RB Leipzig vs. Mainz 05 (Saturday, 2.30pm)
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RB Leipzig return from the Bundesliga winter break looking for a far better second half of the season, starting with a clash against Mainz 05 at the Red Bull Arena on Saturday.
The two sides are separated by one place and just two points in the table, but whilst that is a sign of a successful campaign for the visitors so far, it has been a hugely disappointing one for the hosts at this stage.
We say: RB Leipzig 2-1 Mainz 05
Mainz have been extremely impressive this season and have proved to be a difficult opponent for whoever they have faced, so this will be no different on Saturday.
However, with Leipzig having home advantage, as well as the visitors having two key defenders missing, we are predicting a narrow home win in this one.
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B. Leverkusen vs. Union Berlin (Saturday, 2.30pm)
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Bayer Leverkusen will be hoping to regain some consistency in their Bundesliga campaign when they return from Germany's winter break against Union Berlin on Saturday.
The hosts finished 2021 poorly but still remain on course for a successful season, whilst the visitors will be hopeful of repeating a successful calendar year by beginning the new one brightly at the BayArena.
We say: Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 Union Berlin
With Leverkusen possessing home advantage, as well as Union missing their top goalscorer, we are predicting a comfortable win for the hosts on Saturday.
Union are always difficult to beat but remain a different side away from home, so if Leverkusen can recapture their best form from earlier in the campaign, they will prove too much for the visitors.
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Freiburg vs. Arminia Bielefeld (Saturday, 2.30pm)
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Seeking to extend their fairytale run into 2022, third-placed Freiburg welcome struggling Arminia Bielefeld to the Black Forest on Saturday afternoon.
Having experienced contrasting fortunes in the first half of the campaign, the pair resume Bundesliga action after the winter break with very different objectives in mind.
We say: Freiburg 1-0 Arminia Bielefeld
Though there remains a gulf between the clubs in terms of current league standing, it could be a close-fought affair upon their Bundesliga resumption this week.
Arminia are, though, a side which struggles for inspiration in the final third, so Freiburg's greater pedigree up front should prove the decisive factor at the SC-Stadion.
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Hoffenheim vs. Augsburg (Saturday, 2.30pm)
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Two sides at opposite ends of the Bundesliga spectrum meet on Saturday, as fifth-placed Hoffenheim get the second half of the season underway by hosting lowly Augsburg.
Resuming after the midwinter break, the home side will hope to extend a six-match unbeaten run by beating opponents that picked up five points from their last three games before the interval to sit clear of the drop zone.
We say: Hoffenheim 2-1 Augsburg
Upwardly mobile Hoffenheim were in fine form before the break, and there seems no reason why they cannot continue where they left off last year.
A greater range of attacking options allied to home advantage makes them strong favourites to return to Bundesliga action with a win - keeping them in the wide-open hunt for a top four place.
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Greuther Furth vs. Stuttgart (Saturday, 2.30pm)
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The Bundesliga's return to action at the weekend includes a crucial relegation clash between Greuther Furth and Stuttgart on Saturday.
The hosts remain cut adrift from the rest at the bottom of the table so know a win is a must if they are to stand any chance of avoiding the drop, whilst the visitors will be looking to begin 2022 brighter than they finished 2021 in their own quest to avoid relegation.
We say: Greuther Furth 0-1 Stuttgart
This is likely to be a tight and nervy encounter on Saturday, with so much riding on the outcome and both sides in desperate need for the win.
As a result, we cannot see many goals being scored in this one, but are predicting Stuttgart to just about edge out their opponents thanks to the return of their key man up front against a Greuther side sorely lacking in quality.
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Frankfurt vs. Dortmund (Saturday, 5.30pm)
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Borussia Dortmund will be looking to get their Bundesliga title challenge back on track when they return from the winter break at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
The hosts finished 2021 in excellent form by winning six of their last seven league games, whilst the visitors finished poorly as they slipped further away from Bayern Munich at the summit.
We say: Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
This game should be an exciting encounter for the neutral, with both sides possessing great fire power up front whilst also being guilty of leaking goals at the other end of the pitch as well.
If Frankfurt can pick up from where they left off prior to the break, then we can see them winning this encounter to inflict another miserable away day for Dortmund, with their lengthy injury list proving frustrating once more.
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Barney Corkhill
