Bundesliga: Frankfurt Out to Derail Freiburg’s Top Four Aspirations
Eintracht Frankfurt vs SC Freiburg
Two clubs who are on the outside looking in the Bundesliga Top 4 are slated to go head-to-head when SC Freiburg visit Eintracht Frankfurt at Deutsche Bank Park.
SC Freiburg currently have the upper hand as they’re placed fifth with 45 points and they are eager to bounce back following their controversial defeat to Bayern Munich.
Meanwhile, Eintracht Frankfurt are at ninth with 39 points. They are keen to return to Europe football next season, but now is the time for them to make a run of positive Bundesliga 2022 results.
Despite their disparity in the standings, Eintracht Frankfurt and SC Freiburg look evenly matched on paper.
Just like in their reverse fixture few months ago, this is expected to be another competitive affair, making this one of the matches that we should look forward to this weekend.
Talking Points
More points needed for SC Freiburg
Freiburg will look to make the most out of their schedule by grabbing as much points as they can in these next few weeks. Die Breisgauer will face two bottom half teams in their next five league games.
Given RB Leipzig’s progress as they’re currently fourth at the table, Christian Streich is aiming for better results and one way to do so is by re-establishing their identity.
As it has been all season, Freiburg’s strength is on the defencive end as they’ve only surrendered 11 league goals as of this writing, with their youngsters in Philipp Lienhart and Nico Schlotterbeck forming a fruitful centre-back partnership.
Lienhart and Schlotterbeck can score when needed too with four each, and it’s not a surprise that both have been on the scouts’ radar in the transfer market. Reports claim that Schlotterbeck is likely to leave Freiburg this summer with Borussia Dortmund or Bayern Munich listed as his potential new home.
SC Freiburg’s Vincenzo Grifo in action during Bundesliga match against VfL Wolfsburg in October 2021
Leading the way up front, meanwhile, remains Vincenzo Grifo with seven goals and six assists while Lucas Holer and Nils Petersen have improved their scoring outputs with five and four after a slow start to the season.
Those veterans will be backstopped by the young front duo of Kevin Schade and Jeong Woo-Yeong, who also have four goals each so far.
Grueling schedule for Eintracht Frankfurt
Oliver Glasner is likely to rotate his squad as Eintracht Frankfurt are going to play three matches in the next seven days.
Yes, they miss the likes of Sebastian Haller, Andre Silva, and Luka Jovic, but their opponents shouldn’t count them out easily at the final third.
Rafael Borre continues to have a productive season for Die Adler with eight goals and five assists, while Daichi Kamada and Jesper Lindstrom have 12 goals and seven assists combined.
Filip Kostic is the team’s best creative outlet with four goals and 10 assists, while Djibril Sow has three goals and five assists. These two guys will lead the Eagles’ midfield.
History
Eintracht Frankfurt have not won more Bundesliga games versus any team than against SC Freiburg since the latter’s promotion to the Bundesliga in 1993 (15 wins in 35 games).
SC Freiburg may have won four of their last five against Eintracht Frankfurt before, but the visitors have won just one of their last nine Bundesliga games against their hosts (D4, L4) – a 1-0 score at home in November 2019.
Both teams have similar recent forms as Frankfurt and Freiburg have won twice, drawn twice, and lost once in their last five league matches – although neither have won in these past two matchdays.
Die Adler won against Die Breisgauer in their reverse fixture last November with a 2-0 scoreline as Jesper Lindstrom and Filip Kostic scored two goals between the 34th and 43rd minute despite having lesser total shots overall.
The Bundesliga 2022 odds are favouring the hosts to win, albeit via a slim margin. Eintracht Frankfurt are installed at 2.38, while SC Freiburg are priced at 2.94 and a draw is at 3.25 in the 1X2 market.
Predicting a winner is hard for this match. So instead, we will look into the possible goal count for this contest and we’re inclined to recommend going for Total Goals 2-3 @ 1.96.
Both sides have talented scorers no doubt, but that realistically won’t prevent either team from conceding on the other end. Regardless of the result, SBOTOP football fans are going to be in for a huge treat.
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The battle for the top four Bundesliga places rages on this weekend with the pick of the action coming in Leipzig, where fourth placed Red Bull welcome TSG Hoffenheim, who currently sit in sixth place and four points behind their hosts.
But while the gap is relatively small the form of the two teams is in much greater contrast as Red Bull have been on a spectacular run of form while Hoffenheim have struggled of late. Leipzig come into the game on the back of a thumping 4-1 win away to Borussia Dortmund in the league, and a 1-1 draw against Atalanta in the Europa League; while Hoffenheim had a setback last week, losing 2-1 at home to Bochum, and that made it back to back defeats for Sebastien Hoeness’s Champions League hopefuls.
Hoffenheim’s loss of form has allowed Red Bull to overtake them and a defeat last week for fifth placed Freiburg opened the door for the Bulls to charge through, and now they’ll be pretty hard to shift from that coveted top four place.
Talking Points
Leipzig the best team in Germany in 2022
Domenico Tedesco has led Leipzig into the top four, clear by three points, for the first time in the season, and the reason why? No team in the league has better Bundesliga2022 results than Die Roten Bullen, they have collected the most points since the turn of the year with eight wins from 11 league fixtures.
Red Bull gave second placed BVB’s title ambitions a serious blow last week as well as underlining their own vast improvement. Konrad Laimer, with two goals and an assist, and Christopher Nkunku, with one goal and two assists, simply ripped the BVB defence apart. Emre Can was given a particularly torrid time by Nkunku’s pace and trickery, as Leipzig counter attacked with devastating effect. While Dortmund took 64 per cent of possession they did very little with the ball as Leipzig registered five shots on target to BVB’s two while the prolific Erling Braut Haaland toiled.
Nkunku, top scorer with 16 goals and 11 assists and ten goal Andre Silva were both substituted in the Europa tie against Atalanta, along with midfield creator Dani Olmo, with this huge clash in mind. All three will feature, alongside Laimer, and that’s an exciting prospect for Red Bull fans in the run up to this big game.
At the start of the campaign the Bundesliga 2022 betting odds backed Leipzig to finish in the top three places, and that looked a long way away when Tedesco took over from Jesse Marsch in November with the club in the bottom half.
A win on Sunday could see Tedesco’s team jump to third place and that is some turnaround.
Hoffenheim’s defence is leaking
Hoffenheim’s scorer Munas Dabbur celebrates his goal to make it 2-0 vs RB Leipzig
Leipzig’s attack made short work of BVB’s defence and they will be licking their lips at the thought of facing Hoffenheim’s back four, who have conceded five goals in two defeats, to bottom half club Bochum and relegation threatened Hertha Berlin. The fact that Bochum had 20 shots against his team will be a concern for Hoeness. His defence was caught out too easily and to concede three goals to 17th place Hertha was a shocker.
To make matters worse, left back David Raum will be missing against Red Bull after he picked up a yellow card in the defeat to Bochum, as well as scoring TSG’s goal. With nine assists he’s the team’s most productive player and he’ll be a big miss in both defence and attack.
Hoffenheim recently held FC Bayern to a 1-1 draw recently and if they can take a point from Red Bull that will be just as big an achievement.
History
Leipzig have had the better of the head to heads, winning six of the 12 encounters with TSG, losing three and drawing three. But Hoffenheim won the return fixture 2-0 as Diadie Samassekou and former Red Bull Salzburg striker Munas Dabbur scored in either half.
Recent form favours the hosts too. Leipzig have four wins and two draws from the last six games, while Hoffenheim have had three wins, two losses and a draw over the same period.
Leipzig are at 1.51 to win, here atSBOTOP, with the draw at 4.36 and TSG at 5.03; and it is difficult to see beyond a home win. The Bulls were 2-0 up at half time against BVB last week and I expect them to come out of the traps quickly when they face TSG on Sunday.
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Bundesliga: Wolfsburg Out to End Decade-Long Winless Drought at Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund vs VfL Wolfsburg
It has been seven long years since Wolfsburg last defeated Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga and almost a decade since their last win at Dortmund.
But BVB have been so inconsistent this season and also have injury concerns at the moment, so Wolfsburg have a decent shot to finally end their long winless drought against Borussia Dortmund this weekend.
However, the Bundesliga 2022 betting odds will still back Dortmund to extend their dominance over the Wolves, who also haven’t been in the best of form this year.
Talking Points
Up-and-down Dortmund dealing with more injuries
Despite being safely in second behind Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund have had another disappointing season. Once again BVB’s league form has been much too inconsistent; they’ve won just three of their last six games, with two draws – away to middling Augsburg and Koln – and a shock 4-1 defeat to Leipzig in their first home game with a full stadium this season.
Dortmund did bounce back with a 2-0 win away at Stuttgart last time out. Julian Brandt came on early after Gio Reyna suffered another injury setback and scored a brace – his first goals since December.
Erling Haaland set up Brandt’s second goal as he looked sharper in just his second game back from a long injury layoff. Haaland has not scored in his last five Bundesliga appearances, with some speculating that his subpar form is due to the continued speculation about his future.
But while Haaland is back healthy, Dortmund have a few injury concerns to deal with. Reyna has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after his latest injury. Meanwhile, midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud and veteran defender Mats Hummels, who also got injured against Stuttgart, are expected to miss out against Wolfsburg.
Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels in action during their Bundesliga game against VfB Stuttgart
Emre Can, who played at right-back against Stuttgart, could move in back to the middle to partner Manuel Akanji at centre-back. Marco Rose could also bring in Dan-Axel Zagadou if he reverts to a back three.
Wolfsburg’s top attacking weapon returning to form
Wolfsburg have taken quite a fall this season. After a fantastic fourth-place finish last term under Oliver Glasner, the Wolves are down in 13th this season. Coach Florian Kohfeldt has been unable to turn things around after taking over from Marc van Bommel in October as the Wolves even flirted with relegation.
The 23-year-old is the team’s leading scorer this season with eight goals despite missing more than three months with an ankle injury. His absence has been a big part of Wolfsburg’s poor Bundesliga 2022 results, especially after selling Wout Weghorst in the winter.
Nmecha is finally returning to top form after the international break and will look to provide Wolfsburg with another attacking threat besides veteran Max Kruse.
However, the Wolfsburg defence that was so key to their success last season has slipped significantly. They have already conceded 45 goals in 29 games, eight more than the entirety of last season.
The Wolves have also had massive struggles away from home. They have won just one of their last 10 away matches in all competitions, with seven defeats. Their lone win came against former coach Glasner’s Eintracht Frankfurt in February.
History
Recent history will be heavily against Wolfsburg in this matchup. Dortmund are unbeaten in their last 13 league meetings against the Wolves, with 12 wins.
