Tag: Berlin

  • Tractor-wielding farmers roadblock Berlin after reduction of subsidies

    Tractor-wielding farmers roadblock Berlin after reduction of subsidies

    Farmers in Germany are blocking roads with tractors to protest against cuts in subsidies. Around 200 tractors are parked near Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate.

    There are also traffic jams in Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony and Bavaria.

    The government reduced subsidies to save money because a court said their budget plan was against the law.

    The cuts didn’t work and now people are worried that the argument will make the far right more popular.

    In response to the blockades, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said that blocking people from going to work, school, or to see a doctor will make people upset and cause arguments.

    The farmers are very angry, and their group, DBV, wants the government to stop all the plans to reduce subsidies for farmers.

    “Joachim Rukwied, the head of DBV, said that if things don’t change, there won’t be enough good food available. ”

    Ministers are rushing to fix a money problem of tens of billions of euros after a big decision in November by Germany‘s highest court. The court said the government’s budget was not allowed.

    However, later ideas to stop giving farmers tax breaks for agricultural diesel have been weakened. Now, the change will happen gradually over time. The government decided not to get rid of special treatment in vehicle tax.

    However, farmers are still angry and a group of protesters stopped the Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck from getting off a ferry last week.

    The protest caused a lot of people to be angry and worried that political discussions in Germany are becoming more extreme.

    But the other leader of the far right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Alice Weidel, said that the incident proved that the vice chancellor was not being respected anymore.

    “He would rather escape on a ferry than talk,” she wrote.

    The AfD is getting more popular in the polls and has been scoring higher than the three parties in power.

    The group in charge of Germany is having a lot of arguments and it’s causing tension.

    Important local elections will happen later this year in three eastern states – Saxony, Brandenburg and Thuringia. These elections will show how the people in these areas are feeling.

    Train drivers are going to go on strike, which will create more problems for the government.

    The GDL union in Germany has announced that its members will go on strike starting this Wednesday because they are in a disagreement with the railway company Deutsche Bahn over their wages.

    As the tractors arrive in central Berlin, it is a bad start to the year for Chancellor Scholz’s government. It also comes with predictions of slow economic growth for a country that is often called the EU’s “powerhouse”.

  • What Anas Aremeyaw Anas said about Prof J.E.A Mills in Berlin last month 

    What Anas Aremeyaw Anas said about Prof J.E.A Mills in Berlin last month 

    Former President John Evan Atta-Mills’ name popped up in Berlin last month during a Disrupt Lab event in Germany which featured Investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas

    Speaking on some of his investigative works, Mr Aremeyaw recounted efforts by the late President to combat smuggling of Cocoa outside Ghana. 

    “My late President John Atta-Mills, he tasked the state security agencies to ensure that Cocoa which is the major export produced in Ghana should not be stolen. 

    “He had tasked the security agencies there to ensure that people smuggling Ghana’s Cocoa out of the country are arrested but what did the security agencies do? They arrived and rather assisted the people to stab the nation in the back,” he said. 

    Mr Aremeyaw said he and his team of investigative journalists exposed this rot and eventually, it led to the arrest of the culprits. 

  • Erdogan on edge in Berlin following harsh criticism from Israel

    Erdogan on edge in Berlin following harsh criticism from Israel

    No talking to happy people. Leaders will not be seen together in public. There was talk about both Germany and Turkey going to a football match in Berlin together, but it turns out that it’s not happening.

    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan‘s visit to Germany on Friday for a state visit is very quiet and not getting much attention. He will first meet the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and then have dinner with the chancellor, Olaf Scholz.

    Two secret meetings and a quiet dinner don’t sound very exciting.

    In the middle of the capital, there is very strong security for the visit of Mr. Erdogan, similar to when the US president visits. The German government wants Mr. Erdogan’s visit to not attract much attention.

    This event is happening at a really bad time for Germany.

