Overview
- 1. FC Magdeburg beat Karlsruher SC 6:1 on Saturday, with Mateusz Żukowski converting two penalties and Anselmo García MacNulty, Emmanuel Iyoha, Roko Šimić and Leon Mergner adding goals as the club climbed toward the promotion places.
- Hertha BSC stayed top of the 2. Bundesliga after captain Josip Brekalo converted a stoppage‑time penalty to secure a 1:0 win over Arminia Bielefeld.
- In the Bundesliga Niclas Füllkrug scored two penalties to give Werder Bremen a 3:2 win at Mainz while SC Paderborn climbed out of the drop zone when HSV loanee Rayan Philippe struck an 88th‑minute winner.
- 1. FC Köln and FC Schalke 04 drew 0:0 in a match marred by a heavy head collision that saw Robin Gosens and Soufiane El‑Faouzi substituted and Schalke cope with five absences including defender Maximilian Wöber, who is expected to miss months.
- The results reshape short‑term momentum: Magdeburg head to Bayern buoyed by form and a large travelling contingent, VAR and tight offside calls affected outcomes across matches, and recurring injuries are forcing lineup changes that could influence promotion and relegation races.