Bundesliga Matchday 4 Preview, September 18-20

Bundesliga Matchday 4 will take place from September 18 to 20. After three matches, two teams still have a perfect record: Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund have collected nine points each. Augsburg and Bayern follow on seven points, while RB Leipzig and Elversberg have six. At the bottom of the table, Borussia Monchengladbach and Hamburg are still without a point.

The headline fixture of the round will be Stuttgart vs Borussia Dortmund, while Sunday attention will turn to Bayer Leverkusen vs RB Leipzig. Bayern will try to continue chasing the leaders at home to Union Berlin, while Freiburg will defend top spot in Frankfurt. Another intriguing battle awaits in Gelsenkirchen, where Schalke face Elversberg.

Bayern Munich – Union Berlin

Bayern have collected seven points from three rounds and are gradually improving the quality of their play. After the draw with Schalke, they controlled the match against Elversberg with confidence, although their opponents caused problems several times through high pressing and quick transitions. Union are currently experiencing serious defensive difficulties and have conceded ten goals, so against Bayern they will have to spend much of the match in a compact block and avoid leaving free space between the lines. For the Munich side, the key task will be to switch the ball quickly from flank to flank and use the individual quality of Diaz, Kane and Olise against Berlin's packed defence.

Match link:

Bayern Munich – Union Berlin

Werder Bremen – Augsburg

Augsburg have made a surprisingly confident start to the season and remain unbeaten, combining high attacking efficiency with a fairly compact defence. Werder are capable of disrupting that balance through active wing play and already showed in their win over Leipzig that they can exploit the space behind a high defensive line. Augsburg will therefore need to react carefully after losing possession and prevent the hosts from moving the ball quickly into the penalty area. At the same time, an open game may suit the visitors even more: if Werder push too many players high up the pitch, Augsburg will have opportunities for their quick transitions.

Match link:

Werder Bremen – Augsburg

Hamburg – Cologne

Hamburg remain without points or goals, but the team's problem is not limited to poor finishing: they are still struggling to turn attacks into dangerous situations inside the opposition penalty area on a regular basis. Cologne look more organised and have already collected four points, while they are also capable of playing on the counter and using the space that opens up after interceptions. Hamburg therefore need not simply to increase possession, but to move the ball into the final third more quickly and create numerical advantages on the flanks. If the hosts once again control the ball for long spells without progressing, Cologne will get exactly the type of scenario they prefer: compact defending and quick breaks after opposition mistakes.

Match link:

Hamburg – Cologne

Borussia Monchengladbach – Mainz

Borussia Monchengladbach approach this match in a serious crisis. After losing 4-3 to Elversberg, they were thrashed 5-0 by Freiburg, suffered a third consecutive defeat and parted company with Eugen Polanski. Jan-Moritz Lichte has taken temporary charge and must immediately address the defensive problems, with Borussia having conceded 12 goals in three rounds. Mainz cannot boast much stability either: after thrashing Hamburg 5-0, they lost 3-1 at home to Eintracht, with problems once again appearing against an opponent capable of moving quickly from defence to attack. Much will therefore depend on whether Monchengladbach can use the change of coach to play more aggressively from the opening minutes, while Mainz will try to punish the hosts for mistakes in transition.

Match link:

Borussia Monchengladbach – Mainz

Eintracht Frankfurt – Freiburg

Freiburg travel to Frankfurt as one of the standout teams of the opening weeks: three wins, ten goals scored and only one conceded. They are not simply finishing attacks efficiently, but also use the space after opposition turnovers very well, something that was particularly clear in the rout of Monchengladbach. Eintracht are capable of giving the leaders a much tougher test because Frankfurt themselves play vertically and move quickly from defence to attack, although that could also produce an open game with plenty of free space. The key will therefore be how well the hosts control Freiburg's first passes after turnovers and prevent the leaders from launching counter-attacks.

Match link:

Eintracht Frankfurt – Freiburg

Stuttgart – Borussia Dortmund

The central match of the round pits Stuttgart, who prefer to control possession and progress through short combinations, against a Dortmund side that are very dangerous in quick transitions after winning the ball. The Black and Yellows have won all three matches and have already shown an ability to punish opponents for leaving space behind the defensive line, so Stuttgart will need to be especially careful with turnovers in midfield. The hosts are capable of causing Dortmund problems with a high tempo and constant movement in attack, particularly at home. European commitments are an additional factor: both teams played Champions League matches last week, so physical condition and squad depth could have a serious effect on the intensity of the second half.

Match link:

Stuttgart – Borussia Dortmund

Bayer Leverkusen – RB Leipzig

Bayer have not yet shown consistency. After losing to Elversberg, they thrashed Union but then dropped points again against Augsburg, with problems appearing when opponents attacked quickly after turnovers. Leipzig come into the match with more reliable defensive numbers and, after losing to Werder, responded by thrashing Hamburg. Against Bayer, however, they will have to withstand much heavier pressure in positional attacks. The schedule will be an important factor: Leverkusen play Celje in the Europa League on September 16, leaving only a few days to recover before Sunday's match. That could lead to rotation and may have a particular impact on Bayer's intensity after half-time.

Match link:

Bayer Leverkusen – RB Leipzig

Schalke – Elversberg

Schalke received a major boost from their 3-1 win over Union and now return home to face Elversberg, who have already surprised the Bundesliga with victories over Bayer and Monchengladbach. The visitors are particularly dangerous in vertical attacks and are not afraid to leave space behind their defence, which should give Schalke opportunities for quick counter-attacks. At the same time, Elversberg can trouble the hosts with a high tempo and proactive attacking play, while their eight goals in the opening three rounds underline the effectiveness of their attacking model. The match could easily develop into an open contest if either side scores first.

Match link:

Schalke – Elversberg

Paderborn – Hoffenheim

Paderborn are currently dealing with serious attacking problems: they have not scored a single goal in three rounds and, in their last two matches, have relied almost entirely on set-piece situations and quick attacks. Hoffenheim, by contrast, have scored six times and, after two defeats, managed to beat Stuttgart. They use the flanks actively and try to move the ball into the penalty area quickly. However, the visitors themselves remain unstable defensively and have conceded seven goals, so Paderborn will have chances if they can force Hoffenheim into a positional game. The schedule is another factor: Hoffenheim play OFI Crete in the Europa League on September 17 and then travel to Paderborn on September 20.

Match link:

Paderborn – Hoffenheim

Round Summary

The main match of the round will be Stuttgart vs Dortmund: the hosts need to improve their position after a poor start, while the visitors will try to preserve their perfect record. Freiburg face a difficult trip to Frankfurt, while Bayern host Union and have a chance to continue moving up the table.

Special attention should also be paid to teams combining Bundesliga duties with European competition. Bayer and Hoffenheim will play in Europe immediately before Matchday 4, so their meetings with Leipzig and Paderborn will take place with that additional workload in mind. Check out https://scores24.live/en/sportbooks-de for bookmaker bonuses.