Dortmund beat Wolfsburg 3-1 in their first meeting this season, extending their current win streak over the Wolves to seven games. Wolfsburg took a shock lead after an early Weghorst goal, but Dortmund rallied with three unanswered goals from Emre Can (from the penalty spot), Donyell Malen, and Haaland.
Coincidentally, Weghorst’s goal snapped Wolfsburg’s incredible run of nine games without a goal against BVB.
Wolfsburg’s last win over Dortmund away from home came back in 2012.
SBOTOP odds have Borussia Dortmund priced as big 1.49 favourites to continue their home dominance over Wolfsburg, who have 6.20 odds to get the win. Meanwhile, a draw is 4.30.
After getting humiliated by RB Leipzig in their first game with a full house at Signal Iduna Park, Borussia Dortmund will be keen to put on a much better performance in front of their home fans.
Luckily for them, Wolfsburg seem to be the perfect opportunity for them to get such a performance. The overwhelming historical dominance aside, Haaland’s presence should push BVB to another big win over the Wolves.
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Bundesliga: Easter-egg-citement Beckons at BayArena
Bayer Leverkusen vs RB Leipzig
From one SBOTOP football fan to another, I can think of few better ways to spend Easter night than taking in this Bundesliga clash between two of 2022’s most in-form sides.
Third against fourth and two teams with high hopes of competing in next season’s Champions League.
Bundesliga highlights could well await at the BayArena.
Talking Points
Nkunku has been impressive for Leipzig and had a direct hand in two of three efforts against Hoffenheim last Sunday to take his personal tally to 17 goals and 12 assists.
He is third in the scoring charts (17) and second for assists (12) with only the prolific Robert Lewandowski (33) having a direct hand in more goals across Germany’s top flight.
And if confidence is everything in football, then Nkunku could be unstoppable at the moment after he hit another double in Europe on Thursday night to help the Red Bulls see off Atalanta in the Europa League.
RB Leipzig manager Domenico Tedesco shouts instructions to his squad during their Europa League quarter-final match against Atalanta
Meanwhile, in the home corner is Schick who is second only to Lewandowski in the scoring charts and is averaging a league goal every 84 minutes this season.
The Czech’s 20 Bundesliga goals have helped keep Leverkusen in the top-four mix for the majority of the campaign. Although the striker hasn’t scored since picking up an injury in defeat to Mainz on Matchday 23, he managed 77 minutes of the goalless draw at Bochum last time out and should start once again.
On the team news front, centre back Jonathan Tah is a doubt for the hosts so Mitchel Bakker, his 30th-minute replacement in Bochum, should start with Piero Hincapie moving inside.
For Leipzig, left-back Angelino was among the players rested by head coach Domenico Tedesco immediately after the Europa League first leg, but it’s fair to assume rotation will be kept to a minimum in Leverkusen.
It has been a stunning few months for Leipzig, who have also scored more goals (34) and conceded fewer times (nine) than any other team in the top flight from January to April so far.
The stunning turnaround has unfolded since Tedesco took the reins from Jesse Marsch and their 29 points – from nine wins, two draws and one defeat – in 2022 are three more than leaders Bayern and Borussia Dortmund in the calendar-year table respectively.
Not that it’s been a shabby period for Leverkusen either, who boast the fourth best return in the league with 24 points and have four victories out of six at the BayArena in 2022.
This is certainly no longer the mid-table clash it was dubbed earlier in the season so, Easter night, whatever way you look at it, should be a fascinating one as two of the best and most exciting sides in Germany set about laying claim to third place.
Leverkusen have won just two of their 11 Bundesliga meetings with Leipzig (18 per cent) but did manage a 3-1 victory earlier in the season when Florian Wirtz, Moussa Diaby and Jeremie Frimpong were on target. André Silva replied for the home side.
The corresponding fixture last season finished 1-1 when Emil Forsberg fired Leipzig in front before Kerem Demirbay replied six minutes later.
Overall, Leipzig have won five and there have been four draws in their meetings, all of which have come in the last eight years.
Leverkusen have never beaten Leipzig on their own turf.
The very first meeting in 2016 saw Kevin Kampl give them a first minute lead which was swiftly followed by an own goal three minutes later.
Julian Brandt fired them back in front on the stroke of half-time but second half goals from Forsberg and Willi Orban secured a 3-2 Leipzig success.
Leipzig have the edge with our Bundesliga betting odds both 1X2 @ 2.29 and Asian Handicap -0.50, also @ 2.29, amongst the most attractive options.
You can back Leverkusen with some enticing offers too, including 1X2 @ 3.00 and Asian Handicap 0.00 @ 2.25.
If Leverkusen are going to secure a first ever home win against their opponents, then how about another 3-1 triumph, available with Correct Score @ 25.00, while a repeat of last season’s fixture – 1-1 – will pay out @ 6.20.
Certainly, this is not expected to be a low scoring encounter given the odds of total goal 0-1 @ 4.50.
I do expect it to be close, though, which is why my *** prediction is 1X2 Draw @ 3.35.
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Bundesliga: Bayern Getting to Work on Summer 2022 Deals
The 2021-2022 Bundesliga season is winding down, with Bayern Munich now one win away from clinching their 10th consecutive championship.
Bayern and top rivals Borussia Dortmund already have their sights set on next season as both clubs are now busy trying to seal various deals ahead of the summer.
The fates of superstar strikers Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland are very much on top of those clubs’ to-do lists, while Bayern have several other stars to lock up.
Read on below as SBOTO provides a full rundown of the latest Bundesliga 2022 news and updates.
Bayern still hoping to lock up Robert Lewandowski long term
Bayern Munich are cruising to their 10th championship in a row, in large part due to Robert Lewandowski’s brilliance. The Polish superstar has scored 32 goals thus far and is set to win his fifth Torjägerkanone in a row as the league’s top scorer.
However, there has been some speculation regarding his future in Bavaria, with Barcelona emerging as a potential destination.
But Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn has assured Bayern fans that the club has been in contact with Lewandowski, and they are keen to keep the Pole in Bavaria.
“As of today, Robert has a contract with us. We’re currently in contact with him and we want him to stay at Bayern for as long as possible,” said Kahn.
“Of course, players like that sometimes think about trying something else and it takes time to convince them. There are also financial aspects to consider, and as a club you have to think about how to manage that because FC Bayern have suffered from the pandemic in the last two years.”
Oliver Kahn rules out Erling Haaland to Bayern
Kahn was also asked about the chances of Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland coming to Bayern, possibly as a Lewandowski replacement.
While Kahn acknowledged Bayern would consider Haaland, he admits that the financial implications make the move highly unlikely.
“Haaland? I don’t think we would be doing our job properly if we didn’t consider such a young striker,” Kahn said. “He’s an excellent striker and a very interesting player for the future. But financial dimensions are beyond our imagination”.
Aside from Lewandowski, Bayern Munich are also working on new deals for the German trio of Thomas Muller, Serge Gnabry, and captain Manuel Neuer.
Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller celebrates with fans following their 0-3 Bundesliga win over Arminia Bielefeld
Top football insider Fabrizio Romano is reporting that the agreement on Muller’s contract extension is just a “matter of time.”
Bayern president Herbert Hainer also commented that the Muller and Neuer contract talks are in an “advanced stage”.
Although, the Gnabry contract talks are still ongoing and an agreement is not quite imminent.
The 32-year-old Muller is having another terrific season for Bayern with seven goals and a league-leading 16 assists. Gnabry has also been a great contributor for the German champions with 12 goals and five assists.
Bayern closing in on deals for Ajax duo
Romano has also reported that Bayern are in the final stages of negotiations for the Ajax duo of full-back Noussair Mazraoui and midfielder Ryan Gravenberch and expects the two to join the German champions eventually.
The 19-year-old Gravenberch is one of the top midfield prospects in Europe and has been an integral part in Ajax’s success over the last two seasons. He will add some much-needed depth for Bayern at central midfield, which was exposed as a weakness amid Leon Goretzka’s lengthy injury layoff.
Meanwhile, the 24-year-old Mazraoui is set to provide some competition for Benjamin Pavard at right-back. Bouna Sarr has not impressed in his limited opportunities to play at Bayern since his arrival in 2020.
The Bundesliga 2022 odds once again had Borussia Dortmund as the closest challengers to Bayern. But they are a distant second to Bayern and have a lot of work to do in order to close the gap. But BVB are already lining up their top targets for this summer’s transfer window.
With the deal for Bayern defender Niklas Sule already sealed and Red Bull Salzburg’s Karim Adeyemi being eyed as Erling Haaland’s replacement, Dortmund are also keen on deals for two midfielders in Wolfsburg’s Xaver Schlager and RB Leipzig’s Konrad Laimer.
The 24-year-old Laimer has had a strong season at Leipzig with four goals and four assists in the Bundesliga. That includes a fantastic performance against Dortmund where he had two goals and an assist.
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Bundesliga: Will the Red Bulls See Off Die Eisernen Again?
RB Leipzig vs Union Berlin
RB Leipzig and Union Berlin meet for the second time in three days as these two protagonists will duel for more Bundesliga points on Saturday night at the Red Bull Arena.
These German top-flight sides are fighting for spots In Europe and both are well on their way, albeit in different leagues, as third-placed RB Leipzig are likely to make it back to the Champions League while sixth-placed Union Berlin hold a Europa Conference League spot as of this writing.
If their DFB-Pokal semi-final match yesterday provides any indication, it is that football fans are in for a huge treat since we’ll be seeing numerous Bundesliga 2022 highlights from both of them.
The pre-match SBOTOP betting odds were once in favour of Union Berlin since they’ve had RB Leipzig’s number. But given last night’s result, the gap between the two sides has been narrowed down.
Talking Points
More warm bodies available for RB Leipzig
Domenico Tedesco has done a superb job of guiding his squad despite their congested schedule. Other than the Bundesliga, RB Leipzig have other commitments since they’ve made deep runs both in the DFB-Pokal and Europa League.
With matches coming in thick and fast, naturally they’ve had their share of injuries, but they’ve been successful in navigating through their fixtures – making them arguably the best team in Germany so far in 2022.
There’s more good news to come as Tedesco now has a fitter group to choose from for this upcoming match.
Emil Forsberg and Marcel Halstenber celebrate RB Leipzig’s second goal during their DFB-Pokal semi-final clash against Union Berlin
Fifth-leading scorer Yussuf Poulsen was in action against Union Berlin yesterday after suffering an injury against Bayer Leverkusen last week, and he’ll bolster their attacking firepower alongside Christopher Nkunku, Andre Silva, Emil Forsberg, and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Meanwhile, Kevin Kampl and Lukas Klostermann are both listed as probable. Kampl was on the bench against Union Berlin, while Klostermann – who is one of the team’s best defenders – is on the mend after being a close contact to a COVID-positive person.