    The President of Turkey, Erdogan, has had a hard time getting along with the German government for many years. They often argue with each other. When German government people talk about a “difficult partner,” they mean President Erdogan.

    The fighting between Hamas and Israel on 7 October has caused Germany and Turkey to take different sides in the conflict.

    In the last month, the President of Turkey has been more and more outspoken in his disapproval of Israel.

    He won’t criticize the killings and hostage-taking by Hamas, and he calls them “liberators. ” Hamas is considered a terrorist group by Western countries, like Germany.

    He has also seemed to doubt that Israel should exist by saying that Israel’s “own fascism” made it less rightful.

    Leaders of the Jewish community in Germany are saying that Mr. Erdogan’s comments are making antisemitism worse. They want the German government to cancel the Turkish president’s visit.

    Germany feels responsible for the Holocaust and so they will always support Israel, no matter what. This is really important for their foreign policy.

    Both Olaf Scholz and former Chancellor Angela Merkel have said that protecting Israel’s security is very important to Germany. They use the term “reason of state” to show that Germany will always support Israel.

    However, as Israel keeps attacking Gaza more and more, and more people are dying, that idea is being tested.

    After the surprising Hamas attacks, German newspapers are starting to talk more about the problems facing the people in Gaza. This is making more people in Germany feel worried about what Israel is doing.

    In Germany, many people are getting angrier about what Israel is doing, and there have been protests in support of Palestine almost every weekend since October 7th. Germany has many Arab communities who have connections to, or feel sorry for, people in Gaza. Some German left-wing groups have always been very supportive of Palestinians.

    There are worries that if President Erdogan talks about the conflict during his visit, it could make the situation worse.

    Germany and Turkey rely on each other. Turkey and Germany trade a lot. It also has the biggest group of Turkish people who live away from their homeland, and it’s an important place for President Erdogan’s election campaign. Many German-Turks like him.

    About three million people with family roots in Turkey live in Germany, and about half of them have the right to vote. In May, most Turkish voters in Germany voted for Mr. Erdogan in the election.

    Berlin needs the help of Turkey to manage the flow of people from the Middle East. Chancellor Scholz wants to make a new agreement with Turkey to send back people seeking asylum and hopes that Turkey will help the West in Russia’s war in Ukraine.

    On Friday, the issues will be talked about privately. The German government might worry about what President Erdogan will say in public.

    He probably now wishes he hadn’t done it.

  • Synagogue attacked in Berlin as anti-Semitic crimes increase

    Synagogue attacked in Berlin as anti-Semitic crimes increase

    The Jewish community in Berlin is upset because someone threw two petrol bombs at a synagogue. This has happened at a time when there has been an increase in antisemitic incidents in some European countries.

    The police said that two individuals tried to start a fire by throwing bottles filled with liquid that were on fire.

    Director Anna Segal said that we could start to feel the tensions increasing. She said the people in the community have felt scared and in danger lately.

    The German leader Olaf Scholz is very angry about the attack.

    There was violence in other parts of Berlin last night during protests against Israel. The police said that emergency services were assaulted at the Brandenburg Gate.

    The most recent attacks happened when Lebanon’s Hezbollah, a militant group supported by Iran, asked for a “day of rage” in response to an explosion at a hospital in the Gaza Strip. It is believed that many people have died in the explosion.

    The main organization of Jewish people in Germany, known as the Central Council of Jews, stated that the expression “day of rage” is more than just words – it is a form of psychological terror that can result in actual physical attacks. The synagogue also has a center where the community can gather, a school for young children, and a school for older students with 130 kids.

    Anna Segal told the BBC that the people in the community were feeling anxious and wanted more safety. She said, “We were aware that it was only a matter of time and it’s not over yet. ”
    There weren’t many signs of the petrol bombs that were burned in front of the synagogue and Jewish community center at around 03:45 (02:45 GMT).

    In Germany, Jewish places usually have continuous police protection. Reports say that police officers were present when the attack occurred.

