenberger; Ghrieb, Zukowski, Atik

Nürnberg: Reichert; Janisch, Gruber ©, Lochoshvili, Yilmaz; Markhiev; Becker, Lubach; Justvan, Stepanov, Scobel