Amadou Haidara is the club’s only long-term absentee due to an MCL injury, although he could make a return before the summer break.
Union Berlin pushing for a European spot
Union Berlin got a taste of what European football is like and they’re keen on returning for next season after falling short in the group stage of the Europa Conference League – finishing at third in Group E behind Slavia Praha and Feyenoord.
But given their current trajectory and form, perhaps they wouldn’t mind going even higher – possibly to either competing in the Europa League or Champions League.
Urs Fischer’s men missed their only chance on getting silverware this season after squandering their lead against RB Leipzig yesterday, and they’re seeking redemption for their stinging loss.
Die Eisernen are to be led once more by the trio of Taiwo Awoniyi, Grischa Promel, and Sheraldo Becker. Awoniyi is their top scorer with 15 goals, while Promel has six goals and one assist. Becker – who scored their only goal yesterday at Leipzig – has three goals and six assists.
Prior to yesterday, though, RB Leipzig have lost back-to-back against Union Berlin (both 2-1) after winning three consecutive meetings against the latter since 2019.
The Red Bulls are undefeated in league games at home against Union Berlin (2 in the Bundesliga and 2 in the second-tier). Should they win on Saturday, they’ll match their longest unbeaten home run against any other German side (5 straight against Werder Bremen).
In terms of recent form, both sides are on a three-game winning streak here in the Bundesliga while conceding only one goal apiece. Union Berlin have never won four straight in German top-flight, while RB Leipzig did this last year.
RB Leipzig are favoured to win again by the Bundesliga 2022 odds. They are installed at 1.51, while Union Berlin’s winning price of 6.60 is a substantial drop off in our opinion and a draw is at 3.90 in the 1X2 market.
Total Goal 2-3 @ 1.91 is also worth considering as both sides are capable of scoring and since there haven’t been any clean sheets in their encounters lately.
Overall, we expect another riveting affair on Saturday. With momentum on their side along with their collective experience compared to their visitors, we’re backing the Red Bulls to claim the victory.
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All eyes will be on Der Klassiker this weekend as the first of the big European titles could be settled when FC Bayern welcome Borussia Dortmund to the Allianz Arena in Munich.
At SBOTOP odds of 1.35, Die Bayern are red-hot favourites to beat Borussia and even a draw would allow them to effectively plant both hands on the Bundesliga 2022 title.
Julian Nagelsmann’s champions-elect have a nine-point lead and with three games to play after this clash, they also hold an unassailable goal difference advantage of 27 goals.
Both teams come into the match on the back of a big win, Bayern taking a 3-0 victory away from Arminia Bielefeld while Die Schwarzgelben hammered struggling Wolfsburg 6-1 at the Signal Iduna Park.
Marco Rose doesn’t need to tell his Dortmund players that anything less than a victory and their wait for a first title since 2013 goes on. The Bundesliga 2022 betting odds say the chance has already disappeared and a 10th consecutive title awaits Die Bayern, but until it is mathematically confirmed, the Dortmunders will carry the fight.
Talking Points
Lewandowski vs Haaland
Bayern’s shock exit in the Champions League left Nagelsmann’s men with a sense of loss, but it is likely to power them on to another league title. Once again, it is the goals of Robert Lewandowski which have hit the headlines week after week. He will win yet another Golden Boot with 32 goals already and, with four games to play, he hasn’t yet ruled out reaching the 40 mark again.
Lewandowski is the complete striker, scoring goals with both feet, his head, and from distance or poaching at point-blank range. And no defence in club football has worked out how to stop him. He has a constant supply of chances from his old buddy Thomas Muller, who has made 17 assists and Joshua Kimmich, who has made ten.
Bayern fans would be delighted if the club could agree a new deal with the lethal Pole though, at 34 years of age, he may be tempted by a move to Barcelona.
BVB’s 6-1 destruction of Wolfsburg saw Erling Braut Haaland score his 18th goal of the campaign, and he too has been the subject of frenzied transfer speculation, with a summer move to Manchester City seeming to gain traction.
The 21-year-old has been beset by injury this term but has still managed to bag 18 goals from 20 games and, in Dortmund and previously with Red Bull Salzburg, he has been prolific.
At 6ft 4in he is more of a physical presence than Lewandowski but is equally skilful on the ground, though Bayern’s man has the edge in terms of consistency…he never misses!
Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus in action during a Bundesliga match against VfB Stuttgart at Mercedes-Benz Arena
Skipper Marco Reus is Haaland’s best provider and support with nine goals and nine assists, while young England star Jude Bellingham has impressed again with seven assists.
Battle for possession
Of course it’s the attacks of Bayern and BVB which grab the headlines, as top scorers in the league with 89 and 76 goals respectively. But they both build their play on a philosophy of possession and passing. They keep the ball more than any other team in the league, Bayern averaging 61 per cent possession while Dortmund have averaged 57 per cent.
With centre-back Mats Hummels and full-back Thomas Meunier also sidelined BVB will be keen to protect their defence. Julian Brandt will play a big role while, for Bayern, centre-back Dayot Upamecano is one of the best ball-winners in the business.
And keep an eye out for BVB’s latest wunderkind. At 17 years of age and a towering 6ft 4in, Tom Rothe was on target against Wolfsburg and he could play a part in German football’s biggest game.
History
With 42 victories to 19 in all competitions since 1992, the Bavarians have had much the better of the head to head encounters and have, in fact, won the last six meetings, five of which were in Dortmund.
The last time the two teams met, at the Signal Iduna Park, Lewandowski scored twice in a 3-2 win for Bayern, while Haaland scored one for BVB.
While Bayern have a nine-point advantage the two teams’ Bundesliga 2022 results have been identical since the turn of the year, both picking up 29 points from 13 league games, each with nine wins, two draws and two defeats.
With the draw at 5.41 and BVB at 6.18 to win, the run of Bayern Klassiker wins looks unlikely to end on Saturday, and the spread looks to be around 1.50 goals with Bayern at 1.96 -1.50 and BVB at 1.93 +1.50.
This should be Bayern’s big day… and I’m backing another goalfest!
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He’s one of Europe’s hottest properties and the rumours that Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Braut Haaland is on his way to Manchester City are gathering furious pace.
On Saturday it was reported in the English press that City boss Pep Guardiola and the Manchester club’s owners had reportedly agreed personal terms with Haaland and, if and when the deal is confirmed, it will be the biggest Bundesliga 2022 news we’ve seen. Die Scwharzgelben are in second place in the Bundesliga table behind champions FC Bayern and they would have pushed the Bavarians harder had their 21 year old star striker been fit throughout the campaign. And while Die Schwarzgelben look likely to take another second place they have another issue to resolve; the future of their Norwegian phenomenon.
And now it looks like they’ll have to settle for losing him too.
Manchester City are in an almighty tussle for the league title with Liverpool, and thePremier League 2022 betting odds here at SBOTOP have backed the Sky Blues all along; but the lack of a 25 goal a season striker hasn’t made their task any easier and they have already watched the Reds pick up the Carabao Cup before falling to Jurgen Klopp’s men in the FA Cup semi-final. Last summer it seemed like the transfer of England captain Harry Kane from Spurs to City was all but confirmed, but the Tottenham board held firm and refused to sell their prize asset so Guardiola went with what he had.
Man City want to sign Erling Haaland this summer after missing out on Harry Kane last year
But he won’t take that risk again.
After losing the FA Cup semi-final the Sky Blues have got back on track with wins over Brighton and Hove Albion and Watford, so they are still in pole position to win a fourth Premier League title in five years and are in the Champions League semi-final. But as Liverpool keep improving then the Sky Blues must do so too, if they are to maintain their advantage.
As and when the deal for Haaland goes through it will be the biggest transfer of the summer, alongside the potential move of Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid; and it is reported that the striker could become the Premier League’s highest paid player at a salary of over £500,000 a week.
The signing of Haaland could make the Sky Blues invincible, if he is added to the embarrassment of riches already at the Etihad, and it would send shock waves through the market. Kane may have to stay at Spurs, though the arrival of Erik Ten Hag through the doors of Old Trafford might generate some transfer activity and the England man could solve a problem in attack for the Red Devils.
Following in his father’s footsteps
Erling’s dad, Alfe Inge Haaland played in the Premier League with both Manchester City and Leeds United, making 181 appearances in the top flight as a combative defensive midfielder. Haaland senior had a long running feud with Manchester United hard man Roy Keane, culminating with a horror tackle by the Irishman when the two met in a 2001 Manchester Derby. Haaland had only recently joined the Sky Blues for a fee of £2.5m, around three percent of the price City will have to pay to meet his son’s release clause at Borussia Dortmund.
Haaland junior has suffered his fair share of injuries this season, sidelined with a hamstring strain in the early months of the campaign and then suffering a hip injury which kept him out for two months. He returned to action late in November, scoring his 50th league goal in the Bundesliga in a 3-1 win over Wolfsburg, at that gave him the record of being the youngest player ever to reach that benchmark in the German league.
Despite his injuries Haaland is still the league’s third top scorer, netting 18 goals from 21 appearances and, with 15 goals in 17 games for Norway, he is surely set to become a legend at both club and country level. He’s now scored 82 goals from 85 games for BVB in all competitions, and 23 goals in 19 Champions League appearances, and that will be very attractive to Guardiola who is determined to dominate Europe with the Etihad club.
The move makes a lot of sense for the Sky Blues off the pitch as well as on it. As well as filling the hole left by City’s long time goal scorer Sergio Aguero it would be a smart commercial move, as Haaland and Mbappe are the two most marketable assets in world football.
The move would be Borussia’s loss and City’s gain; and it seems the Dortmund club has little chance to stop the deal.
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FC Bayern are the 2022 Bundesliga champions for a record tenth time in succession after beating their closest rivals, Borussia Dortmund, 3-1, in front of a frenzied 75,000 crowd at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
A chance of winning the league title in Der Klassiker was too good to pass up for Die Bayern and it was a convincing win in the end, as first half goals from Serge Gnabry and Robert Lewandowski put the Bavarians firmly in charge. BVB’s Emre Can halved the lead from the penalty spot, early in the second half, but Jamal Musiala removed all doubt when he restored the two goal lead on 83 minutes. The pick of the goals was Gnabry’s as he took a touch on the edge of the penalty area before releasing an unstoppable volley which left Dortmund keeper Marwin Hitz rooted to the spot.