    The police held a man for a short time after he rode a scooter to the building and ran towards the synagogue. He was shouting slogans against Israel.

    Barriers have been placed around the synagogue and Jewish community center in the middle of Berlin. Police officers stood along the street and a small police booth was set up outside the building.

    France and Germany have both said that people are not allowed to have pro-Palestinian demonstrations. The police used tear gas and water cannons to stop a rally that was not allowed, which took place in the middle of Paris, last week.

    In response to an increase in incidents of hatred towards Jewish people, the French Interior Minister, Gérald Darmanin, stated that anyone who harms a French Jew will receive a very quick and strong reaction from the government.

    European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the actions of Hamas have caused a new wave of violence between Israel and the Palestinians.

    There is an increase in actions against Jewish people, including in Europe. Synagogues have been damaged or destroyed by vandals. Hateful words and false information are spreading very quickly, which is causing concern. “And she said that this is something we cannot accept. ”

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed anger and strong disapproval towards the increasing number of antisemitic events in the UK, describing them as “disgusting”.

    The Community Security Trust is asking universities to quickly and resolutely address anti-Semitism and keep Jewish students safe. The CST, which protects Jewish people, said there were 36 cases of antisemitism on campuses from 7 to 16 October.

  • ‘Pirate Olaf’ Scholz, chancellor, hurt while jogging

    ‘Pirate Olaf’ Scholz, chancellor, hurt while jogging

    The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, shared a picture of himself wearing an eye patch because he got hurt while running.

    The accident happened on Saturday close to his house in Potsdam, which is near Berlin.

    He decided to cancel the local election events on Sunday because of the accident. However, he will still attend his planned activities, such as giving many speeches to the public in the next few days.

    In a message on X, previously known as Twitter, he said that something appears to be more negative than it actually is.

    The person had a minor fall, but the picture shows some injuries around the eye, as well as on the nose and chin.

    His representative said the leader was feeling positive but appeared tired or exhausted. They also mentioned that Mr. Scholz shared the picture so that people could become accustomed to his appearance in the upcoming weeks.

    In the message about X, he mentioned that he was excited to see the funny pictures or videos.

    Some people on social media made jokes about how the injuries were related to fights among the government group. The website for the city of Cologne, where a big carnival happens every year, suggested that people could dress up as “Pirate Olaf” for the carnival next year.

    Based on the many positive comments online, it seems that German voters really like Chancellor Scholz’s new pirate image. Or perhaps they were just happily surprised by a public relations success from a leader who is often viewed as not very good at communicating in Germany.

    In a survey conducted by public TV station ZDF in August, 72% of people said that Mr Scholz tended to avoid directly answering questions more than other politicians. In another survey by ZDF in August, more than half (51%) of the voters were not happy with him, while only 43% were satisfied.

    These ratings for a German chancellor are not very good.

    He tends to say the same things over and over again and his way of making decisions is to do it secretly and then tell everyone what he decided. Critics think that he seems confident in a way that can make people feel like he’s not very approachable or easy to understand. They also think that compared to others who are good at using the media, he comes across as stiff and out-of-touch with modern ways.

    ButScholz’s main problem is that he is in charge of a government made up of three different parties, each with their own goals and beliefs. This group is having a hard time because of many problems, like rising prices and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

    The group he works with wants to make big changes in Germany. People who support him say that in the last two years, Mr. Scholz’s government has made more changes than Angela Merkel did in 16 years. However, the business-friendly low-tax liberal Free Democrat Party (FDP) often gets into conflicts with the left-leaning Greens.

    He often disagrees with many people in his own center-left Social Democrat Party (SDP), which believes in more government spending than Mr. Scholz, a centrist who used to be in charge of finances. The inside disagreements make voters angry and have caused a decrease in support.

    Based on a recent survey, if an election were to take place now, the government would only receive 38% of the vote, which means they would not have the majority. The SPD party, led by the chancellor, has had a significant drop in popularity. They now only have 18% support in the polls, which is very bad for a party that used to get 40% in elections.

