Bundesliga Matchday 17 review

Friday night

Bayern München v. 1. FC Köln
Prediction: 3-0
Actual result: 3-0

Even Ribery's dismissal could not stop Bayern from maintaining their three-point gap at the summit ahead of their Cup tie in Bochum.

Saturday
SC Freiburg v. Borussia Dortmund
Prediction: 1-2
Actual result: 1-4
Is this the kind of champagne football we can look forward to from Dortmund after the break? Stay tuned.

Hamburger SV v. FC Augsburg
Prediction: 2-1
Actual result: 1-1
Hamburg's 19-point haul and eight-match unbeaten streak don't look too shabby now after their dreadful start.

Bayer Leverkusen v. 1. FC Nürnberg
Prediction: 2-0
Actual result: 0-3
This stunner of a scoreline could see Dutt get the sack. He may prefer that as opposed to watching his side play Club World Cup champion Barcelona.

VfL Wolfsburg v. VfB Stuttgart
Prediction: 1-1
Actual result: 1-0
Stuttgart had a stuttering finish to their first half and Europe may be too far away now.

1899 Hoffenheim v. Hertha BSC
Prediction: 1-1
Actual result: 1-1
No surprise that Babbel is out at Hertha. The Bundesliga draw specialists are not safe yet, and neither is Hoffenheim.

FC Schalke 04 v. Werder Bremen
Prediction: 3-1
Actual result: 5-0
There was no doubt that Bremen would falter. Our only mistake was to believe the scoreline would be semi-respectable.

Sunday
1. FC Kaiserslautern v. Hannover 96
Prediction: 1-2
Actual result: 1-1
The point won't suit either side's ambitions - 'Lautern have a huge trip to Berlin for a Cup tie on Wednesday while Hannover can get ready for the second half.

Mönchengladbach v. FSV Mainz 05
Prediction: 1-0
Actual result: 1-0
Mainz may have deserved a better fate but 'Gladbach cap a terrific first half heading into their Cup match with flying Schalke FC.