The old and trusted combination of Thomas Muller and Lewandowski doubled the lead when Muller fed the Pole who slid the ball through the legs of Hitz for his 33rd goal of the campaign as Muller became the first player to win 11 German league titles.
The Bundesliga 2022 betting oddshave backed the Bavarians from the very start of the campaign and they confirmed a decade of dominance, much to the continued frustration of Die Schwarzgelben who were the last team to deprive Bayern of the title back in 2013. Bayern have now won a record 31 Bundesliga titles since the league’s inception in 1963.
This weekend’s Bundesliga 2022 headlines were always going to be written in Munich, but there was more drama and action on Saturday at both ends of the table.
Goodbye Greuther
Patrik Schick scored his 21st goal of the campaign in Bayer Leverkusen’s 4-1 win over Greuther Furth
As the curtain falls on a tough season in the top flight Greuther Furth say goodbye to Bundesliga One after relegation was confirmed following a 4-1 defeat at home to high flying Bayer Leverkusen. Greuther have been at the bottom of the league table for much of the campaign and that is where they’ll finish as they sit nine points behind Arminia Bielefeld with three games to play. There was brief hope for the strugglers when Dutch wingback Jetro Willems gave them a fifth minute lead and Greuther’s passionate fans raised the roof. But their joy was short lived when Patrick Schick levelled just four minutes later, and goals from Sardar Azmoun, Paulinho and Exequiel Palacios made it a thumping win for Die Werkself who climbed to third in the table and now have a great chance of a top four finish. Schick is the second top scorer in the league, with 21 goals, and he should finish as runner up to Lewandowski in the chase for the Golden Boot, with Erling Braut Haaland three behind on 18.
Stefan Leitl’s Greuther were promoted in second place from Bundesliga Two last summer and they will be hopeful of a return in 12 months time, but they never recovered from a slow start this time around, losing 13 of the first 14 league games.
Greuther will be joined by one or two of Bielefeld, Stuttgart, Hertha Berlin and FC Augsburg as the second relegation spot and the play-off place are still to be filled.
Leipzig’s home fixture against Union Berlin was one of the SBOTOP matches of the week and it didn’t disappoint as Union Berlin came from behind to beat Red Bull 2-1, reversing the score from the German Cup semi final last Wednesday when the Bulls ran out 2-1 winners. It seemed like the hosts were on the way to another valuable three points in their quest to confirm Champions League football for 2022/23, when Yussuf Poulsen gave them the lead a minute after half time. And it stayed that way until Berlin launched a stunning fight back in the last five minutes. Substitute Sven Michel was the hero as he levelled on 86 minutes before setting up the 89th minute winner for Kevin Behrens with a cheeky back heel assist.
It was a bitter pull for Die Roten Bullen to swallow as it ended a 15 match unbeaten run in all competitions and they were forced to swap places with Leverkusen and drop to fourth in the last Champions League qualification place.
Luckily for Leipzig SC Freiburg were held at home in a 3-3 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach and so they are still two points behind in fifth place. Freiburg so nearly won all three points after coming back from two goals down to lead 3-2, but Lars Stindl’s injury time leveller halted SC’s top four charge.
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Mainz’s run for a Top 10 spot continues at home this weekend when they’ll host Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich at the Mewa Arena.
The 05ers are currently at 10th with 39 points, but with Borussia Monchengladbach, VfL Wolfsburg, and VfL Bochum right behind them, they must regain their form and put up a fight against the mighty Bavarians.
Bayern Munich just clinched their 10th successive domestic title following their victory against arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund. But since they’ve ticked off one of their main objectives and because they’re already out of the Champions League, they might not be in the mood to play in this no-bearing game.
Talking Points
Mainz on a major slide
Mainz have fallen off considerably after a great start to their campaign following Bo Svensson’s appointment. At one point, the 05ers were in the Top 5 and contending for a European berth, but their hopes were dashed following a poor run of Bundesliga 2022 results.
April hasn’t been kind to them as they’re winless in their last five games. During the said stretch, Bo Svensson’s side were outscored 11-4.
Their most recent loss against VfL Wolfsburg was their worst one yet as they’ve conceded five first-half goals for the second time in their Bundesliga history. The last time that this happened was when RB Leipzig demolished them with a scoreline of 8-0 back in November 2019.
Heading into this match, Mainz have nothing to lose at this point and they have the quality players who can give Julian Nagelsmann and co. problems.
The combo of Jonathan Burkardt and Karim Onisiwo are likely to lead their frontline once more. Burkardt is their top scorer with 10 goals and three assists, while Onisiwo has five goals and seven assists.
Marcus Ingvartsen is another player to look out for this weekend since he’ll assume a bigger responsibility with third-leading scorer Lee Jae-Sung set for a spell in the sidelines due to a knee ligament injury. The Danish forward has four goals so far.
Bayern Munich look ahead for the summer
From the freshly-minted championship t-shirts to the free flowing German beer – the Allianz Arena last Sunday had the hallmarks of a title celebration. After all, it’s unheard of to see a club win the league title for 10 consecutive seasons.
And now that their main job is done, Bayern Munich can look ahead for the summer where they’ll face some uncertainty – particularly about Robert Lewandowski’s current contract that will expire in 2023.
Bayern Munich superstar Robert Lewandowski celebrates after scoring a goal during Bundesliga match against Borussia Dortmund
The Polish striker has made it clear that he wants a new long-term deal signed with the club now, rather than thinking about moving elsewhere if that doesn’t happen.
He’ll look to prove himself worthy of such deal in these next few games, starting against Mainz, although it’s no longer necessary. The same can be said for Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, and Serge Gnabry – whose contracts also expire next summer.
Leroy Sane, Niklas Sule, Jamal Musiala, and Marcel Sabitzer are also the names to watch for in the away team as all of them will contend for their spots in the starting lineup after coming off the bench last game.
History
Bayern Munich have won eight of their last nine Bundesliga matches against Mainz and they have a solid win percentage away from home against them (73-per cent, 11 of 15 won).
The defending champions have also won five Bundesliga games in a row – pushing their tally to 24 total league wins this term.
Mainz have always scored the first goal in their last three encounters against Bayern Munich, which is not done by any other team among the current German top-flight sides.
However, the 05ers have only won once in those three instances (W1, L2), and the said victory was in April 2021 at home via a 2-1 scoreline where goals from Jonathan Burkardt and Robin Quaison were enough to counter Robert Lewandowski’s added time goal.
Their reverse fixture was in December 2021 where Bayern Munich came out 2-1 winners too as Kingsley Coman and Jamal Musiala gave the Bavarian giants the advantage for good following Karim Onisiwo’s 22nd-minute goal.
Bayern Munich are undoubtedly the favourites to win here as per the SBOTOP Bundesliga 2022 odds. They are priced at 1.52, while Mainz are installed at 5.20 and a draw is at 4.50 in the 1×2 market.
Since there’s not much incentive to go all out for this game, we expect Julian Nagelsmann to bring in several youth players or seldom-used players to play, and it would still be too much for Mainz to overcome.
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Bundesliga: Bayern Blasted for Ibiza ‘Team-Building’ Trip
Bayern Munich are not making too many fans lately, and it’s not because they continued their dominance of Bundesliga by claiming their 10th straight title.
In fact, Bayern lost their first match after clinching the championship as they were thumped 3-1 by Mainz. They went to a ‘team-building’ trip to Ibiza just hours later.
The whole situation has not pleased club legend Lothar Matthaus, as well as a former title-winning Bayern coach, who have publicly criticised the newly crowned champions.
Meanwhile, the Robert Lewandowski situation continues to rumble on, with Barcelona’s director responding to rumours of a meeting with Lewy’s agent.
And in non-Bayern Bundesliga 2022 news, Borussia Dortmund just landed one of the most promising young defenders in the country as they look to mount a legitimate challenge to Bayern’s dominance next season.
Read on as SBOTOP rounds up all the latest bits of news surrounding the Bundesliga.
Bayern blasted for party trip after Mainz loss
Bayern Munich are in hot water with a club legend after they suffered a shock 3-1 defeat to Mainz in their first game since clinching their 10th consecutive Bundesliga championship.
Despite their disappointing performance, Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann still allowed his players to take Sunday and Monday off for what the club called a “team building measure,” and most of the team went off to the Spanish party island of Ibiza.
That decision did not sit well with former Bayern great Lothar Matthaus, who ripped Nagelsmann on German TV for not being “tougher” and not cancelling the trip.
“It’s not on at all, especially after such a game,” Matthaus told Sky TV. “If I were Julian Nagelsmann, I would have taken tougher action — the days off would have been scrapped after such a game.”
Aside from Matthaus, former Bayern coach Felix Magath, who led Bayern to back-to-back league titles in 2004-05 and 2005-06, also took exception to the trip.
“I would not have allowed a trip like that,” he said. “I don’t know how a team can say: ‘For us the season doesn’t go to the end, we finish three weeks early.’”
Magath, who is currently in charge of struggling Hertha Berlin, had also ripped Bayern’s lack of motivation in their loss to Mainz.
Barcelona chief responds to Lewandowski rumours
Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring their first goal
There’s more drama for Bayern off the pitch as the Robert Lewandowski saga rolls on. Barcelona director Mateu Alemany recently denied reports that the club has been in touch with Lewandowski’s agent over a potential transfer in the summer.
“There was no meeting with Lewandowski’s agent. Also, I don’t like to speak about the negotiations process – it’s something private.
“We don’t like to discuss players who are under contract with other clubs”.
Lewandowski is having another outstanding season with 49 goals to help Bayern to their 10th straight title. He has been linked with a move away from the Bavarian giants, and Barca reportedly have a keen interest to land him on a three-year deal.
The 22-year-old has been instrumental to Freiburg’s success this season as they’ve defied the Bundesliga 2022 odds and are currently in fourth and final Champions League spot. His fine form has also seen him called up to the German national team.
Schlotterbeck is set to form a new-look Dortmund backline that will also feature Niklas Sule, who has already joined BVB on a free transfer from Bayern Munich.
“Nico is a young Germany international who’s had great development. His profile is perfect for BVB,” said outgoing sporting director Michael Zorc.
In related news, top football insider Fabrizio Romano reports that former Dortmund defender Matthias Ginter is set to replace Schlotterbeck at Freiburg. The 28-year-old Ginter will join Freiburg on a free transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach.
Romano also adds that with the Schlotterbeck deal done, Red Bull Salzburg striker Karim Adeyemi will be BVB’s next priority signing this summer.
And in on-the-pitch news, the Bundesliga’s two Europa League semi-finalists – Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig – both lost in the league ahead of their big European second legs in midweek.
