The Bundesliga action continues! Bayern extend their lead as Dortmund slip up again. The back end of the table continues to intensify as the bottom of the barrel sides picked up points last gameweek.
The third edition of the Berlin Derby this season is set to hit our screens on Saturday evening, and it could be the last for a while as Hertha Berlin fight it out among the relegation contenders, while their rivals Union Berlin are in search of a consecutive European placing. Be sure to get in on the 7/1 treble.
Friday 8 April
26/10 Stuttgart | Draw 28/10 | Borussia Dortmund 9/10 (20:30)
Friday night Bundesliga action kicks off with an absolute banger! Relegation-threatened Stuttgart host Borussia Dortmund at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.
The tie gets even hotter when you consider the number of goals this fixture has produced over the years. For punters, over 2.5 goals look a top bet considering the last 15 fixtures have ended in goals upon goals.
Dortmund came off second best in their last tie in ridiculous fashion, a 4-1 loss in front of their home crowd, while the home team were able to hold onto a draw, courtesy of Sasa Kalajdzic’s 25th-minute penalty. Get behind Dortmund and Over 2.5 goals at 16/10.
Saturday 9 April
1/10 Bayern Munich | Draw 9/1 | Augsburg 20/1 (15:30)
After a deadlock first-half performance, the big boys showed their hand, Leon Goretzka opened the scoring in the 58th minute only for the flood gates to open, earning Bayern Munich a 4-1 triumph away at Freiburg. Augsburg were also firing on all cylinders last time out, thumping a struggling Wolfsburg by three goals to nil.
Yes, the away team is fighting relegation, and an earlier win over the Bavarians in the season’s first encounter could prove the vital experience needed, but over two legs Bayern have always proved juggernauts, and they will stamp their authority in this fixture. Get behind the home team to secure the win to nil at 17/20.
13/20 Wolfsburg | Draw 28/10 | Arminia Bielefeld 4/1 (15:30)
A season to forget for Wolfsburg got worse after last weekend’s 3-0 loss to rivals Augsburg. Three successive defeats for the home team has seen them drop considerably into a relegation tussle, just six points clear of current opposition Arminia Bielefeld. Arminia found a point against Stuttgart last matchday but the hope for anymore against Wolfsburg might not be as strong. Both sides are in really bad form and the under 2.5 market is the play at 9/10.
15/10 Cologne | Draw 23/10 | Mainz 37/20 (15:30)
At home, Mainz are a force to reckon with, but on the road, they are winless in their last eight. One positive take away for the 05ers is finding the back of the net once in each of their last five outings.
Cologne has also found form hard to come by and relying on individual brilliance from Anthony Modeste (15 Bundesliga goals this season) is not going to get you over the line on every occasion. I’m betting on the away team odd goals at even money.
34/10 Greuther Furth | Draw 29/10 | Borussia Monchengladbach 7/10 (15:30)
Borussia Monchengladbach are capable of doing damage to any team in the Bundesliga, and more so Greuther Furth, who from the start were not meant to be in the topflight picture.
Breel Embolo was able to net an early goal last time out against Mainz, but the remainder of the fixture missed chance after missed chance.
Eventually, Gladbach had to rue those opportunities not taken and shared the spoils with Mainz. Get strongly behind the away team to return to winning ways when they travel to Furth.
17/10 Hertha Berlin | Draw 22/10 | Union Berlin 33/20 (18:30)
A derby like no other, Berlin’s finest collide in a sea of blue and red this Saturday at the Olympiastadion Berlin. Rich in history and culture, this occasion is riddled with storylines with this season’s second leg being no different.
At the home ground of Union, two first-half goals were enough to seal the deal. The second goal in the 30th minute was courtesy of Austrian Christopher Timmel, but the opening was from Taiwo Awoniyi, who has just become Union’s leading scorer in the Bundesliga, scoring his 12th of the season last time out against Cologne. The Berlin outfits did not end there, meeting in a 3-2 victory for Union in the DFB Pokal clash in favour of Union. Now, the last-ditch effort in getting bragging rights for Hertha lands on their literal doorstep.
The home side have not had a season to remember, one point short of escaping relegation as they sit 17th on 26 points. Hertha have earned just one win in their last 10 fixtures, and two draws coupled with seven losses.
The travelling side has had much more favourable results this campaign and a third win in three matches of their rivals will cap off a great campaign to say the least. Union sit seventh on 41 points, four short of a European placed finish.
Anything can happen in a derby, and I’m backing both teams to score in an open encounter at 8/10.
Sunday 10 April
32/10 Bochum | Draw 3/1 | Bayer Leverkusen 15/20 (15:30)
After a torrid start to the season, Bochum found a decent run of results, and have edged their way up the table. Last matchday’s brace from Takumo Asano was enough to earn all three points and put Bochum 11th, well clear of the drop zone I felt they would find themselves in.
They do, however, welcome Bayer Leverkusen who are always a threat in the final third, breaking quick in the transition as well.
Back-to-back wins over Wolfsburg and Hertha will mean a good run of form is on the horizon and I’m sure Leverkusen will take full advantage.
TBA Eintracht Frankfurt | Draw TBA | Freiburg TBA (17:30)
Eintracht Frankfurt welcome Freiburg to the Deutsch Bank Park where they thumped the away side 3-1 last season.
Freiburg sit higher on the table, but their form of late has slipped quite considerably, narrowly beating Wolfsburg, drawing with Leipzig, and losing to Bayern. Yes, the last two are tough opponents, but the hard work being taken from you in a result is demoralizing.
The Eagles are undefeated in their last seven, but four successive draws in all competitions is showing that the legs are taking a toll from European competition. I’m backing the draw no bet in favour of the home side.
11/20 RB Leipzig | Draw 34/10 | Hoffenheim 42/10 (19:30)
After losing Jesse Marsch, Leizpig have not lost their sting, or structure. Undefeated since his departure at the end of February, scoring 21 goals in seven encounters in the Bundesliga.
While their opponents have had an above average season, their form has slipped of late, suffering back-to-back defeats to a struggling Hertha Berlin and Bochum in their last matchup. The value on a Leizpig win is great but add that spicy over 2.5 goals to make that even money.
TREBLE @ 8/1
Dortmund Win & Over 2.5 16/10
Monchengladbach Win 7/10
Leipzig Win & Over 2.5 at 1/1
