By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Dec 20 (Xinhua) -- The Bundesliga's last matchday in 2018 couldn't be more exciting.
When the 17th round of matches kicks off this weekend, two coaches have to fight for their jobs, league leaders Borussia Dortmund face second on the table Borussia Moenchengladbach and there are rumors about prominent new faces and possible departures at Bayern Munich.
Bayern, Bayer Leverkusen, FC Schalke 04 and Dortmund are desperately trying to defend their top positions. The Spanish media reports that the Atletico Madrid defender Lucas Hernandez has agreed to an 80 million euro deal to join Bayern in the winter break. Coach Niko Kovac and sports director Hasan Salihamidzic said they can't confirm a deal but refused to deny it either.
Atletico president Enrique Cerezo said, "I don't know anything about it." The well informed German football magazine Kicker reports that Bayern has approval that Hernandez is willing to depart.
The Hernandez deal seems unlikely as long as Bayern defender Mats Hummels is at the club. The tabloid Bild reports Hummels has expressed plans to leave in the winter break after he lost his place in the Bavarians' first eleven to Niklas Suele.
Clubs from the English Premier League are said to be interested. Bayern's chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has ruled out the possibility of Hummels leaving in the winter break. "He will definitely be playing for Bayern until summer 2019," Rummenigge commented. The Hernandez deal seems rather unlikely.
Much more likely is that Leipzig striker Timo Werner will join the Bavarian side next summer. The 22-year-old said Bayern is the only option if he decides to stay in Germany. The German international's contract expires in 2020. Leipzig has offered an extension. Werner said he will make up his mind over the winter break. Top European clubs like FC Barcelona, Manchester United and Paris St Germain are also interested in the player.
Bayer Leverkusen's Heiko Herrlich and FC Schalke 04's Domenico Tedesco are in danger of losing their jobs in the winter break. Neither Leverkusen (10th position) nor Schalke (14th) could satisfy expectations. Both clubs will most likely fail to qualify for an international competition despite managing squads containing excellent quality.
While Herrlich couldn't stop Leverkusen's inconsistency, Tedesco's Schalke is in danger of being relegated. Losing the last game in 2018 against VfB Stuttgart will likely be the end for Tedesco. Schalke's sports director Christian Heidel is under fire as he is accused of fraud.
Both clubs are expected to change their coach. For Borussia Dortmund, the duel against Moenchengladbach this Friday evening couldn't be more critical. The Black and Yellows' advantage could melt away to only three points. Coach Favre's biggest problem this season is that his three central defenders are sidelined due to injury.