    MrScholz can find some comfort knowing that voters are not choosing the opposition conservatives. His main rival for the highest position in Germany, Friedrich Merz, who is a conservative leader, is even more disliked by people.

    With the current gloomy atmosphere in German politics, voters are likely thankful for any small moment of amusement that shows Olaf Scholz has a sense of humor.

  • Berlin’s giant million-liter aquarium containing 1,500 fish bursts open

    The Radisson Blu in central Berlin’s lobby has a million-liter aquarium that has burst, flooding the hotel and the streets around it.

    The 14 m (45 ft) tall “AquaDom,” which held 1,500 tropical fish, is referred to as the largest free-standing cylindrical aquarium in the world.

    Two people were hurt by glass shards, according to the police, and there was “incredible maritime damage.”

    Social media photos of the hotel’s foyer revealed extensive damage.

    The street in front of the building, which was closed due to flooding, was covered in debris from the break.

    The aquarium was modernised two years ago, and there is a clear-walled lift built inside for use by visitors. Some of the rooms in the hotel are advertised as having views of it.

    Berlin’s fire brigade said more than 100 firefighters were in attendance and it was not clear what caused the break.

    Berlin’s public transport authority said Karl-Liebknecht street outside the hotel had been closed off due to “an extreme amount of water on the road”.

    Police said “massive amounts” of water was flowing into nearby streets and people in the area should drive cautiously.

    Videos posted to social media early on Friday showed extensive damage to the aquarium with the tank appearing to be empty and water running out of pipes into the foyer.

    An image showing the AquaDom aquarium
    IMAGE SOURCE,FABRIZIO BENSCH / REUTERS Image caption, The AquaDom in Berlin contained about 1,500 tropical fish and over a million litres of water  

     

    Source: BBC.com

     

     

  • IEA chief predicts energy crunch for Europe next winter

    The head of the International Energy Agency has said that Europe will be able to cope with the current crunch on natural gas supply because of the reserves it has, however, the situation doesn’t look too promising for next winter.

    Speaking at an energy symposium in Berlin hosted by the German government, Fatih Birol said that, barring unforeseen events, “Europe will go through this winter with some economic and social headaches, bruises here and there” as a result of efforts to wean itself off Russian gas and the wider increase in energy costs resulting from the war in Ukraine.

    Birol said that by next year, Russian gas supplies to Europe may end completely and emphasised that the European nations need to unite and start immediately preparing for next year’s situation.

    With 75 percent of Russia’s gas exports and 55 percent of its oil going to Europe before the war, Moscow will also need to find new markets for its output, he said.

    Source: Aljazeera.com 

     

     

  • Scholz in China on awkward trip for Germany and EU

    German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has met Chinese President Xi Jinping, the first G7 leader to visit Beijing since the Covid-19 pandemic.

    But his trip has sparked controversy in Germany and concern elsewhere in Europe.

    It follows an extraordinary and bitter row within the Berlin government.

    It had emerged that a Chinese company was poised to buy a significant stake in a part of the port of Hamburg.

    No fewer than six government ministers reacted furiously.

    The deal, they argued, would give China significant influence over critical German infrastructure. Germany’s security services also urged caution.

    But the German chancellor appeared insistent the deal should go ahead. He reportedly pushed through an agreement, albeit one that limited the size and influence of the stake, reducing it to 24.9%.

    No-one is quite sure why he seemed so determined. A former mayor of Hamburg, Mr Scholz remains close to the city authorities who argued that the deal represented vital investment.

    But plenty of other commentators suspect an ulterior motive; that Olaf Scholz did not want to turn up in Beijing without a “gift” for Xi Jinping.

    That has raised both eyebrows and concerns.

