Matchday 15 of the Bundesliga delivered spectacular entertainment on Saturday, December 20, 2025, as clubs wrapped up the first half of the season before the winter break. From seven-goal thrillers to historic moments, here's everything you need to know.
RB Leipzig 1-3 Bayer Leverkusen: Die Werkself End 2025 on a High
The top-four clash at the Red Bull Arena saw Bayer Leverkusen claim a crucial 3-1 victory over RB Leipzig, cementing their position in third place heading into the winter break.
The hosts struck first through Xaver Schlager in the 35th minute, but Leverkusen responded emphatically. Martin Terrier equalised with a looping header just five minutes later, and Patrik Schick turned the game on its head before the break with a clinical finish after a smart piece of skill to get the ball onto his preferred right foot.
Leipzig pushed hard for an equaliser in the second half, with Conrad Harder coming close on multiple occasions, but goalkeeper Mark Flekken produced six crucial saves to keep Die Werkself ahead. In stoppage time, American-German youngster Montrell Culbreath scored on his senior debut to seal the win, capping an excellent evening for Kasper Hjulmand's side.
"Considering how we started the season, finding ourselves in third place heading into 2026 has to be seen as a huge positive."
The result leaves both teams level on 29 points, but Leverkusen hold the head-to-head advantage after this dominant display.
Wolfsburg 3-4 Freiburg: Seven-Goal Thriller with Pejčinović Hat-Trick
The match of the day took place at the Volkswagen Arena, where SC Freiburg edged a breathtaking 4-3 victory despite Dženan Pejčinović scoring a hat-trick for the beaten hosts.
Philipp Treu stunned Wolfsburg with a spectacular volley after just five minutes for his first Bundesliga goal, but Pejčinović equalised eight minutes later. The 20-year-old striker then added two more goals in the second half (49', 69') to seemingly secure a famous victory for newly permanent head coach Daniel Bauer.
But Freiburg had other ideas. Vincenzo Grifo converted a penalty in the 56th minute to become Freiburg's all-time leading scorer in the Bundesliga. An own goal from Jenson Seelt in the 71st minute made it 3-3, before substitute Derry Scherhant struck the winner from a tight angle with 12 minutes remaining.
It was a cruel blow for Wolfsburg, who finished 2025 with a home defeat despite Pejčinović's heroics.
Hamburg 2-1 Eintracht Frankfurt: Die Rothosen End Frankfurt's Away Run
Hamburger SV claimed a vital 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt at the Volksparkstadion, moving further away from the relegation zone. The newly promoted side showed great character to overcome a Frankfurt team that had been solid on their travels.
Albert Sambi Lokonga opened the scoring for Hamburg in the 19th minute, only for Hugo Larsson to equalise for Frankfurt just seven minutes later. The home crowd had to wait until the second half for the winner, as Merlin Polzin's side showed the fighting spirit that helped them win promotion last season.
Frankfurt's poor run continues - they are now without a win in their last four matches across all competitions.
Köln 0-1 Union Berlin: Late Drama in Cologne
Union Berlin secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory at the RheinEnergieStadion, extending Köln's winless run to six matches.
The only goal came in the 82nd minute when defender Rav van den Berg headed home from a set piece. András Schäfer added a second deep into injury time to seal the points, though it was chalked off after VAR review.
For Union, this victory builds on their impressive 3-1 win over RB Leipzig last weekend, suggesting they may finally be finding consistency. Köln, meanwhile, face a worrying winter break sitting in 12th place with relegation fears beginning to creep in.
All Matchday 15 Results
| Match | Score | Goalscorers |
|---|---|---|
| VfB Stuttgart - TSG Hoffenheim | 0-0 | - |
| VfL Wolfsburg - SC Freiburg | 3-4 | Pejčinović (13', 49', 69') - Treu (5'), Grifo (56' pen), Seelt (71' og), Scherhant (78') |
| FC Augsburg - Werder Bremen | 0-0 | - |
| 1. FC Köln - Union Berlin | 0-1 | Van den Berg (82') |
| Hamburger SV - Eintracht Frankfurt | 2-1 | Lokonga (19'), ? - Larsson (26') |
| RB Leipzig - Bayer Leverkusen | 1-3 | Schlager (35') - Terrier (40'), Schick (44'), Culbreath (90+7') |
Key Takeaways
- Bayern Munich maintain a nine-point lead at the top heading into the winter break after their 2-0 win over Dortmund on Friday
- Bayer Leverkusen climb to third place with a statement win at Leipzig
- Montrell Culbreath makes history with his debut goal for Leverkusen
- Vincenzo Grifo becomes SC Freiburg's all-time leading Bundesliga scorer
- Dženan Pejčinović's hat-trick goes unrewarded as Wolfsburg suffer a dramatic defeat
- Köln's winless streak extends to six matches, raising relegation concerns
Looking Ahead: The Rückrunde
The Bundesliga now enters its winter break, with action resuming in mid-January. Bayern Munich hold a commanding lead, but the race for Champions League places remains wide open with Leipzig, Leverkusen, and Frankfurt all within touching distance of the top four.
At the bottom, Wolfsburg, Hamburg and St. Pauli will need to use the break wisely as they look to escape the relegation battle. Köln's six-match winless run has put them closer to danger than they would have hoped.
