Bundesliga: Regular season
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Sturm Graz | 22 | 12 | 2 | 8 | +7 | 38 |
| 2 |  Red Bull Salzburg | 22 | 10 | 7 | 5 | +16 | 37 |
| 3 |  Lask Linz | 22 | 11 | 4 | 7 | +2 | 37 |
| 4 |  Austria Vienna | 22 | 11 | 3 | 8 | +4 | 36 |
| 5 |  Rapid Vienna | 22 | 9 | 6 | 7 | +1 | 33 |
| 6 |  TSV Hartberg | 22 | 8 | 9 | 5 | +5 | 33 |
| 7 |  WSG Wattens | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | +1 | 31 |
| 8 |  SCR Altach | 22 | 7 | 8 | 7 | -1 | 29 |
| 9 |  Ried | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | -4 | 28 |
| 10 |  Wolfsberger AC | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | -1 | 26 |
| 11 |  Grazer AK | 22 | 4 | 8 | 10 | -14 | 20 |
| 12 |  FC BW Linz | 22 | 4 | 3 | 15 | -16 | 15 |
Results & fixtures
Rapid Vienna3Ried0Ried2Rapid Vienna1Ried2Wolfsberger AC1Sturm Graz2Rapid Vienna0Austria Vienna0Lask Linz3Red Bull Salzburg1TSV Hartberg3FC BW Linz0Grazer AK3Wolfsberger AC2WSG Wattens0SCR Altach2Ried0TSV Hartberg2Sturm Graz4Lask Linz2Red Bull Salzburg1Rapid Vienna0Austria Vienna2Grazer AK2SCR Altach2WSG Wattens1FC BW Linz1Ried0Wolfsberger AC1Lask Linz3Rapid Vienna1SCR Altach1Wolfsberger AC4Red Bull Salzburg1Sturm Graz1Austria Vienna1TSV Hartberg0Grazer AK4WSG Wattens0Ried2FC BW Linz0Sturm Graz1Austria Vienna1TSV Hartberg1Lask Linz5Rapid Vienna1Red Bull Salzburg0WSG Wattens1Ried0Wolfsberger AC1Grazer AK0FC BW Linz3SCR Altach0Sturm Graz1Lask Linz1Rapid Vienna0TSV Hartberg2Red Bull Salzburg3Austria Vienna1Ried2Grazer AK1FC BW Linz3Wolfsberger AC0SCR Altach0WSG Wattens0Lask Linz1Sturm Graz1TSV Hartberg2Rapid Vienna2Austria Vienna1Red Bull Salzburg3WSG Wattens2SCR Altach2Wolfsberger AC0FC BW Linz0Grazer AK1Ried1Austria Vienna1Rapid Vienna1Latest news
'They are very alert,' Julian Schuster says of Bremen asย Freiburg visits.
Werder Bremen vs. SC Freiburg kicks off at 14:30 [GMT+1] on Saturday, October 5 at the Weserstadion. Werder Bremen secured a thrilling 4-3 victory against ten-man Hoffenheim, earning their second Bundesliga win in five outings this season [DDWLW]. Despite conceding three early goals in the opening 15 minutes, Bremen mounted a remarkable comeback after Stanley Nsoki was sent off in the 18th minute. Juliรกn Malatini acknowledged the intensity of the encounter. โIt was a crazy game,โ he said. โWe werenโt focused at the start and didnโt play well in the opening 15 minutes. Thankfully, we got better and were desperate to turn the game around. Iโm really happy that we got the win in the end,โ he added. After a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich in their last home fixture, Bremen will be eager to put that humiliation behind them as they face SC Freiburg in another challenging test. Historically, Werder Bremen have struggled against SC Freiburg, winning just one of their last six Bundesliga encounters [1W, 2D, 3L]. The last time Werder won consecutive top-flight matches against Freiburg was under coach Thomas Schaaf when they managed seven straight wins between 2004 and 2011. Including last season, the loss to Bayern remains Bremenโs only defeat in their last 10 Bundesliga games [5W, 4D, 1L]. A win against Freiburg would see Bremen pick up back-to-back victories for the first time since April. Werner is expected to stick with the 4โ3โ3 formation, with Marvin Ducksch leading the attack, alongside Romano Schmid and Mitchell Weiser. However, Justin Njinmah and Niklas Stark are among four players currently sidelined with injuries. In contrast, SC Freiburg are looking to bounce back from a shocking 3-0 home defeat to newly promoted St. Pauli, which left them with their second loss of the season. Freiburg are bolstered by a solid defensive record heading into this fixture, having kept four clean sheets in their last six Bundesliga away games. The visitors sit in 7th place in a tightly packed mid-table section. Like Bremen, Freiburg have regained points from a losing position, with both teams among the top three for points claimed from such scenarios this season, Freiburg [6] and Bremen [4], alongside Bayern Munich [4]. โThey are very alert and good at identifying space, which makes them a threat. In defence, they sometimes take too many risks, which opens up gaps for their opponents; we want to take advantage of those,โ manager Julian Schuster said in a pre-match press conference. A 4โ2โ3โ1 with Junior Adamu leading the attack is expected. Merlin Rรถhl is ruled out due to an ankle injury, while Kenneth Schmidt and two others are unavailable for selection.
