We are now approaching the half-way stage of the UEFA Champions League, and there have been mixed fortunes for the four Bundesliga sides so far. Borussia Dortmund are looking strong, FC Bayern München and FC Schalke 04 are in control, while TSG 1899 Hoffenheim have plenty of work to do.
This week's Bundesliga fixtures provided a healthy stack of goals, but things are always a lot harder when Germany's teams take on the continent's elite in the Champions League. Weeks three and four provide us with a number of interesting double-headers.
On Tuesday, reigning German champions FC Bayern are in Greece to take on AEK Athens, while mid-table Hoffenheim host French side Olympique Lyonnais. The following day, Dortmund welcome three-time tournament runner-up Atlético de Madrid, while struggling Schalke 04 are in Turkey to take on Galatasaray S.K.
FC Bayern München v AEK Athens (A)
After a fine opening two-goal win in Benfica, Niko Kovač's Bayern struggled at home against Ajax Amsterdam, and were lucky to escape with a 1:1 draw. The start of the day sees the Bavarians joint top of the group on four points with the Dutch side, with Benfica on three points and AEK yet to get off the mark.
The Greek champions were well beaten in their opener by Ajax, before going down 2:3 at home to Benfica. This is one Bayern will be looking to win well, as they hope to leave their bad run well behind them.
This is the first meeting between the two teams.
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim v Olympique Lyonnais (H)
After a 1:1 draw on the road against Shakhtar Donetsk and a 1:2 defeat at home against group leaders Manchester City, there is plenty of work of Julian Nagelsmann and his team to do if they want to keep themselves in with a chance of making the knockout stages of the tournament.
French outfit Lyon have got off to a solid start, surprisingly beating Man City at the Etihad Stadium before sharing the points at home against Shakhtar. This is one that Hoffenheim simply have to win.
This is the first meeting between the two teams.
Borussia Dortmund v Atlético de Madrid (H)
The only one of the four German teams with a perfect record after the opening two matches, Dortmund grabbed a late one-goal win in Bruges before giving AS Monaco a sound three-goal hammering at the Signal-Iduna Park.
Week three opponents Atlético de Madrid also have a perfect six points, so something will have to give when the two teams meet in the first leg of a tasty-looking double header. Dortmund are scoring goals for fun at the moment, and will fancy their chances of extending their winning run.
If there is an omen for Lucien Favre's side, the last time they met Atléti was in 1996/97, also at the group stage. Both sides finished with a win apiece, but Dortmund would go on to win the tournament.
Head to Head Record: P4 W2 D1 L1 F4 A3
Galatasaray S.K. v FC Schalke 04 (A)
Despite their poor form in the Bundesliga, Schalke 04 have started solidly in the Champions League, but without being spectacular. An unlucky 1:1 draw at home to Porto was followed by a late one-goal win in Moscow against Lokomotiv, leaving joint top of the group with the Portuguese champions.
Turkish opponents Galatasaray are a point behind, following an opening 3:0 win over Lokomotiv with a 0:1 defeat in Portugal. A win will put Domenico Tedesco's men in with a great chance of making the last 16, but Gala are a tough nut to crack on their home turf in front of a boisterous crowd.
There have been two meetings between the two teams, in 2012/13 in the second round. After a 1:1 draw in Istanbul, Schalke went down by the odd goal in five at the Veltins Arena.
Head to Head Record: P1 W0 D1 L1 F3 A4
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