Each game in the 2024-25 Bundesliga is an exciting opportunity for the teams to reach their final destination. On matchday 18, some crucial matches will decide whether the teams will maintain their momentum or face unexpected setbacks. At the same time, it is exciting to see the teams in the relegation zone, and it is interesting to see how they will use every minute to move up their position in the league. The following section will provide a preview and predictions for the upcoming 2024-25 Bundesliga Matchday 18 matches, ensuring you don’t miss this thrilling event.
Matchday 17 of the 2924-25 Bundesliga was a great spectacle for fans, with thrilling action and unexpected results. The prior week was phenomenal for Holstein Kiel, who is currently in the relegation zone. With their potent attack, they defeated the top contender, Dortmund, 4-2. Shuto Machino, Phil Harres, and Alexander Bernhardsson helped them take the early lead in the first half of the game. Another dominant performance from Wolfsburg made B. Monchengladbach suffered a defeat with a score of 1-5. Until the 89′ of the game, Monchengladbach struggled to convert their chances to goal, and their defensive struggle added a broader opportunity for Wolfsburg to take the lead and win the game. With 64% ball possession, Eintracht Frankfurt defeated Freiburg by three points. Thanks to Robin Koch, Omar Marmoush, Hugo Ekitike, and Nnamdi Collins.
Alejandro Grimaldo’s second-half goal saved Bayer Leverkusen from defeat, and Mainz’s underperformance ended the game in defeat. Another goal saved Bochum from their 13th-season defeat against St. Pauli. Werder Bremen and Heidenheim concluded their game in a draw, 3-3. Union Berlin suffered a defeat without scoring a single point in round 17 over Augsburg. Sloley Alexis Claude-Maurice scored two goals in the first half, making Augsburg win. The second-half dominance from Stuttgart knocked off RB Leipzig 2-1. The Found 17 wrapped up with the dominant performance from Bayern Munich with a 5-0 victory against Hoffenheim. Overall, matchday 17 was filled with specific dominant performances, and in the upcoming matchday, we can expect the same level of energy from the teams.
Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Dortmund
On January 17, 2025, Dortmund is going to Deutsche Bank Park (Frankfurt) to compete against Eintracht Frankfurt in the exciting 2024-25 Bundesliga encounter.
Discipline
- Eintracht Frankfurt: 27 yellow cards, one red card
- Dortmund: 38 yellow cards, four red cards
Eintracht Frankfurt finished 2024 poorly, going five games without a win. However, they have kicked off the new year well, winning two league matches and in third place. They have a chance to achieve three straight league wins for the third time this season, and both previous streaks ended with home games winning without letting any goals in. Frankfurt was unbeaten at home this season until late December, when they lost 3-1 to Mainz, their second home loss of 2024.
They will need strong support from their fans as they take on Borussia Dortmund, especially since Frankfurt hasn’t won a home game against Dortmund in the last seven encounters. Dortmund recently suffered a disappointing 4-2 loss to newly promoted Holstein Kiel, which their managing director, Lars Ricken, called “shameful.” With two losses in a row, manager Nuri Sahin is under pressure, as Dortmund’s mid-season performance has been the worst since 2014-2015. Based on the current form and recent performances, Eintracht Frankfurt has the upper hand in this match over Dortmund.
Bayern Munich vs. Wolfsburg
The tabletop Bayern Munich will play Wolfsburg on January 18, 2025, at Allianz Arena (Munich) in round 18 of the 2024-25 Bundesliga.
Discipline
- Bayern Munich: 25 yellow cards, four red cards
- Wolfsburg: 45 yellow cards, two red cards
This season, Bayern Munich’s performance was highly dominant, placing them at the top of the league with a record of 13 wins, three draws, and only one defeat. While their 11 consecutive Bundesliga championship ended in the previous season, they finished in third place with 72 points. So, this season, they are trying to get back on the championship track, showing their determination and resilience. Their offense and defense were topnotch, scoring 53 total goals with an average of 3.1 points per game in attack. Defensively, they conceded 13 total goals with an average of 0.8 points per game.