Bayer Leverkusen keen for back-to-back victories after Milan victory.
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Holstein Kiel kicks off at 14:30 [GMT+1] on Saturday, October 5, at BayArena. A single goal from Victor Boniface [51'] in the UEFA Champions League gave Bayer Leverkusen a 1-0 win over AC Milan. Following the victory, an elated Alonso praised his squad. โI think itโs great news that German football is competitive. Itโs good news for us too to have achieved this result against Milan,โ he said. Now, having come off a hard-fought draw against Vincent Kompanyโs Bayern in their last Bundesliga fixture, Leverkusen will welcome Bundesliga debutants Holstein Kiel. Despite collecting 10 points from their first five matches [3W, 1D, 1L], Leverkusen's start to this season is the worst for a reigning Bundesliga champion in 12 years. Xabi Alonsoโs focus will undoubtedly be on shoring up his defence, after seeing his side concede six goals in their last two home matches in the Bundesliga, the same number they had let in across their previous 12 home games combined. Only 1. FC Kรถln in 1964/65 suffered a similar feat in two opening home fixtures as champions. Furthermore, with 10 goals conceded in their first five games, Leverkusen [WLWWD] currently have the weakest defence of any reigning champion since Wolfsburg in 2009/10 [11]. Victor Boniface is poised to spearhead Leverkusen's attack alongside the highly sought-after Florian Wirtz and Martin Terrier in a 3โ4โ3 formation. Boniface has scored three goals in five Bundesliga appearances this season while creating one assist. He has a 29% contribution to Leverkusenโs 14-goal haul. Bottom-placed Bundesliga debutants Holstein Kiel continue to struggle with life in the topflight, having accumulated just one point from their first five matches [LLLDL]. It is the worst start for any debuting club in the Bundesliga, excluding the league's inaugural season in 1963/64. The last debutant who failed to secure a win in their first five matches was FC Augsburg in 2011/12, before going on to find a maiden win in their ninth game. Most recently, Holstein Kiel suffered a bruising 4-2 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt despite a brace from Shuto Machino [30โ P., 50โ]. Goals from Frankfurtโs Omar Marmoush [25', 65'], Igor Matanovic [47'], and Tuta [74'] ensured Machinoโs brace counted for nothing. Now facing a monumental task against the defending champions, manager Marcel Rapp is expected to maintain a 4โ4โ2 formation, with Benedikt Pichler and Machino leading the line. The squad will be without Bernhardsson, who is sidelined with a hip injury. Andu Kelati and Colin Kleine-Bekel are both unavailable for this fixture.
Dortmund in search of back-to-back BL victories after emphatic UCL win.
