Bundesliga preview: Can RB Leipzig capitalise on Borussia Dortmund’s defeat?
We’ve got five more Bundesliga fixtures this evening
After Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund 1-0 at Signal Iduna Park to stretch the gap at the top, RB Leipzig have the chance to leapfrog Dortmund into second with a win over Hertha Berlin.
As well as that clash, we’ve cast our eyes over some of the other key clashes on the evening, including a battle between two teams with an outside chance of European football and an intriguing match-up near the foot of the table.
RB Leipzig v Hertha Berlin (17:30)
After a slow start to behind closed doors football for RB Leipzig, they returned to form on Sunday with a dominant 5-0 thrashing away at Mainz.
They’ll face a tougher task at the Red Bull Arena tonight, with Hertha Berlin perhaps the form side since the Bundesliga’s return, winning two from two, scoring seven and yet to concede.
Hertha produced a scintillating second-half display in the Berlin derby Friday night, scoring four unanswered goals, including two in two second-half minutes.
Victory for Die Roten Bullen would see them jump Borussia Dortmund into second spot on goal difference. They’re odds-on at 1/3 to bag three points.
A win for Die Alte Dame could bump them up to seventh spot, depending on other results. They come in as the 15/2 underdogs, with the draw priced at 4/1.
Leipzig’s Timo Werner is a coveted man these days, and it’s easy to see why. He’s got 24 goals so far this campaign, including a hat-trick against Mainz. He’s the 23/10 favourite to score first, or you can find 3/5 on him scoring anytime.
On the opposite side, it’s former RB Leipzig man Matheus Cunha who’s the star of the show for Hertha, netting in both games since the return. Fancy him to net against his former side? He’s 16/5 anytime, with veteran Vedad Ibisevic 3/1 to find the net.
1. FC Union Berlin v 1. FSV Mainz 05 (19:30)
Two defeats in two for Union, conceding six without scoring, has seen their steady drop down the Bundesliga table continue.
Mainz have picked up one point from six in the two games back. They came in that impressive comeback at FC Köln, but a thrashing against RB Leipzig soon followed.
Die Nullfünfer rely on the form and goals of Robin Quaison. The 26-year-old forward has a third of the sides 36 goals this term, bagging 12 of his own, but is without a goal in his last three.
Die Eisernen will be hoping to avoid a fourth straight defeat. They’re 5/4 to win here, with Mainz out at 2/1 to bag three points.
If Mainz can win, they’ll go level on points with Union, with only a worse goal difference keeping them behind.
Sebastian Andersson is the 7/2 favourite to score first for Union, with Anthony Ujah 23/10 to find the net anytime.
Unsurprisingly, it’s Quaison who’s favourite to open the scoring for Mainz at 5/1, with the Swede 15/8 anytime.
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim v 1. FC Köln (19:30)
It’s no secret that Hoffenheim have been struggling for a while, with their last win coming in February against Bayer Leverkusen, eight games ago.
Three draws and four defeats have followed since, including a 3-0 home defeat to Hertha on their first game back from the break. Despite their poor form, Achtzehn99 remain in the top half of the table, hanging on to ninth spot with all they have.
In contrast, FC Köln had been finding their feet after a dreadful start to the season. They’ve found some stability under head coach Markus Gisdol, winning five of the 10 league matches he’s taken charge of.
They’re yet to win either of their matches after the break, drawing both 2-2, but in very different circumstances. In their first match, they threw a two-goal lead to draw with Mainz, but with fortunes reversed on Sunday, they came back from two goals down in the last five minutes to draw with Fortuna Düsseldorf in the Rhine derby. Victory in this one could lift them above Hoffenheim.
Hoffenheim won the reverse fixture in November and could use that to lead them to a first Bundesliga in eight. They’re the slight favourites at 29/20, with the away side out at 33/20.
Achtzehn99’s Ihlas Bebou is the favourite to get his name on the scoresheet first at 5/1, alongside Munas Dabbur, with former Dortmund man Jacob Bruun Larsen a 15/8 shot to score anytime.
When Effzeh are involved, there are generally a shedload of goals too. In their last 10 matches, there have been at least 3 goals. If you fancy the run to continue, over 2.5 goals in the game is 1/2.
Star man Jhon Cordoba has been on fire of late and looks most likely to open the scoring for Die Geiβböcke at 9/2. He’s 3/2 anytime, with former Hoffenheim frontman Mark Uth 11/5 anytime.
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All odds and markets are correct as of date of publication.