In addition, Harry Kane is the dominant force for Bayern Munich, where he has scored 16 goals for his team. On the other hand, Wolfsburg is currently sitting in the 7th place with eight wins, three draws, and six losses. If they use the upcoming matches wisely, they can qualify for the Europa Conference League qualifiers. In the offense table, they are standing in fourth place with a total of 38 goals scored with an average of 2.2 points per game, and in defense, they are in 10th place with a total of 29 goals conceded with an average of 1.7 points per game. Jonas Wind is the leading scorer for Wolfsburg, scoring seven points. Given the balanced offense, defense, and dominant performance, Bayern Munich will have a higher chance of winning this game.
Bochum vs. RB Leipzig
For matchday 18, Bochum will be at their home to play against RB Leipzig on January 18, 2025, at Vonovia Ruhrstadion (Bochum).
Discipline
- Bochum: 28 yellow cards, zero red card
- RB Leipzig: 33 yellow cards, three red cards
Bochum recently won 1-0, which helps them move closer to the safer side, but they are still at the bottom of the league with only nine points. They are among only 11 teams in the previous 21 years with such a low score after 17 games. However, they have gained seven points in their last four matches, giving them some hope. Having two home games in a row should help Bochum, as they have lost only one of their previous four home matches.
Most of Bochum’s points at home came from matches against the weakest five teams and their record against the top 11 teams. While RB Leipzig suffered a defeat 2-1 over Stuttgart and had their top players, Loïs Openda and Benjamin Šeško, sent off. They will be looking to win again to secure a place in the top four, as they have won five out of their last six away games against Bochum. Leipzig’s matches are usually exciting, with more than 2.5 goals scored in six of their previous eight games. Considering their overall record, RB Leipzig will have an edge in winning this game.
Heidenheim vs. St. Pauli
Heidenheim will host St. Pauli at Voith-Arena (Heidenheim) on January 18, 2025, in the exhilarating matchday 18 of the Bundesliga showdown.
Discipline
- Heidenheim: 37 yellow cards, one red card
- Pauli: 27 yellow cards, one red card
Heidenheim is currently 15th in the table with 14 points from 17 matches. St. Pauli, also with 14 points, is ranked 14th after 17 games this season. Recent unsatisfactory results in the Bundesliga have severely impacted morale at St. Pauli. A victory against FC Heidenheim on Saturday could be crucial for them to regain momentum. In their last three matches, Heidenheim lost 2-0 to Bochum, bounced back with a 2-0 win over Union Berlin, and drew 3-3 with Werder Bremen.
They have secured just one home win out of six attempts at Voith-Arena in the Bundesliga, with one draw and four losses, scoring four and conceding 11 goals. Conversely, St. Pauli has only one win in their last three matches: a 0-1 victory against Stuttgart. However, they faced disappointment in subsequent games, losing 0-1 to Eintracht Frankfurt and 1-0 to Bochum. St. Pauli managed two wins with no draws in their last six away matches in the Bundesliga. Considering their recent form and performances, St. Pauli may have a slight advantage over Heidenheim.
Holstein Kiel vs. Hoffenheim
The relegation zone teams Holstein Kiel and Hoffenheim will pair up in the upcoming matchday 18 of the 2024-25 Bundesliga on January 18, 2025, at Holstein-Stadion (Kiel).
Discipline
- Holstein Kiel: 37 yellow cards, three red cards
- Hoffenheim: 33 yellow cards, one red card
Holstein Kiel was having a tough time in their first Bundesliga season, struggling to keep up with the competition. However, they managed to win two out of their last three games, which gives them hope. These wins included a 5-1 victory over Augsburg and a 4-2 win against Borussia Dortmund, showing they can score goals. These critical wins happened at their home ground, Holstein-Stadion, where they also won against Heidenheim. This means they’ve earned nine out of their eleven points this season at home.
Hoffenheim is just three points ahead of Holstein Kiel and is also struggling, having not won a league match in their last six games. Their previous game was a heavy 5-0 loss to Bayern Munich, which put them near the bottom of the league with one of their worst point totals ever at this stage of the season. Hoffenheim has had difficulties, as they have only kept one clean sheet in their last ten matches and have scored in just three of their previous nine games. However, they have a positive history against Holstein Kiel, having won their last two meetings. Considering the home advantage, Holstein Kiel will be favored to win this game.
Stuttgart vs. Freiburg
In the 2024-25 Bundesliga, Stuttgart will compete against Freiburg on January 18, 2025, at MHPArena (Stuttgart).