Frankfurt lost 2-0 away to Bayer Leverkusen, who went three points clear in third place. Meanwhile, Leipzig lost 3-1 away to Borussia Monchengladbach. It was the Red Bulls’ second defeat in a row as they dropped to fifth in the table, one point behind Freiburg. Frankfurt will host West Ham in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final after winning the first leg in London 2-1. As for Leipzig, they will have a narrow 1-0 lead to protect after beating Rangers at home.
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From the start the Bavarians set the pace and, although neutrals were willing on Dortmund to make a challenge, it rarely looked like materialising.
Of course, that is not a criticism of a club which has seen Bayern pick off its best players for almost a decade now and the gap is clear.
In fact, it will probably increase next season with Dortmund’s hottest property, Erling Braut Haaland, reportedly closing in on a move to Manchester City.
The 21-year-old starlet has hit 21 league goals in 22 top-flight matches this season and, if he departs, it will only increase the gap to a team who would need an almighty collapse not to begin next term as title favourites with the SBOTOP Bundesliga betting odds.
A word also for Thomas Muller, who became the first player to win 11 Bundesliga titles.
In all, Bayern have won their previous five championships by a combined 64 points and this latest success underlines a gulf in class their challengers must somehow find a way to close.
Domestically, Bayern remain untouchable, although they are still unable to replicate the success they enjoyed in winning Europe’s elite club competition in 2020.
With the title wrapped up in good time and Dortmund comfortably in second place, the race for the two remaining Champions League spots has heated up and three goals in the final 17 minutes on Saturday secured a berth for Bayer Leverkusen – surprise finalists in 2002.
They trailed Hoffenheim 2-1 before two goals in four minutes from Moussa Diaby and Patrik Schick turned the contest on its head
However, avoid defeat against Augsburg n Sunday and they will be back in the top four with one match remaining.
Cologne’s chances are over, however, after a 1-0 reverse at home to Wolfsburg, earned by Yannick Gerhardt’s close-range finish a minute before the break.
All is not lost though as Cologne’s place in Europe next season has been confirmed after their Rhine rivals Leverkusen defeated Hoffenheim to ensure the Billy Goats are certain to finish inside the top seven.
Patrik Schick celebrates after scoring Bayer Leverkusen’s second goal against Eintracht Frankfurt during their recent Bundesliga game
It’s potentially just as close at the bottom.
An 89th-minute own goal pushed Arminia Bielefeld closer to the trapdoor on Friday night as they went down 2-1 at Bochum.
That sealed second-from-bottom Bielefeld’s 10th consecutive game without a victory – eight of those defeats – to leave the team relying on a favour from Bayern Munich against Stuttgart to have any chance of survival going into the final weekend.
A Stuttgart win in Munich would confirm Bielefeld’s eighth relegation from the top tier, joining already relegated Greuther Fürth in the second division.
The unfortunate George Bello could do little to avoid scoring the decisive goal after Stefan Moreno saved Simon Zoller’s shot before the rebound came off the American defender’s left leg and over the line.
The final word of the day – and another congratulations – goes to Schalke who will be back in the top flight next season after a one-year absence.
Their relegation from the Bundesliga last term was a painful moment for the fiercely loyal fans of a club that developed the likes of World Cup winners Manuel Neuer, Mesut Özil and Julian Draxler, flying winger Leroy Sane and midfielder Leon Goretzka.
This is a very different side now to the one which went down with 13 of the top 18 appearance-makers for Schalke in Bundesliga 2 this term enjoying a maiden season at the club.
They came from behind against fellow promotion chasers St. Pauli as a Simon Terodde double and a further strike from Rodrigo Zalazar sending Die Knappen up with a 3-2 success.
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Freiburg’s hopes of finishing fourth in the Bundesliga – and qualifying for the Champions League – are no longer in their own hands.
After their big loss last weekend, they are two points behind RB Leipzig heading into the final round of Bundesliga matches.
Freiburg must now beat Bayer Leverkusen, who have already secured third, away from home and hope Leipzig lose their last match away to second-from-bottom Arminia Bielefeld to finish in fourth.
The Bundesliga 2022 betting odds for this top-five clash are quite close. Can Freiburg hold up their end of the bargain in their chase for Champions League football?
Talking Points
Leverkusen ending season strong
Bayer Leverkusen are ending a successful Bundesliga season on a high note. They have won three games in a row and have already wrapped up their first third-place finish in the league in six years.
Patrik Schick has been a massive reason for Leverkusen’s success this season. The Czech striker carried his fine form from Euro 2020 into this campaign, where he has scored an impressive 24 goals – second only to Robert Lewandowski in the goal charts.
Bayer Leverkusen star Patrik Schick celebrates after scoring a goal during a Bundesliga match against Eintracht Frankfurt
Schick has scored four goals during Leverkusen’s three-game win streak, while Moussa Diaby has added a goal and three assists.
Like his former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Christopher Nkunku, Diaby has enjoyed a breakout campaign with plenty of Bundesliga 2022 highlights this year. The 22-year-old has 13 goals and 12 assists, the only player aside from Nkunku with double-digit goals and assists in the Bundesliga.
Leverkusen lost teenage wunderkind Florian Wirtz to a knee injury back in March, but another young star in Paulinho has emerged during Wirtz’s absence. The young Brazilian has scored four goals in his last seven games and will add another threat beyond Schick and Diaby.
Apart from Wirtz, Leverkusen are also without Karim Bellarabi, Jeremie Frimpong, and Amine Adli for the remainder of the season, which has limited coach Gerardo Seaone’s options.
But the Argentine duo of Exequiel Palacios (a goal and an assist in his last two games) and Lucas Alario, who scored against Hoffenheim, are capable weapons off the bench.
Freiburg games suddenly full of goals
Freiburg have had a fantastic 2021-22 season. They have been in the top five in the Bundesliga for most of the season and are in the final of the DFB Pokal for the first time ever. But they face the possibility of falling just short of making the Champions League for the first time in their history.
Christian Streich’s side had been one of the best defensive units this season, but they have slipped significantly in recent weeks. They have now conceded three or more goals in three consecutive games after doing so just twice all season (against Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich).
Although, Freiburg had also transformed into a more free-scoring team as they’d scored three or more goals in four straight games prior to their defeat to Union.
Roland Sallai is having a strong end to the season with three goals and two assists in his last six games in all competitions. Striker Lucas Holer has also been in fine form as he’s bagged two goals in his last two games.
Freiburg remain a formidable side away from home; they are unbeaten in their last five games outside the Europa-Park Stadium, with three wins and two draws.
Leverkusen have had the upper hand against Freiburg in recent years with an 11-5 edge in wins and seven draws.
However, Freiburg have won each of their last two meetings 2-1. They won this fixture last season thanks to goals from Ermedin Demirovic and Lucas Holer. And they did it again in their first meeting at home as Kevin Schade scored the winner six minutes from time.
SBOTOP odds have Leverkusen installed as very slight 2.36 favourites to end their season with a home win. Freiburg are pegged at 2.57, while a draw is 3.90.
Although Leverkusen don’t have much left to play for, they will nevertheless be keen to end the season winning in front of their home fans.
On the other end, Freiburg will put up a tough fight as they look to return to form ahead of their cup final against RB Leipzig next week. However, their Champions League hopes may fall just short as Leverkusen likely prevent them from winning.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR () BETS ARE WORTH:
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Bundesliga: Bayern Visit Improving Wolfsburg in Final Matchday
VfL Wolfsburg vs Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich are probably still in championship hangover mode, which is understandable after they’ve won their 10thconsecutive Bundesliga title recently.
However, they still have one more match to play before wrapping up their 2021/22 season, and they can cap off their campaign on a high note when they’ll take on VfL Wolfsburg this Saturday at the Volkswagen Arena.
VfL Wolfsburg are currently 13th in the standings with 41 points, which is a huge drop off from where they finished last term. But they’ve improved lately and getting one over the reigning champions isn’t a bad idea.
Die Wolfe have a bone to pick against the Bavarians after their humiliating outing during their reverse fixture, but the SBOTOP pre-match betting odds predict a similar outcome as the last time.
Talking Points
Bayern’s Kimmich and Lewandowski poised to make history
The Bavarians will look to move past the headache from their Ibiza trip with a victory against VfL Wolfsburg this weekend. It can be noted that Bayern Munich were criticised for allowing most of their players to party at Ibiza immediately after their loss to Mainz.
Since that excursion, Bayern have lost once and drawn once, and now they need a good performance to get back on track.
Bayern Munich may not be in the mood to play in this no-bearing game, but there’s much to look forward to against Die Wolfe – particularly if you’re Joshua Kimmich or Robert Lewandowski.
Kimmich is going to play his 300th competitive game for Bayern Munich since joining them back in 2015. This season, he has been a vital cog for the Bavarians since he has played the most passes and had the most periods of possessing the ball among Bundesliga players.
Lewandowski, on the other hand, has scored 24 goals in 21 Bundesliga games against VfL Wolfsburg and he can tie Gerd Muller’s record for most goals against one team in the history of German top-flight assuming he gets a hat-trick on Saturday.
At the same time, the Polish striker is expected to win his seventh golden boot to tie another Gerd Muller record given his double-digit goal lead over closest challenger Patrik Schick.
VfL Wolfsburg’s campaign comes to a disappointing end
VfL Wolfsburg coach Florian Kohfeldt before the match against Koln
Following their humiliating defeat at Dortmund, Die Wolfe have been playing better as of late as they’ve kept two clean sheets and outscored their last three opponents with an aggregate tally of 7-1.
Max Kruse has found his footing as he scored a hat-trick against Mainz to improve his scoring total to six goals this season – good for second alongside Wout Weghorst.
Luka Nmecha, who has been scoreless in these past few games, remains their top attacking threat with 10 goals and he’s one of the league’s top young prospects.
After the sacking of Mark van Bommel, head coach Florian Kohfeldt has done a decent job in steadying VfL Wolfsburg’s ship and it’ll be interesting to see how they’ll plan ahead for next season.
History
Bayern Munich hold the clear advantage in their head-to-heads against VfL Wolfsburg. In their last 34 encounters, the Bavarians have won 28 times, whereas the Die Wolfe have won thrice and drawn thrice.
The Bavarians have scored in each of their last 27 Bundesliga games against Die Wolfe since their 0-0 draw in 2008 (78 goals total). Scoring once again here will set a new record at 28 games.
In terms of recent form, both sides had three wins, one draw, and one loss in their last five – although VfL Wolfsburg are unbeaten in their last three, while Bayern Munich haven’t won since late April.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side crushed Die Wolfe in their earlier meeting with a score of 4-0 as Thomas Muller, Dayot Upamecano, Leroy Sane, and Robert Lewandowski all found the back of the net.