    Olaf Scholz

    Reuters

    We will seek co-operation where it lies in our mutual interest, but we will not ignore controversies… When I travel to Beijing as German chancellor, I do so also as a European

    1px transparent line

    As has the chancellor’s decision to take with him a delegation of German business executives. That was standard practice for his predecessor, Angela Merkel, who pursued a policy of “Change through Trade”, believing that economic ties could influence political relations with countries like China and Russia.

    The chancellor’s visit comes hard on the heels of the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, at which President Xi tightened his grip on power and raised concerns in the West about his intentions towards Taiwan.

    “The signal that’s being sent is that we want to extend and intensify our economic co-operation – that must be questioned,” says Felix Banazsak, a politician from the Green Party, a partner in Mr Scholz’s coalition government.

    The Greens have long sought a tougher line on China. Just a few days ago the party’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, sternly and publicly reminded him that his government came to power promising to readjust its China strategy.

    Mr Banazsak says his country must learn from its previous dependence on Russian energy: “We must make ourselves as independent as possible from individual states, particularly if these are states which do not share our values.”

    But Olaf Scholz will be painfully aware of the complexity and depth of his country’s ties with China, which remains Germany’s largest trading partner, although Germany imports more than it exports.

    More than a million German jobs depend on that relationship. Take as an example car giant Daimler, which sells more than a third of its vehicles in China.

    A quality inspector makes the final inspection of a Daimler axle housing before packing it for export at the Daimler axle housing production plant in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China, January 20, 2022Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption, German company Daimler is expanding its resources in China

    In the first half of this year, German businesses invested more in China than ever before. Chemical company BASF has just opened a new plant in south China and expects to invest €10bn (£8.6bn; $9.9bn) in the site by the end of this decade.

    On the eve of the visit, the head of the German Automotive Industry Association pointed to Germany’s reliance on China for raw materials and warned that “de-coupling” would be an economic and geo-strategic mistake.

    Her counterpart at the Association of Small and Medium Businesses also advised against a sudden change in course, saying “the advice can only be not to smash any Chinese porcelain now”.

    Chancellor Scholz will spend less than 12 hours in Beijing. His aim, he said ahead of his journey, was to find out how much co-operation was still possible – because “the world needs China” in the fight against the global pandemic and climate change.

    “If China is changing, then our approach to China must change,” he said.

    Many in Berlin and beyond will be looking for evidence of that Mr Scholz’s response to a shifting China may yet come to be the defining test of his chancellorship.

    Source: BBC

  • Bundesliga Matchday 11: Hoffenheim host resurgent champions Bayern

    Bayern Munich are hell-bent on clawing their way back to the Bundesliga’s summit — and fourth-placed Hoffenheim are the next obstacle in their path.

    Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, have dropped down the table after a poor run of form and will hope to correct that with a victory over struggling Stuttgart.

    And it is top versus bottom as surprise league leaders Union Berlin travel to face Bochum as they bid to remain ahead of the pack.

    Meanwhile, third-placed Freiburg will be looking to bounce back from their heavy defeat against Bayern when they host Werder Bremen.

    Game of the week: Hoffenheim vs Bayern Munich (Saturday, 2.30pm)

    Bayern made a statement last Saturday as they leapfrogged Freiburg with a resounding 5-0 victory before following up that impressive performance with a 5-2 win at Augsburg in Wednesday’s DFB-Pokal tie.

    But since 2016-17, no side has picked up more Bundesliga points at home against the Bavarians than Hoffenheim’s 10.

    Meanwhile, Bayern are winless in their last three away games in the competition.

    However, Hoffenheim head coach Andre Breitenreiter has lost all seven of his Bundesliga meetings with FCB by an aggregate scoreline of 26-2 — no manager has a worse 100% losing record against a single club in the division’s history.

    Borussia Dortmund vs Stuttgart (Saturday, 2.30pm)

    Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham roams across the pitch to get involved in various phases of play
    Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham roams across the pitch to get involved in various phases of play

    Dortmund have gone three Bundesliga games without a win and are in desperate need of three points to arrest their decline.