Discipline
- Stuttgart: 30 yellow cards, two red cards
- Freiburg: 22 yellow cards, two red cards
Stuttgart is fifth in the Bundesliga table, with eight wins, five draws, and four losses, and Freiburg is standing eighth and holds a record of eight wins, three draws, and six losses. VfB Stuttgart holds the fifth position in the Bundesliga, averaging 1.9 goals per game. In contrast, SC Freiburg, positioned 12th defensively, concedes 1.8 goals per match. Offensively, SC Freiburg is 11th in the league with 25 goals across 17 games, while VfB Stuttgart ranks eighth in goals allowed, conceding 26 in the same number of matches.
The key players to watch are Recruit Jacob Bruun Larsen, who scored his first goal for Stuttgart on Wednesday, contributing to his team’s victory in nine of the last 13 games where he found the net. While Freiburg’s Lukas Kübler is at risk of receiving a yellow card, having been cautioned in three of his past four matches, he remains a potential attacking threat, having scored in his last two head-to-head encounters. Given the recent form of Stuttgart, they will have a higher possibility of winning this game.
Bayer Leverkusen vs. B. Monchengladbach
- Monchengladbach will travel away to face off against Bayer Leverkusen on January 18, 2025, at BayArena (Leverkusen) in round 18 of the 2024-25 Bundesliga fixture.
Discipline
- Bayer Leverkusen: 29 yellow cards, zero red card
- Monchengladbach:26 yellow cards, one red card
Bayer Leverkusen wants to keep up the pressure on Bayern Munich, the league leaders when they play against Borussia Mönchengladbach this weekend. They recently won 1-0 against Mainz, making it ten wins in a row in all competitions. Leverkusen has only dropped points in the Bundesliga in eight matches at their home stadium, the BayArena, since March 2023. The last time Leverkusen lost to Gladbach was in November 2019, when they had eight wins and two draws against them. They are also in the quarter-finals of the DFB Pokal and fourth place in the UEFA Champions League. On the other hand, Gladbach is trying to do better this season than last, where they barely avoided the relegation playoff by just one point.
They start this week in 11th place but have a better chance of reaching Europe next season than being relegated despite losing their first two matches of the 2025 Bundesliga season. Manager Gerardo Seoane was unhappy with his team’s performance, especially in the last half hour of their 5-1 loss to Wolfsburg, where they gave up four goals. He noticed some “mental weaknesses” in his players and knows they need to improve quickly to avoid losing three Bundesliga games in a row for the first time since December 2021. As a result, Bayer Leverkusen has an edge to win this game.
Union Berlin vs. Mainz
On January 19, 2025, Union Berlin and Mainz will head to head at Stadion An der Alten Försterei (Berlin) in the 2024-25 Bundesliga matchday 18.
Discipline
- Union Berlin: 43 yellow cards, one red card
- Maniz: 35 yellow cards, three red card
Union Berlin has been strong at home, working well together and playing good defense. They have won several recent games, making them challenging for any team that visits. Mainz has also played well lately, especially in their recent matches. They are known for their attacking style and creating chances to score. Their forwards have played well, helping the team succeed this season. However, they must be careful of Union Berlin’s defense if they want to score.
Both teams might have some injury concerns, which is essential since it could change the game’s result. They will likely win if Union Berlin stays strong and keeps their key players healthy. On the other hand, if Mainz has all their best players available, they could surprise the home team. The history of games between Union Berlin and Mainz shows that both teams have won a fair number of matches against each other, making it hard to choose a clear winner. However, because of their recent performances, Union Berlin has an advantage in this upcoming game.
Werder Bremen vs. Augsburg
Matchday 18 will conclude with the battle between Werder Bremen and Augsburg on January 19, 2025, at Weserstadion (Bremen).
Discipline
- Werder Bremen: 31 yellow cards, two red cards
- Augsburg: 46 yellow cards, two red cards
After winning four competitive matches in December, Werder Bremen has not won in its last two games, including a thrilling 3-3 tie with Heidenheim. In that match, Werder Bremen fell behind three times but equalized each time, only to be leveled again in the last minute. Despite this upset, Werder Bremen has gone six matches without losing at its home ground, Weserstadion.
On the other hand, Augsburg had a successful midweek, winning 2-0 against Union Berlin in the capital. This win ended a three-game losing streak in the league and moved them up to 12th place. With the home advantage, Werder Bremen will have an edge to win this game against Augsburg in round 18.