Union Berlin vs. Borussia Dortmund kicks off at 14:30 [GMT+1] on Saturday, October 5 at the Stadion An Der Alten Fรถrsterei. Union Berlin are set for a stern test as they prepare to face Dortmund, especially after a gut-wrenching header by Tomรกลก ฤvanฤara [90+6โ] handed them their maiden defeat of the season against Borussia Mรถnchengladbach, 0-1. Despite the loss, Unionโs tally of eight points from their opening five Bundesliga matches [DWDWL] represents their second-best start to a top-flight campaign. Only in 2022/23 did they achieve more points at this stage, with 11. Historically, they have struggled against Dortmund, losing seven out of their 10 Bundesliga encounters [3W, 0D, 7L]. Yet, their impeccable home form this season offers some optimism. Union have won both of their opening home games and could start a Bundesliga campaign with three consecutive home victories for the first time. Joining them in holding a 100% home record in the 2024/25 season are Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt. Manager Bo Svensson is expected to opt for a 3โ4โ3 formation, with Lรกszlรณ Bรฉnes and Benedict Hollerbach providing support for striker Jordan Pefok. However, with injury worries, Union will be without Josip Juranoviฤ [foot injury] and Ivan Prtajin [knee injury]. Borussia Dortmund are enjoying a rich vein of form, securing four wins from their last five outings [WWLWW], including an overwhelming 7-1 victory against Celtic on Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League. Manager Nuri ลahin couldn't hide his delight following the result, emphasising his side's relentless work rate, particularly up front. โWhat makes me happiest is how hard the boys up front worked. We were always on the move,โ he said. Dortmund currently sits 5th in the Bundesliga standings with 10 points, just three points behind table-topping Bayern Munich in what has been a fiercely competitive start to the season. Despite their dominance over Union Berlin in recent years, the BVB has been plagued by poor away form. They have failed to win any of their last four Bundesliga away games, securing just one point from a possible 12. Their last victory on the road dates back to April when they defeated Borussia Mรถnchengladbach [2-1]. Serhou Guirassy, fresh off a brace in the demolition of Celtic, is expected to lead Dortmundโs attack in the familiar 3โ4โ2โ1. However, the team will be without midweek hattrick-hero Karim Adeyemi, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury, as well as Donyell Malen and Giovanni Reyna. โI had to come off due to a little problem with my thigh. I hope it's not too bad. We'll see what happens tomorrow,โ Karim Adeyemi said, providing an injury update in a post-match interview.
Holstein Kiel host Eintracht Frankfurt in weekend clash.
After earning their maiden point of the season with a late draw against Bochum, Holstein Kiel will be looking to build on the momentum when they face Frankfurt at home this weekend. Holstein Kiel vs. Eintracht Frankfurt kicks off at 14:30 [GMT+1] on Sunday, September 29 at the Holstein-Stadion. Bundesliga debutants Kiel managed to salvage a point last weekend, thanks to a late equaliser from Japanese forward Shuto Machino [89']. Despite the win, the Storks still find themselves at the bottom of the Bundesliga standings after four games, having conceded a league-high 13 goals and securing just one point from four games [LLLD]. Their shaky start puts them in bad company, as no Bundesliga debutant outside of the inaugural 1963/64 season has claimed fewer points in their first four matches. The last teams to do so were SSV Ulm in 1999/00 and FC Homburg in 1986/87, both of whom also had just one point after four games. Holstein Kiel will be looking for a better outcome when they face Frankfurt, a side they have only met once before in a competitive match. That game came in the first round of the 1996/97 DFB-Pokal, where Dragoslav Stepanoviฤโs Frankfurt side claimed a 4-2 win. Marcel Rapp is expected to maintain the 3โ 4โ3 formation, with Shuto Machino, fresh from his match-winning goal, leading the attack alongside Benedikt Pichler and Lewis Holtby. However, Kiel will face some challenges, with key players Steven Skrzybski doubtful and Colin Kleine-Bekel sidelined due to injuries. On the other hand, Eintracht Frankfurt will be looking to bounce back from a frustrating midweek result in the Europa League. Frankfurt led Viktoria Plzen 3-1 with less than 25 minutes left on the clock, only to concede late goals from Prince Adu [86'] and Vรกclav Jamelka [90+3'] respectively, resulting in a 3-3 draw. After the match, manager Dino Toppmรถller voiced his frustration: "We went 3-1 up and had a chance to make it 4-1, but again we didnโt take it." Despite the setback, Frankfurtโs Bundesliga form remains impressive. The Eagles are coming off three consecutive league wins [LWWW], their first such streak under Toppmรถller. They last managed a run like this in December 2021, under Oliver Glasner. With nine points from four games, this is Frankfurtโs best Bundesliga start in eight years, having also collected nine points under Niko Kovaฤ in 2016/17. Frankfurtโs form against newly promoted teams has been impressive, as they are unbeaten in their last 11 Bundesliga matches against such opponents [8W, 3D, 0L]. Toppmรถller is expected to deploy a 4โ4โ2 formation, with Hugo Ekitike partnering Omar Marmoush in attack. However, the Eagles will be without Oscar Hรถjlund and Mehdi Loune, while Robin Koch remains in doubt.