VfL Wolfsburg’s last Bundesliga victory over Bayern Munich dates back to 2015 with a tally of 4-1.
Despite not being sharp lately, Bayern Munich remain as the Bundesliga 2022 odds favourites to win in this contest. They are priced at 1.52, while a victory for VfL Wolfsburg is at 4.40 and chances for a draw are at 5.20 in the 1X2 market.
Goals and Bundesliga 2022 highlights are to be expected from these two sides. However, we feel that this game won’t be as lopsided as in their previous meeting.
With that said, think about Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.73 and Under 4.25 @ 1.74 since they are viable alternative bets as well.
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Bundesliga: Lewandowski Delivers Bombshell on Last Day
The final matchday of the 2021-22 Bundesliga season delivered its fair share of bombshells, the biggest of which came from Robert Lewandowski. The Bayern Munich star confirmed that he wants to leave the club amid speculation about his future.
Elsewhere, Erling Haaland is already on his way out of the Bundesliga, and the Manchester City-bound star had a fitting end to his Dortmund stint as he scored to help BVB get the win on his last game for the club.
Meanwhile, RB Leipzig secured their spot in the Champions League with their draw against relegated Arminia Bielefeld as Freiburg fell to sixth after a late defeat to Bayer Leverkusen.
And on the other end of the table, Stuttgart successfully avoided the relegation play-off as they leapfrogged Hertha Berlin, who will now play in the play-off after losing to Dortmund.
Read on below as SBOTOP rounds up the Bundesliga 2022 news and updates from the last round of matches.
Lewandowski confirms he won’t sign new Bayern contract
Robert Lewandowski has confirmed that he does not want to sign a new contract at Bayern Munich.
Lewandowski, whose contract expires at the end of next season, had recently told club director Hasan Salihamidzic that he wants to leave the club.
“I told the club that if an offer comes in, then we have to think about it – also for the club. We have to find the best solution for both sides,” Lewandowski said.
He added: “I won’t sign a new contract.”
Lewandowski scored in Bayern’s final match of the Bundesliga season, a 2-2 draw away to Wolfsburg. That gave hm a total of 35 goals on the season to win his fifth Bundesliga top scorer award in a row.
After eight highly successful years at Bayern where he has scored 344 goals in 375 appearances, the 33-year-old Lewandowski has been linked with a move away from Bavaria, with Barcelona emerging as a potential landing spot.
But when he was asked whether Barcelona have approached Bayern with an offer for Lewandowski, Salihamidzic responded:
“No. ‘Lewa’ has a contract here until the summer of next year, that’s a fact. Our stance has always been clear.”
Haaland scores in Dortmund farewell
Erling Haaland scored in his final game at Borussia Dortmund as he helped them beat Hertha Berlin 2-1.
The Manchester City-bound striker scored BVB’s equalising goal from the penalty spot before 17-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko got the winning goal six minutes from time.
Haaland finishes with 62 goals in 67 Bundesliga games and 89 goals in 86 appearances overall since joining Dortmund at the start of 2020.
Haaland took to social media after the match to pen his farewell message to Dortmund and the club’s fans.
“It has been nothing but a pleasure and an honour to wear this shirt. At @bvb09, I’ve spent memorable moments, met special people and extraordinaire team-mates, not to mention a fanbase that has been always our extra man on the pitch. The Yellow Wall is truly incredible and something that you need to witness at least once in your life. I’ll never forget any of this! Thank you all!,” Haaland said.
Leipzig finish fourth as Freiburg fall to sixth
RB Leipzig coach Domenico Tedesco during their Europa League match against Rangers FC
RB Leipzig have secured the fourth and final Champions League place as they salvaged a late 1-1 with relegated Arminia Bielefeld. Willi Orban scored the equalising goal in stoppage time to give the Red Bulls a point.
Domenico Tedesco’s side only needed a point to seal fourth spot over Freiburg, who started the day two points behind and needed to beat third-placed Bayer Leverkusen in their last game.
But Freiburg failed to get the win they needed to stand any chance of overtaking Leipzig as they lost 2-1 to Bayer Leverkusen. Freiburg had equalised through Janik Haberer two minutes from time, but Leverkusen grabbed a 97th-minute winner through Exequiel Palacios.
Freiburg’s loss, coupled with Union Berlin beating Bochum 3-2, means Freiburg fell to sixth in the table.
Stuttgart successfully avoid relegation
Stuttgart defied the Bundesliga 2022 odds as they successfully escaped relegation thanks to a late 2-1 win over FC Koln. Wataru Endo’s stoppage-time goal saw them draw level with Hertha Berlin on 33 points, but they finished above the capital club thanks to a better goal difference.
Because of Hertha’s loss to Borussia Dortmund, they will now play in the relegation play-off, where they will face Hamburg.
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Bundesliga: The Biggest Surprises and Busts of 2022
The 2021-222 Bundesliga season had a predictable feel to it as Bayern Munich won their 10th title in a row, while Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig again lagged far behind.
However, the just-concluded season did provide its fair share of surprises as some players had unexpectedly excellent seasons, while a few disappointed amid high expectations.
Read on below as SBOTOP lists down the biggest surprises and busts of the past Bundesliga season.
Surprise: Christopher Nkunku, RB Leipzig
Christopher Nkunku’s talent has never been in doubt, but few could have foreseen a breakout season of this magnitude from the RB Leipzig star. Nkunku finished tied for fourth in the goalscoring charts with 20 goals – he had scored just 11 in his first two Bundesliga campaigns combined – and also added 13 assists with plenty of other Bundesliga 2022 highlights. With his surprising season, Nkunku has unsurprisingly caught the attention of Europe’s top clubs and could very well be getting a big-money move this summer.
Bust: Dani Olmo, RB Leipzig
While Nkunku was busy lighting up the Bundesliga this season, his Leipzig team-mate, Dani Olmo, had quite a disappointing campaign. The young Spanish midfielder’s star was undoubtedly on the rise with his great performance in Euro 2020. But his long summer saw him miss the start of the season due to injury, and he never discovered his best form as he finished with just goals and three assists in 26 appearances. But Olmo is nevertheless a terrific talent and he will look to bounce back next season with the Red Bulls.
Surprise: Patrik Schick, Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick celebrates with teammates after the match against Eintracht Frankfurt
Speaking of Euro 2020 stars, Patrik Schick had a terrific tournament as he scored five goals and just missed out on the Golden Boot. And the Czech striker successfully carried his fine form over to this Bundesliga campaign as he scored 24 goals, the same number of league goals he’d scored since his big move to Roma back in 2017. Schick finished second in the Bundesliga goal charts behind only Robert Lewandowski and helped Leverkusen to a surprise third-place finish – their highest finish in six years.
Bust: Marcus Thuram, Borussia Monchengladbach
Thuram looked set for big things after impressing in his first two Bundesliga seasons with Borussia Monchengladbach. But the French international forward turned out to be a massive flop this season in large part due to a knee injury. He finished with just three goals in 21 appearances, only nine of which were starts. But despite his disappointing campaign, the talented Thuram will likely be in high demand in the summer with Gladbach likely to sell him on as he enters the final year of his contract.
Surprise: Nico Schlotterbeck, SC Freiburg
Freiburg were one of the Bundesliga’s most surprising teams this season, and Nico Schlotterbeck was a big reason for their success. The young centre-back was consistently brilliant as he helped marshal a defence that had been one of the best in the league for most of the year. Schlotterbeck’s sudden rise has already earned him a Germany call-up and a move to Borussia Dortmund, so it shouldn’t be a surprise if he makes the German World Cup squad later this year.
As shown by their signings of Schlotterbeck and Niklas Sule, Dortmund are desperate to upgrade their defence, which was once again disastrous and has prevented them from competing for the title. Just about all of their defensive players disappointed to some degree this season, but Emre Can might be the most disappointing one of them all. Can split time between playing as a centre-back in a back three and in midfield, and he did not look particularly impressive in either role. Despite being just 28 years of age, he has hardly shown the promise that he flashed in his earlier years with Bayern and Liverpool, to Dortmund’s detriment.
Surprise: Anthony Modeste, FC Koln
After scoring 40 goals in 68 games in his first stint at Koln back in 2015-17, Modeste’s best years appeared to be behind him. But the 34-year-old unexpectedly turned back the clock with another surprising season this year as he scored 20 goals, tied for fourth in the league. The French forward’s goals helped Koln defy the Bundesliga 2022 odds as they finished seventh to qualify for the Europa Conference League.
Bust: Dayot Upamecano, Bayern Munich
Upamecano was Bayern Munich’s big offseason signing, and with his familiarity playing under Julian Nagelsmann at Leipzig, he was expected to fit in seamlessly into Bayern’s system. But that was not the case as Upamecano had an underwhelming season that was a far cry from his outstanding performances in Leipzig. The pressure will now be on Upamecano to improve from his disappointing debut campaign next season.
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Bundesliga: Two big Finals and a Summer of Transfer Action
The Bundesliga 2021/22 season is done and dusted and there’s a familiar name on the trophy as Bayern Munich won the German top-flight for a record 32nd time.
Bayern’s 10th consecutive title was never in doubt according to the Bundesliga 2022 betting odds and the Bavarians finished the job with ease – eight points clear of Borussia Dortmund – which is a fine start for boss Julian Nagelsmann in his first season.
With 97 goals in the league, Bayern have the best attack in Europe, but there are strong rumours that their prolific striker Robert Lewandowski is on his way.
The transfer rumour mill is starting to turn, but while fans of 16 Bundesliga clubs can now concentrate on incomings and outgoings, there are big games to come for two of the 18.
Two-time German league winners Hertha Berlin are in peril of dropping to the second tier and they must now negotiate a tricky two-leg tie against Hamburg, who finished third in Bundesliga 2 and missed out on promotion by three points.
Hertha finished 16th in the Bundesliga, falling into the bottom three on the last day of the campaign, on goal difference alone after Stuttgart beat Cologne 2-1 as Wataru Endo scored a 92nd-minute winner.
That meant heartbreak for Hertha who led away to Borussia Dortmund at halftime, only to lose to a late goal. But, quite simply, Felix Magath’s team’s Bundesliga 2022 results haven’t been good enough and now they may pay the price.
The Berlin side will hope former Monaco striker Stevan Jovetic can add to his seven goals for the campaign when the first leg kicks off in Berlin on Wednesday, with the return in Hamburg scheduled for next Monday 23rd May.
Schalke and Werder Bremen secured an immediate return to the top-flight and Hertha will be determined to stop a third Bundesliga 2 side from celebrating, and they have experienced midfielders Kevin Prince-Boateng and Vladimir Darida to settle the nerves.
