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Franzi | Games
Franzi | Games 
10 Mar 2026 | Sportsbetting
Bundesliga matchday prediction 2025/26 – Matchday 26
All predictions for the 26th matchday of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season. From Bayer Leverkusen vs. Bayern to HSV vs. 1. FC Köln. An overview of current form and tips.
approx. 3 min.
Bundesliga matchday prediction 2025/26 – Matchday 26
The 26th match day of the Bundesliga promises one thing above all else: enormous excitement – especially at the bottom of the table. While FC Bayern continues to dominate at the top and already has a big lead over Dortmund, many eyes are currently focused on the lower regions of the table. The situation there is extremely tight: there is only one point between 12th place and the relegation spot. Teams such as Werder Bremen, Mainz, Gladbach, Union, and St. Pauli are fighting to give themselves some breathing space in the relegation battle. Direct duels such as Bremen against Mainz or Gladbach against St. Pauli are therefore of enormous importance. The 26th matchday thus brings a mixture of top-of-the-table clashes and a tough relegation battle.
Merkur quick tips for the 26th matchday of the Bundesliga
Gladbach vs. St. Pauli
Borussia Mönchengladbach suffered a significant setback in their recent 4-1 defeat in Munich. After a glimmer of hope against Union, the gap in quality quickly became apparent against the league leaders, and Borussia further weakened themselves with a red card. St. Pauli were the more active team in their 0-0 draw with Frankfurt and were even unlucky in front of goal with two shots hitting the woodwork. Blessin's team is currently performing well and has been scoring consistently for several games now.
Tip: Draw
Leverkusen vs. Bayern
This match promises to be another top-class encounter. Leverkusen showed their attacking strength in a spectacular 3-3 draw in Freiburg, but left too much space defensively. Particularly bitter: Grimaldo, an important key player, is suspended for the match against Bayern. FC Bayern, on the other hand, are traveling with a lot of confidence. In their 4-1 win over Gladbach, the league leaders once again showed their quality and controlled the game confidently after taking the lead – even without Harry Kane.
Tip: 2 + over 3.5 goals
Frankfurt vs. Heidenheim
Eintracht Frankfurt fell short of expectations in their recent 0-0 draw at St. Pauli. In a physical game with few chances, Albert Riera's team struggled to find solutions in attack and rarely threatened the goal. Opponents Heidenheim arrive with even greater concerns. Their 4-2 defeat to Hoffenheim meant a twelfth consecutive game without a win for the bottom-of-the-table side.
Tip: 1
BVB vs. Augsburg
Borussia Dortmund has finally enjoyed some success again after two bitter defeats. In their 2-1 win in Cologne, BVB put in a commanding performance, especially after the break, and made consistent use of their numerical advantage. However, they now face a tough opponent in FC Augsburg. The Fuggerstadt side suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat in Leipzig last time out, but put in a strong performance and, with a little more luck, could well have come away with something to show for their efforts.
Tip: 1 + under 3.5 goals
Hoffenheim vs. Wolfsburg
With a 4-2 win in Heidenheim, the Kraichgauers ended their minor slump and once again demonstrated their qualities, especially in attack. Prass led the way with a brace, paving the way for the away win. The situation is quite different at VfL Wolfsburg. After their 2-1 home defeat to HSV, the Wolves' losing streak continues – the club has now gone eight games without a win.
Tip: 1
HSV vs. Köln
Hamburger SV celebrated an important away win on the last match day. In a 2-1 victory in Wolfsburg, the Rothosen kept their nerve in a scrappy game that saw several penalties and collected big points in the relegation battle. 1. FC Köln, on the other hand, travels to Hamburg with concerns. In their 2-1 defeat to BVB, the Cathedral City team held their own for a long time, but had to play an entire half with one man down after a red card. In the end, this was their fourth defeat in the last five games.
Tip: Draw
Bremen vs. Mainz
Werder Bremen has recently picked up important points and gained some breathing room at the bottom of the table with two wins in a row. After beating Heidenheim 2-0, Bremen followed up with a convincing 4-1 away win at Union Berlin. Mainz, on the other hand, is still waiting for its next win. In a 2-2 draw against VfB Stuttgart, FSV showed morale and salvaged a point in stoppage time, but it was still their fourth league game in a row without a win.