    On paper, a home fixture against Stuttgart — who only picked up their first league victory of the campaign last Saturday — looks to be a kind one.

    However, Dortmund have suffered 13 defeats and conceded 73 Bundesliga goals at home against Stuttgart — they only have a worse record against Bayern.

    Stuttgart, though, have failed to win any of their last 14 Bundesliga away fixtures (eight draws, six defeats) and have only triumphed in one of their last 21 such games (11 draws, nine defeats).

    Bochum vs Union Berlin (Sunday, 2.30pm)

    Janik Haberer has scored three goals for Union Berlin so far this season
    Janik Haberer has scored three goals for Union Berlin so far this season

    Bochum are enduring their worst-ever start to a Bundesliga campaign, with just four points after 10 games — and they face the league leaders next.

    The Bundesliga’s bottom club also have its worst defence (27 goals conceded) and its bluntest attack (nine goals scored). Meanwhile, Union boast the best defensive record in the division, shipping just six goals.

    Furthermore, the hosts have given away seven penalties already — an all-time Bundesliga record at this stage of the season.

    Meanwhile, Union are enjoying their best-ever start in the top flight, with 23 points from 10 games — far exceeding their previous best of 16 at this stage.

    Borussia Monchengladbach vs Eintracht Frankfurt (Saturday, 5.30pm)

    Eintracht Frankfurt are enjoying a fruitful season — they are the Bundesliga's second-highest scorers
    Eintracht Frankfurt are enjoying a fruitful season — they are the Bundesliga’s second-highest scorers

    This match pits sixth against fifth in what promises to be a close encounter.

    After enjoying a six-match unbeaten run against Frankfurt, Borussia Monchengladbach failed to win either of last season’s encounters, losing 3-2 at home last December before sharing the spoils in their final outing on the road last term.

    Frankfurt have picked up more away points in the Bundesliga against BMG (53) than against any other side.

    However, Die Fohlen have won six of the last seven on their own patch in the competition (one defeat).

    Intriguingly, these two sides have the joint-best record in the Bundesliga for goals from set-pieces, with eight each.

    Freiburg vs Werder Bremen (Saturday, 2.30pm)

    Third-placed Freiburg will be wounded after suffering a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Bayern and will be hoping for a positive response against mid-table Werder Bremen.

    However, of teams in this season’s Bundesliga, Werder only have a better win percentage against Bochum (63%) than they do against Freiburg (55%).

    Additionally, the visitors have lost just one of their last 10 games against Freiburg in all competitions (four wins, five draws) and are unbeaten away from home in the Bundesliga this season (three wins, two draws).

    Freiburg have, though, won each of their last five Bundesliga home games against promoted sides — the longest such run of any team in Germany’s top flight.

    The weekend’s other games

    Mainz vs FC Cologne (Friday, 7.30pm)

    Bayer Leverkusen vs Wolfsburg (Saturday, 2.30pm)

    Augsburg vs RB Leipzig (Saturday, 2.30pm)

    Hertha Berlin vs Schalke (Sunday, 4.30pm)

    Source: Livescore

  • Bundesliga Matchday 10: Dortmund face capital clash with leaders Union

    Borussia Dortmund secured a last-gasp draw with Bayern Munich on Matchday 9 — and things do not get any easier this weekend with a trip to leaders Union Berlin.

    Bayern, meanwhile, face a tricky test of their own as they host second-placed Freiburg.

    Eintracht Frankfurt face struggling Bayer Leverkusen, while the Bundesliga’s bottom two sides meet when winless Stuttgart play Bochum.

    Elsewhere, RB Leipzig will be looking to maintain their recent upturn in form when they take on Hertha Berlin.

    Game of the week: Union Berlin vs Borussia Dortmund (Sunday, 4.30pm)

    Table-toppers Union are enjoying their best-ever start to a Bundesliga campaign with 20 points from nine games — but they will have to defy more of their own history to get the better of Dortmund.