But with 71 goals conceded, they have the second worst defence in the top-flight and that may well be their downfall.
Eintracht shooting for glory
West Ham United’s Manuel Lanzini in action with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Filip Kostic during their Europa League semi-final clash at London Stadium
While the nerves are shredding in Berlin, in Frankfurt, the fans have much more to cheer about as their club is one step away from European glory with a Europa League final against Glasgow Rangers this Wednesday.
We previewed this game here at SBOTOP and the Eagles are in the box seat. They finished 11th in the Bundesliga while Rangers finished second in the Scottish Premier League, but Eintracht fans can be assured their league is tougher than Rangers’.
The Eagles played some fine football on the way to the final, beating Real Betis, Barcelona, and West Ham as flying winger Filip Kostic starred while Daichi Kamada top scored.
They certainly won’t take the Gers lightly though. The Scottish side beat Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig en route to the final and their passionate fans will travel in numbers to Seville for a great night under the floodlights.
Is Lewa on his way?
After a stellar career in Munich, it seems that Lewandowski is finally heading towards the exit door. He has broken every record in Germany and now he is looking for a new challenge, probably at Barcelona in La Liga according to recent reports.
The Bayern board is digging its heels in at the moment and they’re insisting that the Pole will respect his contract which runs until 2023. But money talks and nobody wants an unhappy player in the dressing room so I suspect Lewa’s eight-year stay in Bavaria is coming to a close.
The club is clearly planning for his departure and has been tracking Liverpool’s Sadio Mane and Everton’s Richarlison as a possible replacement.
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, Erling Braut Haaland is off to Manchester City in the summer, but Borussia fans will be delighted by the news that England midfielder Jude Bellingham has pledged his loyalty to the club for at least another campaign.
And the club moved rapidly to replace the departing Haaland, announcing the signing of 20-year-old striker Karim Adeyemi as soon as the dust had settled.
Already a Germany international, Adeyemi replaced Haaland at RB Salzburg when the Norwegian moved to Dortmund and he scored 23 goals in 42 appearances for the Austrian side last term, including three in the Champions League.
Meanwhile, over at Leipzig, the ambitious club will have a battle on its hands to keep hold of hot property Christopher Nkunku. The French striker has been a revelation in the Bundesliga this season and he has attracted attention at Manchester United, though Paris Saint-Germain may be a more likely destination if, as expected, Kylian Mbappe makes his way to Real Madrid.
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Bundesliga: Bayern Munich in a Quandary Following Lewandowski’s Revelation
Bayern Munich’s summer is already off to an atrocious start following Robert Lewandowski’s bombshell during the last Bundesliga matchday.
The Pole, whose contract expires at the end of next season, just confirmed that he won’t sign a new extension at Bayern Munich and that he is apparently planning to leave the club as early as this summer.
This piece of Bundesliga 2022 news may have shocked the fans in Bavaria, but this development has brewing for quite some time as neither side failed to meet halfway.
Several suitors have already lined up to try and secure Lewandowski’s services because of this. And with Erling Haaland – who is the only available player who could somewhat fill his big boots – moving to Manchester City, Bayern Munich are in danger of coming out empty-handed if they don’t do something about it.
But how did we get here in the first place and who is at fault? Today, SBOTOP examines the saga surrounding Robert Lewandowski and the reigning Bundesliga champions.
Lewa wants long-term financial security
Robert Lewandowski is seeking for one more huge payday before he rides off into the sunset and he was banking on his form to do just that.
Lewa carried on his fine form this term as he scored 35 goals in all competitions, and he was basically the main reason why Bayern Munich won their 10th straight domestic trophy.
Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann talks to the media before the match
At the start of this season, Lewa fired his old agent and hired Pini Zahavi – who is known as a tough negotiator – and perhaps it was an overlooked indicator of things to come for both the Pole and the Bavarians.
Many were aware about Robert Lewandowski’s expiring contract and they were monitoring his situation. Other than Lewandowski, Bayern Munich also had to deal with similar cases in Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Thomas Muller, Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry, and Niklas Sule.
Niklas Sule’s case was a cautionary tale since he’ll move to Borussia Dortmund next season after failing to agree to terms with Bayern. The 26-year-old centre-back reportedly felt that he was disrespected and taken for granted – something that the management should’ve learned.
But Bayern Munich were complacent as they took their time – probably too much to their detriment – since they were confident that Robert Lewandowski will see out his contract and stay through the end of the 2022/23 season.
There were reports from Germany where it was claimed that Bayern Munich were working hard to secure the signing of Erling Haaland as a potential replacement for Robert Lewandowski, which is probably one of the Pole’s main sources of frustration.
The ball is in Bayern Munich’s hands
Given his stature and tenure with the club, it’s safe to say that all Robert Lewandowski wanted was to feel loved and appreciated, and one gesture for such is to give him one more lucrative extension that he deserves.
Barcelona and Chelsea are both ready to give that to Lewandowski, with the La Liga side in pole position according to the most recent transfer market rumours.
Since Lewa is likely to leave Bavaria sooner than expected, Bayern Munich have already created a shortlist of candidates to possibly replace the Pole.
VfB Stuttgart’s Sasa Kalajdzic has been linked to Bayern given his affordable €20-M price tag, while they’ll also have other targets in Sadio Mane, Christopher Nkunku, and Patrik Schick.
Robert Lewandowski will always be a Bayern Munich legend
Regardless of what happens in these next few weeks, there’s one thing that’s certain: Robert Lewandowski is going to be recognised as one of the greatest players ever to represent the Bavarians.
The Pole had eight successful years at Bayern Munich where he has scored 344 goals in 375 appearances, and he has accumulated seven Bundesliga titles, three German Cups, four German Super Cups, a Champions League trophy, and a UEFA Super Cup.
This is certainly a major bargain for Bayern Munich since they got him on a free after his BVB contract expired at the end of the 2013/14 season.
With that said, it is ironic that Lewa might leave Bayern on a free sooner or later. Replacing the Pole is going to be a daunting task for the Bavarians, and the pain of doing so is going to be felt by their supporters in a huge way.
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Red Bull Leipzig meet SC Freiburg at the Olympiastadion on Saturday in the final of the 2022 DFB Pokal, and it’s a chance for each team to win this silverware for the first time.
It would be a fitting end to Freiburg’s season after they narrowly missed out on Champions League competition, while Red Bull are still waiting to win a major competition since their explosive arrival in the Bundesliga top flight in 2016.
Die Roten Bullen are favourites to win the final, at SBOTOP odds of 1.60 while SC Freiburg are at 2.61, but there has been very little to choose between the two teams this season. Only two places and two and three points separated fourth placed Red Bull from sixth placed Freiburg at the final count, while neither team finished the campaign with a bang, Leipzig drawing 1-1 away to relegated Arminia Bielefeld, while Freiburg lost 2-1 away to Bayer Leverkusen.
Talking Points
Route to final
Domenico Tedesco’s Leipzig have coasted through the competition so far, with away victories over SV Sandhausen and Babelsberg followed by a 2-0 home win over Hansa Rostock in the Round of 16.
Die Roten Bullen then put in a dominant display to win 4-0 away to Hanover in the quarter finals before beating Union Berlin 2-1 in Leipzig to make it to the final.
Meanwhile, Freiburg pulled off a very impressive set of DFB Pokal 2022 results particularly when you consider they have played every game away from home. But after beating Wurzburger Kickers 1-0 in their opener, they needed penalties to get past Osnabruck in the second round. A 4-1 win away to Hoffenheim was Freiburg’s biggest win; then after navigating past VfL Bochum in extra time in the quarter final Christian Streich’s team were convincing 3-1 victors over Hamburg to reach their first DFB Pokal final.
Third time lucky for Leipzig?
This is the third time Red Bull have reached the final in four years. They lost in 2019 to FC Bayern and then took a 4-1 thumping from Borussia Dortmund in last year’s final, as Dani Olmo’s late strike was a poor consolation after Jadon Sancho and Erling Braut Haaland each scored a brace for BVB.
36 year old Tedesco has a young team which he has improved week on week, since he took over at the club in December when they were floundering in mid table. And a fourth placed finish, with a +34 goal difference, as well as a cup final appearance is the best Red Bull fans could have hoped for.
Leipzig are desperate to keep hold of their prize jewel Christopher Nkunku. The French attacking midfielder has three goals and two assists in this competition and he now has admirers throughout Europe’s top clubs. He will line up alongside Portuguese striker Andre Silva and, when they are on song, the partnership is a sight to behold.
Freiburg know who they are
SC Freiburg’s Vincenzo Grifo celebrates after scoring their third goal against Hamburg
So the DFB Pokal 2022 betting odds say Freiburg have an uphill task, but they will not be fazed by that as Freiburg is a club which is very comfortable in its own skin. 56 year old head coach Streich has been the boss at Freiburg since 2011 and most of his backroom staff have been with him throughout the last decade.
They have had an outstanding campaign but Freiburg’s quest to get into the top four hit the skids when they lost 4-1 at home to Union Berlin in the 33rd Round, and they followed that up with a 2-1 loss away to Bayer Leverkusen on the final day. The Black Forest club show no fear, and even in the dying seconds of defeat to Leverkusen, keeper Mark Flekken went up for a corner at 1-1 and was lobbed from the half way line to hand the win to Bayer.
Top scorer Vincenzo Grifo was philosophical about the loss, saying: “Ah, of course you dream of certain things: Champions League, Juventus, Real Madrid. But after a season like this we’re all just incredibly proud. We’re in the cup final next week and we’re in the Europa League next season. What more could you want?
History
The two teams have met just 14 times in history and Red Bull have a small edge, with six wins to Freiburg’s four and there have been four draws, while both meetings this season have resulted in a 1-1 draw.
Freiburg have the edge in terms of recent form with three wins, one draw and two defeats, compared to Leipzig’s two wins, one draw and three defeats
Red Bull are slightly odds on to win in 90 minutes at a price of 1.91 while Freiburg are at 3.64 and the Draw is at 3.25.
Over and Under 2.50 goals are both at 1.93 and that suggests a tight game, a 1-1 draw or a winner by the odd goal in three. How about a third 1-1 draw of the season then?
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR () BETS ARE WORTH:
= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
= €10 (CONFIDENT)
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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It wasn’t exactly a procession, but then there was little doubt that the 2022 Bundesliga title was on its way back to Munich once Julian Nagelsmann’s champions pulled away in the new year to win a 10th successive title.
And the Bavarians had a rich pool of talent in their squad which eventually proved to be simply too good for the rest. But there were some players who shone brightly in the also-rans and some clubs which over-achieved.
