The Bundesliga makes its return this week with a full set of fixtures. The headline act sees Bayern travel to Leverkusen while Dortmund host Mainz and RB Leipzig travel to Freiburg.
Friday 15 October
Hoffenheim 19/20 | Draw 28/10 | Cologne 24/10 (20:30)
Hoffenheim will aim to turn their fortunes around when Cologne travel to the PreZero Arena on Friday night. The hosts have begun the season inconsistently with just two wins from seven games but have shown they’re capable of beating the best Bundesliga has to offer, convincingly beating in-form Wolfsburg two weeks before the international break.
Cologne have enjoyed a decent stint of seven games, winning three times, drawing another three matches and suffered a 3-2 defeat to Bayern Munich. However, the Billy Goats remain winless on their travels, while interestingly on the betting front, each of Cologne’s matches has seen both teams score.
My money is on Hoffenheim to claim their seventh straight victory over Cologne at 19/20, although if you’re feeling brave, Hoffenheim Win & Both Teams To Score (Yes) is an excellent value bet at 24/10.
Saturday 16 October
Union Berlin 7/4 |Draw 43/20 |Wolfsburg 33/20 (15:30)
Union Berlin’s next three matches on home soil will put their Iron Ones nickname to the test with Bayern Munich and Feyenoord on the horizon, but first the Wolves find themselves on the hunt in the capital, Berlin, in search of maximum points.
The hosts are unbeaten in 20 Bundesliga matches at home, while Wolfsburg are finding it difficult to replicate last season’s heroics in the league with the commitments that come with participation in the UEFA Champions League. Mark van Bommel’s men have tasted back-to-back league defeats after flying out the blocks with four victories to begin the campaign.
Take Wolfsburg to return to winning ways.
Borussia Dortmund 4/10 |Draw 4/1 |Mainz 56/10 (15:30)
Erling Haaland is set to return to action for BVB after missing out on Norway’s World Cup qualifiers due to injury. Borussia Dortmund’s spearhead has scored seven times in the five Bundesliga games he’s featured in. The Yellow and Black can’t afford to drop more points in the race for the title after losing twice from their opening seven league ties.
Mainz might have other plans after conceding just five goals this campaign, but the league’s tightest defence will be put to the test against the goalscoring machine Haaland, which has all the makings of an intriguing 90 minutes of football.
Dortmund is a banker at 4/10, however, we’re always searching for value – a repeat of the last meeting which saw Dortmund Win & Both Teams To Score (Yes) is priced up at 17/10.
Freiburg 31/10 |Draw 28/10 |RB Leipzig 8/10 (15:30)
Freiburg find themselves in fourth position on the standings, while RB Leipzig are eighth.
Freiburg remain the only unbeaten team in the Bundesliga with four wins and three stalemates. When champions Bayern Munich visited the Dreisamstadion they left with a single point, following a 2-2 draw, while Borussia Dortmund were ousted 2-1 as Haaland played the full 90 minutes.
Despite losing the most recent meeting 3-0 to Leipzig, Freiburg got the better of Leipzig during their three previous visits. RB Leipzig travel to Paris to take on PSG in a glamourous UEFA Champions League tie and could take their eye off the ball when travelling to Freiburg.
My money is firmly on the Breisgau Brazilians to win at 31/10, however, if you’re not as confident as I am, I suggest leaving RB Leipzig out your multiples or alternatively back Freiburg & Draw in the Double Chance market at 9/10.
Greuther Furth 13/10 |Draw 24/10 | Bochum 2/1 (15:30)
Newly-promoted Greuther Furth and Bochum meet at the Sportpark Ronhof Thomas Sommer on Saturday afternoon with each team picking up a league victory over each other whilst in 2. Bundesliga last season.
Currently, the hosts are rooted to the foot of the table and are yet to claim a victory among the big boys, coming into the encounter after suffering five straight defeats. Bochum, on the other hand, secured their only league win over Mainz two months ago and are also winless in five matches.
These opponents know each very well, my play comes in the Highest Scoring Half market, I’m expecting a tightly-contested affair that will open up during the second 45 minutes, so select 2ND HALF at 19/20 odds and get on!
Eintracht Frankfurt 7/10 | Draw 29/10 | Hertha Berlin 7/2 (15:30)
Eintracht Frankfurt suffered their only defeat this season on the opening day, away at Borussia Dortmund, and then went on to draw five consecutive matches before shockingly beating Bayern Munich 2-1 at the Allianz Arena to claim their first victory prior to the international break.
Hertha Berlin is in deep trouble if they can’t arrest their current situation, coach Pal Dardai’s team have beaten newly-promoted Greuther Furth and Bochum but lost their other five Bundesliga games.
Going on previous results, Eintracht Frankfurt won the last three meetings with Hertha Berlin finding the net. I’m going Eintracht Frankfurt Win & Both Teams To Score (Yes) at 49/20, but if you want to be safer, just opt for the simple home win which is my banker of the weekend.
Borussia Monchengladbach 11/20 | Draw 37/10 |Stuttgart 4/1 (15:30)
Borussia Monchengladbach have been quite strange when we take a closer look at their early-season performance. The Foals held Bayern Munich to a 1-1 draw and claimed back-to-back victories over Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg prior to the international break, however, Monchengladbach lost away at Union Berlin, Augsburg and were thumped at Bayer Leverkusen.
Stuttgart will be hoping to replicate the 2-1 victory they claimed during their last visit to Borussia Park at the back end of last season but will have to do it without first-choice striker Sasa Kalajdzic whose still out nursing a shoulder injury.
I’m not convinced in Monchengladbach making home advantage count, Both Teams To Score (Yes) also offers 11/20 and is one for all the multiples.
Sunday 17 October
Bayer Leverkusen 34/10 |Draw 34/10 | Bayern Munich 13/20 (15:30)
If you search Bayern Munich’s hoodoo team on the internet, a photo of Bayer Leverkusen should pop up on your screens. Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich are joint-leaders on 16 points, largely due to the Bavarians defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Across all competitions, Leverkusen have won eight times in 10 matches, including five wins on the bounce in September. Following this matchup, Die Werkself make the trip to Sevilla for UEFA Europa League action against Real Betis, while Bayern Munich take on Benfica in Portugal. I’m confident First-Half Both Teams To Score (Yes) will come home flying at 2/1.
Augsburg 12/10 | Draw 9/4 | Arminia Bielefeld 23/10 (17:30)
Arminia Bielefeld travel to the WWK Arena on Sunday in search of their first win of the campaign against an Augsburg team that only have one victory to their names. It hasn’t been easy with the home team facing a stern set of fixtures that comprised of last season’s top half of the log.
Seeing as these clashes have been low-scoring affairs, Under 2.5 Goals at 15/20 seems the best way to have a punt.
TREBLE @ 35/1
Hoffenheim Win & Both Teams To Score 24/10
Wolfsburg Win 31/20
Freiburg Win 32/10
