PREVIEW: The Bundesliga stars continue to produce

The quality and excitement of football was never in question, but now Bayern Munich’s title defence grows present as every final whistle blows. Let’s check out gameweek 10 picks after going six out of nine last time.

Friday 14 October

26/10 Schalke | Draw 29/10 | Hoffenheim 9/10 (20:30)

Schalke and Hoffenheim open the Bundesliga matchday 10 proceedings when two sides struggling for form battle it out at the WELTINS-Arena.

The home side suffered their third successive defeat when they got drubbed 4-0 by Bayer Leverkusen, while Hoffenheim suffered a similar fate in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Werder Bremen and is now without a win in three. This game is too tight to call in spite of table positions, and for that, I’m suggesting the draw.

Saturday 15 October

29/20 Werder Bremen | Draw 49/20 | Mainz 37/20 (15:30)

Werder Bremen were hoping their strikers would once again shine as they teed off with Hoffenheim. To their fortune, the strikers showed perfect sink as early as the 18th minute, as Niclas Füllkrug assisted Marvin Duksch followed by a late penalty to win the game 2-1 courtesy of, again, Füllkrug.

Mainz have yet to keep a clean sheet in each of their last four, without a win in just as many fixtures. Füllkrug have now scored eight goals in nine appearances and I’m backing him to net another when they face off with Mainz. 

16/10 Wolfsburg | Draw 5/2 | Monchengladbach 33/20 (15:30)

Monchengladbach came out victorious in the 95th Rhine Derby when they trumped Cologne 5-2 at the BORUSSIA-PARK. The three points elevated them to 15 points, just five off the top of the table.

The worrying factor is unquestionably the away form, winless this season and suffering a heavy 5-1 defeat (the only away loss) the last time they hit the road. Wolfsburg blows hot and cold far too often for my liking, and the Double Chance Draw/Win on the away side seems favourable at 9/20.

37/20 Eintracht Frankfurt | Draw 26/10 | Bayer Leverkusen 27/20 (15:30)

Argentine striker Lucas Alario and Columbian forward Rafael Borré started against Bochum due to rotation and a sending-off in Frankfurt’s win against table-toppers Union Berlin the previous weekend.

Die Adler’s 3-0 defeat to Bochum broke a four-match undefeated run on the road. On the other hand, Leverkusen has finally secured a home victory after four previous attempts dispatching Schalke by four goals to nil. Neither side is inspiring confidence, with one side winning to nil, and one losing. The Under 3.5 Totals at 11/20 is an option, but for me, I’m staying out of this fixture.

7/10 Stuttgart | Draw 3/1 | Bochum 38/10 (15:30)

Entering gameweek nine, Stuttgart and Bochum were both in search of their first Bundesliga win of the season. Bochum trumped defending Europa League champions, Frankfurt 3-0, while Stuttgart had to face table-toppers Union Berlin, where they succumbed to their fourth defeat of the season (1-0).

Bochum may have boosted their confidence, but have still tasted more defeat, hoping to avoid an eighth – Stuttgart has drawn five. The home side are favourites, and rightfully so, get behind Stuttgart to secure their first win of the season.

4/10 RB Leipzig | Draw 4/1 | Hertha Berlin 58/10 (18:30)

RB Leipzig is still finding their feet under Marco Rose just six matches in. So, a recent 1-1 draw is nothing to be overly concerned about.

They have shown they can score goals convincingly but can also capitulate on occasion not fully grasping the methods of play Rose wishes to implement. Hertha Berlin has drawn their last four fixtures back-to-back with both teams to score on the cards. Uncertainty over a result from RB Leipzig, I’m backing Both Teams to Score (YES) at 7/10.

Sunday 16 October

15/20 Cologne | Draw 29/10 | Augsburg 34/10 (15:30)

Before the heavy 5-2 defeat last Bundesliga matchday, Cologne had won the previous three Rhine Derbies against Monchengladbach.

Facing their heaviest defeat of the season to date, a confidence boost is sorely required ahead of their encounter with Augsburg. In 21 attempts, the Billy Goats have only managed two wins at home when facing off with Augsburg, and the away side has found a good vein of form, winning three and drawing their most recent encounter. Double Chance Draw/Augsburg currently sits at even money.

2/1 Union Berlin | Draw 49/20 | Borussia Dortmund 27/20 (17:30)

Borussia Dortmund ended Bayern Munich’s eight-match winning streak over them with an additional time equalizer to send the roof off of the Signal Iduna Park. Now, after achieving a promising result and showing a good account of themselves, Dortmund must face an in-form Union Berlin at a virtually impenetrable Stadion An der Alten Försterei. Union bounced back after their 2-0 loss to Frankfurt with a 1-0 away win over Stuttgart.

The home side have yet to lose in 10 Bundesliga home matches, and in their last 15, interestingly enough, the side to get a win over them was Dortmund. My value bet this weekend is for Union to retain an unbeaten home record this season and remain a top the Bundesliga standings.

1/4 Bayern Munich | Draw 54/10 | Freiburg 17/2 (19:30)

In the biggest game of the Bundesliga calendar, Der Klassiker, Bayern Munich will look back and feel hard done by their 2-2 draw. After a cagey opening, Jamal Musiala teed up Leon Goretzka on the half hour mark for a thunderous effort, followed by trademark Leroy Sane goal five minutes before the hour mark.

Their 2-0 lead was shortened and evidently struck down in the fifth minute of additional time, and the unfamiliar position of playing catchup in the title race remains present. However, Freiburg will be of no consequence and a full three points is sure to ensue here.

TREBLE @ 4/1

M’Gladbach Draw/Win 9/20
Stuttgart Win 7/10
Augsburg Draw/Win 1/1