    The Berlin outfit have a worse top-flight loss percentage against the visitors than any other opponent (67%) and have suffered defeat in each of their last three meetings with them.

    Additionally, they have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last eight competitive clashes with BVB and have conceded more Bundesliga goals against them (16) than any other side except Bayern (also 16).

    However, the league leaders have the best defence in Germany’s top flight this year, conceding just six times and boasting a division-low expected goals against tally of 8.1.

    Union are unbeaten in their last 10 Bundesliga home games (seven wins, three draws) and will hope to continue that run against Edin Terzic’s men.

    Bayern go into this fixture below Freiburg for just the third time in their history — but they have the chance to leapfrog their opponents with a win.

    Julian Nagelsmann’s men are enduring their worst start to a season in 12 years. But history is on the reigning champions’ side in this fixture, with Die Roten never having lost a home Bundesliga match against Freiburg (19 wins, three draws).

    However, the Breisgau Brazilians are one of just two teams who are still unbeaten away from home this term, so will hope to maintain that record in Bavaria.

    Freiburg have also scored in each of their last eight clashes with Bayern — doing so again will certainly boost their chances of a positive result.

    Bayern Munich were comprehensive winners in their last match against Freiburg
    Bayern Munich were comprehensive winners in their last match against Freiburg

    Eintracht Frankfurt vs Bayer Leverkusen (Saturday, 2.30pm)

    Leverkusen’s 4-0 win over Schalke last Saturday saw them climb into 15th place and out of the drop zone.

    But Eintracht Frankfurt are not the side they would have wished to come against next, as they look to turn that momentum into a positive run.

    The hosts have won more Bundesliga home games against Leverkusen than against any other side (21) — and Xabi Alonso’s side only have a worse away loss percentage against Bayern (74%) than they do versus this weekend’s opponents (57%).

    In fact, Leverkusen have lost their last four trips to Deutsche Bank Park.

    However, Die Adler have conceded three goals in defeats to both Bochum and Tottenham in the past week and will be hoping for a positive response.

    Stuttgart vs Bochum (Saturday, 2.30pm)

    The league’s bottom two clubs — Stuttgart and Bochum — face off in a critical encounter.

    The hosts sit one place higher with five points to their rivals’  four — but are the only team in the league yet to taste victory.

    Bochum have the worst away record in the division (zero points) but come up against the league’s worst home side in Stuttgart (two points).

    Die Schwaben are unbeaten in their last 23 home games against Bochum in all competitions (16 wins, seven draws). However, they have also failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last 26 Bundesliga matches at home — a club record.

    RB Leipzig vs Hertha Berlin (Saturday, 5.30pm)

    Timo Werner is starting to regain his goalscoring touch after returning to RB Leipzig from Chelsea in the summer
    Timo Werner is starting to regain his goalscoring touch after returning to RB Leipzig from Chelsea in the summer

    RB Leipzig have started tentatively picking up form after a poor start to the season, earning four points from their last two league outings.

    And this clash with Hertha Berlin represents a good chance to build some momentum, with Leipzig winning 10 of their 12 Bundesliga matches against the club from the capital (one draw, one defeat) — scoring 45 goals in the process. Both those tallies are higher than against any other side.

    Hertha are unbeaten in their last five games but have only won once in 2022-23, drawing their last four in a row.

    Leipzig will look to Timo Werner to break that streak, with the striker having been involved in 12 Bundesliga goals against Hertha in his career (eight goals, four assists) — only managing more against Mainz.

    The weekend’s other games

    Schalke vs Hoffenheim (Friday, 7.30pm)

    Werder Bremen vs Mainz (Saturday, 2.30pm)

    Wolfsburg vs Borussia Monchengladbach (Saturday, 2.30pm)

    FC Cologne vs Augsburg (Sunday, 2.30pm)

    Source: Livescore