Overview
- Kickoff is Saturday at 13:00 local time at the Veltins-Arena, with second-place Schalke meeting third-place Elversberg.
- Schalke have conceded only seven goals in 11 matches and come off a stoppage-time defeat in Karlsruhe, with Jannick Bachmann (heel) and Amin Younes (thigh) newly sidelined as coach Miron Muslic rejects excuses.
- Elversberg ended a three-match winless spell with a 2:2 against Hannover, travel with a full squad, and see keeper Nikolas Kristof rewarded by Ralf Rangnick with his first ÖFB selection.
- Friday’s regional slate features leaders TV Oyten hosting in-form FC Worpswede, whose attack is led by 15-goal striker Ferdinand Takyi, while TSV Fischerhude-Quelkhorn brace for a relegation fight at SV Aschwarden.
- KFC Uerdingen arrive on four straight league wins to BW Dingden, who are without top scorer Mohamed Salman due to suspension, and local handball derbies draw big crowds as SG Achim/Baden lose Fiete Esser to a wrist injury and TV Dinklage rallies fans for Diepholz.