Tip: 2
Freiburg vs. Union Berlin
In the 3-3 draw in Breisgau, Freiburg and Leverkusen engaged in an open exchange of blows with many scoring opportunities, in which Freiburg was able to equalize late despite falling behind at one point. The Breisgauers are now unbeaten in eleven Bundesliga home games. In their 1-4 home defeat to Werder Bremen, the Ironers quickly fell behind after an early red card for Schäfer and were ultimately unable to counter Bremen's numerical superiority.
Tip: 1 + under 3.5 goals
Stuttgart vs. Leipzig
VfB Stuttgart experienced a rollercoaster ride on the last matchday. In Mainz, the Swabians were initially behind, then turned the game around within a few seconds thanks to goals from Demirovic and Undav – but had to accept a bitter equalizer in injury time. Victory was within reach, but in the end they only came away with a point. RB Leipzig, on the other hand, managed to pick up three points, even if their 2-1 win against Augsburg was hard-fought. This is a match between two evenly matched teams.
Tip: Draw
Merkur Bundesliga matchday predictions: The highlights of matchday 26
It's the big match of the day: Bayer Leverkusen welcomes the league leaders from Munich. While Bayern continue to dominate at the top of the table, the Werkself are looking to make a statement in front of their home crowd.
Leverkusen is coming off a spectacular 3-3 draw at SC Freiburg. In a wild game, the Werkself took the lead at one point, but ultimately had to settle for a late equalizer. Kasper Hjulmand's team once again showed its class in attack, but also revealed weaknesses in defense – something that could prove particularly dangerous against Bayern. In addition, Leverkusen will have to do without free kick specialist Grimaldo in the top match, who is suspended.
FC Bayern, on the other hand, are traveling to the game brimming with confidence. The record champions dominated for long periods of their 4-1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach, once again underlining their strong form. Musiala scored his first league goal of the season, while Chelsea loanee Jackson also impressed with a goal. Despite their comfortable lead at the top of the table, Munich are keen to leave no room for doubt in this prestigious clash.
Prediction: Everything is set for a real top-of-the-table clash: Leverkusen will be looking to upset the favorites and make a statement in front of their home crowd, while Bayern could take another step towards the championship with another win.
Saturday evening's match between Hamburger SV and 1. FC Köln is all about the relegation battle and promises to be a game of enormous importance for both teams. A glance at the table shows how close it is currently in the lower midfield: HSV is in tenth place with 29 points and has recently gained some breathing space, while Cologne is only a few points behind in 14th place with 24 points. The comparison with the first leg is particularly interesting. At that time, the roles were reversed: Köln was significantly higher in the table and HSV was deep in the relegation battle. However, this picture has changed in the second half of the season. Hamburg has stabilized and now has the chance to take a big step towards staying up with another win.
The 2-1 away win at VfL Wolfsburg has given the Rothosen an extra boost of confidence. If they can now secure another three points in front of their home crowd, HSV could pull further away from the bottom of the table and slowly begin to look ahead to the final stretch of the season with a little more peace of mind.
At 1. FC Köln, on the other hand, the situation is much more tense. The cathedral city club has only managed to secure one win from its last seven games – a record that has seen the club slide further and further towards the relegation zone. The pressure ahead of this game is correspondingly high, not only on the team, but also on coach Lukas Kwasniok, whose position is increasingly being discussed. Another defeat could significantly exacerbate the situation at FC Köln.
Prediction: The situation is clear: while HSV can take an important step away from the relegation zone, Cologne is under pressure and urgently needs points. Everything points to an intense and emotional duel at the Volksparkstadion.
The match between VfB Stuttgart and RB Leipzig promises to be a real top-of-the-table clash in the battle for international places. Both teams are close together in the standings: Stuttgart is in fourth place with 47 points, Leipzig is right behind them in fifth place with the same number of points. This makes the match all the more important, as a win could give either team a decisive advantage in the tight race for Champions League places.
VfB Stuttgart heads into this match with mixed feelings. After a late comeback, the Swabians seemed to be on their way to a flattering away win in Mainz, but conceded an equalizer in stoppage time to make it 2-2. Overall, Stuttgart has been waiting for a win for several games now and is looking to make a statement in this direct clash with a rival.
RB Leipzig, on the other hand, recently celebrated an important 2-1 victory against FC Augsburg. The Saxons struggled for a long time, but improved as the game progressed and were ultimately rewarded with the winning goal late on. This success could give Leipzig additional momentum, especially as the team urgently needs to score points consistently in the race for the Champions League.
Prediction: Two direct rivals, level on points in the table and both aiming to qualify for the Champions League. There is therefore every reason to expect an intense, attacking game in which small details could decide three hugely important points.