Xabi Alonso calls Bayern vs. Leverkusen 'the toughest game of the season'
Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen kicks off at 17:30 [GMT+1] on Saturday, September 28 at Allianz Arena. Table-topping Bayern Munich will return in Saturdayโs top-of-the-table clash against 2nd-placed Bayer Leverkusen following last weekendโs demolition of Werder Bremen in a 5-0 win. The Bavarians have 12 points [4W, 0D, 0L] as the only side in the Bundesliga with a 100% record having won all four BL games this season. Bayern would be keen to pick up five opening victories when they host current champions and title rivals Leverkusen in what could eventually become a title decider. This will be their first game against a reigning Bundesliga champion since matchday 32 of 2012/13 when they earned a 1-1 draw at Borussia Dortmund. With 16 goals this season, Bayern will be hoping to see their razor-sharp attack come to play against Leverkusen, who also have no problems of their own in the final third. While sitting in first place, Bayern havenโt lost any of their last 16 Bundesliga games against a club in second [11W, 5D, 0L]. They will be hoping to keep the impeccable record in place when Leverkusen visits the Allianz Arena. 'The goals are a consequence of our style of play,' said Thomas Mรผller, who remains wary of Leverkusenโs threat. 'Every time you play against Leverkusen, you come up against really tough opponents. They can play football, they can endure pain, they have a mentality, and they never give up. Whenever Leverkusen need another goal, they keep knocking on the door until someone opens it, so the game will be exciting right up to the last minute,โ he added. A 4โ2โ3โ1 with Bundesliga top scorer Harry Kane [5 goals] in attack is expected. Once again, Bayer Leverkusen showed their resilience in a 4-3 comeback win over Wolfsburg in last weekendโs seven-goal thriller in front of their home crowd. Saturdayโs top-of-the-table heavyweight clash against Bayern Munich will be the sternest test yet for Xabi Alonsoโs side. While victory would only see them level on points with Bayern, it would leave the defending champions with a four-game unbeaten run against the hosts, having escaped defeat in the last three [2W, 1D, 0L]. 'Perhaps we face the toughest game of the season in the Bundesliga,' said Xabi Alonso. 'Games at the Allianz Arena are tough, and it's always been like that. We have a clear approach to the game; we can't be too hesitant, and we mustn't allow big gaps. We need an almost perfect performance if we want to get a result in Munich,' Alonso added. A 3โ4โ3 with last weekendโs hero Victor Boniface, alongside Florian Wirtz and Martin Terrier, in attack is expected.
Freiburg take on newly promoted FC St. Pauli.
Freiburg vs. FC St. Pauli kicks off at 14:30 [GMT+1] on Saturday, September 28 at Europa-Park Stadion. The hosts will be full of confidence after their remarkable second-half performance against Heidenheim, where Vincenzo Grifo's well-taken brace [59', 63'] propelled them to their third win of the season from four matches [3W, 0D, 1L]. For Freiburg, this early-season form could signal an impressive season ahead. Their tally of nine points after four games equals their best record at this stage of the competition, a feat they also achieved during the 2022/23 season. Notably, Freiburg have started their home campaign in impressive fashion with two consecutive home wins, a feat they last managed in the 2016/17 season, when they went on to win their first four home matches. Meanwhile, Freiburg's recent record against St. Pauli has been less than ideal. In their eight Bundesliga meetings, Freiburg have only managed one victory, a 4-0 win at home back in April 1997 under then-coach Volker Finke. Since then, they have struggled against the Kiezkicker, drawing two and losing two of their last four encounters. Only against Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund [8% & 10%] has Freiburg had a lower winning percentage in the topflight than against St. Pauli [13%]. Freiburg manager Julian Schuster is expected to maintain the 4โ2โ3โ1 formation, with Junior Adamu leading the attack. However, the team is facing significant injury challenges, with as many as seven players sidelined. Merlin Rรถhl is ruled out with an ankle injury, along with Maximilian Philipp and Kiliann Sildillia, who are also out. On the other hand, St. Pauli are coming off a hard-earned goalless draw against RB Leipzig, which saw them claim their maiden point and first clean sheet of the season. Manager Alexander Blessin praised his team's disciplined and well-organised performance against Leipzig. โWe were very well organised and kept things tight, making it tough for Leipzig to find any space,โ he said. Despite this positive result, St. Pauli remains winless in 16 Bundesliga matches, a streak that stretches back to their last stint in the topflight, which ended in a 13-year absence from Germanyโs premier division. With only one point from four games, the Kiezkicker needs to pick up points soon to boost their survival hopes. With a three-man defence setup, Blessin is expected to deploy a 3โ5โ2, with Morgan Guilavogui and Johannes Eggestein tasked with leading the attack. St. Pauli are also struggling with injuries. Simon Zoller is unavailable, while both Sascha Burchert and Sรถren Ahlers are sidelined with muscle and knee injuries, respectively.