So, friends, lets take a look at some of the players who ripped it up in the German top-flight over the past 10 months and yes there are some of Bayern’s finest in my list.
Best Goalie: Manuel Neuer – Bayern Munich
I can’t really start with anyone other than the champions’ imperious stopper Manuel Neuer, the mainstay of the Bundesliga’s best team and the national side over the past decade and more. Now at 36 years of age, the Bayern custodian arrived at the club from Schalke 04 in 2011 and he has been a played a big part in the club’s phenomenal achievements ever since.
This season, Bayern have conceded the joint fewest goals at 37 alongside RB Leipzig and Neuer has kept 14 clean sheets. He’s gone through the entire campaign without earning a card and his brilliant positional sense means he rarely gets caught out, and Bayern is not a club prone to time-wasting.
22-year-old Nico Schlotterbeck put in a series of standout performances for sixth-placed SC Freiburg and, as a result, he’s earned two full caps for Germany and a 25-M Euros move to Borussia Dortmund.
Schlotterbeck is calm in possession, strong in the air, and a great ball-winner. He’s also a threat in attack, scoring four goals and making one assist while registering 18 shots on target through the campaign.
Freiburg made it to the DFB Pokal final this year and face RB Leipzig on Saturday night – a game we’re reporting on here at SBOTOP. If Freiburg are to upset the favourites, then Schlotterbeck will need to pull out another top performance for SC.
Best Midfielder: Joshua Kimmich – Bayern Munich
The Bundesliga 2022 betting oddsbacked Bayern Munich from the off and with players of the calibre of Kimmich in the side there is little wonder. While Bayern’s strikers often write the headlines, the performances of the 27-year-old Kimmich have been outstanding week by week. In 28 games, he has scored three goals and made 11 assists and the German international is one of the best passers in the game.
Equally efficient in attack or supporting his defence, Kimmich is the complete midfielder. And as he gains experience, he could emerge as one of the best deep-lying playmakers in world football.
Best Attacker: Christopher Nkunku – RB Leipzig
Yes, yes, I know. This is a touch controversial to choose anyone other than the imperious Robert Lewandowski, especially as Bayern’s lethal Pole might well have played his last game in the Bundesliga. But I’m picking Nkunku as the most improved striker and, at 24 years of age, one who will continue to write the headlines in European football for years to come.
The France striker has recently been awarded the title of “Bundesliga Player of the Year” having won the monthly award four times. Nkunku has scored 20 goals in the Bundesliga this term, bettered only by Lewa, Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick, and BVB’s Erling Braut Haaland.
And with Lewandowski and Haaland both destined for new pastures, Nkunku could have a tilt at the Golden Boot in the 2022/23 campaign. And only Lewandowski has had more goal involvements this season with 38 than Nkunku’s 20 goals and 13 assists.
Union Berlin coach Urs Fischer acknowledges fans after qualifying for the Europa League
Best Head Coach: Urs Fischer – Union Berlin
Julian Nagelsmann coached Bayern Munich to the title, but then he had the best players. So for my coach of the season, I’m going for Urs Fischer, who led Union Berlin to a fifth-place finish, which is some achievement for a team which only arrived in the Bundesliga in 2019.
Die Eisernen reached the semi-final of the DFB Pokal Cup, losing to RB Leipzig, and their Bundesliga 2022 resultswere simply sensational in the run in as they won six of the last seven – including victories over Eintracht Frankfurt and Leipzig, as well as thumping Hertha 4-1 in the Berlin derby.
The 56-year-old Swiss coach is ready to take the Eisernen on a European adventure and he is rightly adored by the fans.
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The 2022 DFB-Pokal trophy is headingto Leipzigafter 75,000 fans crammed into the Olympiastadion and witnessed an incredible 120 minutes and a penalty shootout.
Domenico Tedesco’s Leipzig ran out winners on penalties but that isn’t half the story as they had two players sent off and Freiburg hit the woodwork three times in extra time.
This was the third time the Red Bulls have reached the final in four years and they finally picked up a major trophy when their players kept their cool from 12 yards as an unlucky Freiburg finally wilted.
TheDFB-Pokal 2022 betting oddsbacked a Leipzig win but when they went behind in the first half and lost a man early in the second, it looked like the trophy was heading towards Christian Streich’s Freiburg. But Leipzig’s star man Christopher Nkunku struck late in the second half and, while Freiburg battered the Leipzig woodwork, Die Roten Bullen are now celebrating long into the night.
Highlights of the game
Freiburg bossed the first half and were ahead with just 19 minutes on the clock, but their was a whiff of controversy about the opening goal. Christian Gunter crossed to Roland Sallai and he directed the ball on to Maximilian Eggestein, who fired into the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area. The ball seemed to have touched Sallai’s hand, but the ref allowed the goal and Leipzig were furious.
Maximilian Eggestein celebrates after he scores an opener for Freiburg in their DFB-Pokal match against RB Leipzig
The Red Bulls almost hit back immediately when Nkunku’s shot hit the keeper and rolled towards the goal, but Nico Schlotterbeck cleared the ball off the line.
Leipzig looked brighter after the break and were pushing for an equaliser, but when Freiburg lobbed a long ball forward Marcel Halstenberg pulled down Lucas Holer and the ref waved a red card in his direction. And soon after, Sallai had a great chance to double Freiburg’s lead when he was clean through but he smashed his shot into the side netting.
Nkunku was always going to be a big player in the DFB-Pokal 2022 highlights, and it was no surprise when he levelled for Die Roten Bullen with just 15 minutes left on the clock. Orban did well to meet a speculative ball and nod across to give the French striker a tap-in. Nkunku has recently added a place in the Europa League Team of the Season to his Bundesliga Player of the Year award and he is destined to be a great star in world football.
And this goal turned out to be priceless.
Extra time saw Freiburg press for a winner against the ten men, and Ermedin Demirovic hit the post on 93 minutes, and ten minutes later Janik Haberer hit the post and Demirovic fired over. And Haberer was unlucky again when his 25-yard volley crashed off the crossbar.
In the dying moments, Leipzig substitute Kevin Kampl was red-carded, but Freiburg’s chances for a clean win had disappeared.
And as the Leipzig players planted home their four penalties, Gunter fired over and, almost inevitably, Demirovic’s spot kick hit the woodwork!
And for a team which played over half of the 120 minutes with ten men, Leipzig did well to have 52 per cent possession. While Freiburg won the shot count by 21 to 15, Leipzig had eight to five on target but then, of course, Freiburg hit the woodwork three times!
What’s next?
Both teams can be pleased with their efforts this season, Freiburg finishing sixth and Red Bull fourth after a dreadful start to their campaign. And next season they both have European football to look forward to.
Leipzig are in the 2022/23 Champions League, joining FC Bayern, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen, while Freiburg will enter the Europa League.
There is still plenty of action to come over the next week though, as two of Europe’s top leagues reach a climax and the Champions League final looms large. Liverpool meet Real Madrid in Paris as they battle for Europe’s biggest prize, but before that Jurgen Klopp’s Reds have a final day shootout in the Premier League where they hope to overtake Manchester City at the final hurdle.
And while La Liga, the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 have all been resolved, in Italy, the two Milan giants will decide the 2022 Scudetto. AC Milan need to win away to Sassuolo to hold off Inter, who have a home game against Sampdoria.
Will there be any more twists on the final day?If there are, here at SBOTOPwe’ll be all over the action but, for tonight, it’s the time to say ‘Gluckwunsch’ to the mighty Red Bulls!
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But who stood out across the piece; who created the most Bundesliga highlights; who defied the Bundesliga betting odds?
Here is my team (albeit one a bit lopsided with four forwards) of the season:
Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)
To win a 10th consecutive title shows how Julian Nagelsmann’s side have once again dominated domestic rivals.
From the start the Bavarians set the pace and, although neutrals were willing on Borussia Dortmund to make a challenge, it rarely looked like materialising.
While their talent further forward was crucial, so was their last line of defence as Neuer underlined his status as the league’s top goalkeeper and one of the best in the world.
Indeed, the captain conceded a league-low 24 goals when in the starting line-up and recorded a joint league-best 10 shut-outs. He also repelled 72.7 percent of shots on his goal, whilst usurping legendary predecessor and current club CEO Oliver Kahn in the Bundesliga record books as the goalkeeper with the most clean sheets and player with the most wins.
Nico Schlotterbeck (SC Freiburg)
If Freiburg were one of the teams of the season, so 22 year-old Schlotterbeck was one of the players of the season.
Schlotterbeck is calm in possession, strong in the air, and a great ball-winner. He’s also a threat in attack, scoring four goals and making one assist while registering 18 shots on target through the campaign.
It’s easy to forget Canadian Davies is still only 21, so important was he to the champions, marrying defensive diligence with incendiary attacking forays. His input was extra impressive given he missed the first 11 matches of the calendar year due to a mild heart condition. A rising star if ever there was one.
While Bayern’s strikers often write the headlines, the performances of Kimmich have been consistently outstanding with excellent passing combined with three goals and 11 assists in 28 matches.
Equally efficient in attack or supporting his defence, Kimmich is the complete midfielder and was described by my SBOTOP colleague as the complete midfielder – Bayern’s pocket-rocket.
Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)
To finish third was a triumph for Bayer Leverkusen.
One reason they did so well was Wirtz who had 10 assists to complement his seven goals by the beginning of February when a serious knee injury brought a premature end to another eye-catching campaign.
Last December he became the youngest player in history to reach 50 Bundesliga appearances. To think he only made his top-flight debut in May 2020. Let’s hope he makes a full recovery.
Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)
No footballer has ever won the Meisterschale 11 times in their career. No player in Germany has ever been champion so many times before. That, in itself, sums up his contribution not just this term but over many seasons. A special player.
Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)
A phenomenal talent; what else can be said about one of football’s hottest properties.
He is no stranger to Bundesliga records. Earlier this season, he became the quickest player ever to reach 50 Bundesliga goals, doing so in as many appearances, and at one point was hitting the back of the net once every 56 minutes. The Manchester City-bound Norwegian concludes his time at Dortmund with 61 strikes in 66 top-flight games, including 21 in 23 this term – seven doubles and a hat-trick among his haul.
But for injuries, the 21 year-old would likely have run Robert Lewandowksi closer in the top scorer’s race.
Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Another player who could not be left out.
The Pole netted a league-leading 34 times for the record champions, averaging a goal every 84 minutes whilst only failing to score in 10 of his 33 appearances. LewanGOALski also broke the Bundesliga record for most single-season away goals (18) to put him on the brink of becoming the first player in Bundesliga history to win five top scorer’s cannons in a row, as well as seven outright.
If this is his Bundesliga swansong, then what a swansong – 35 goals in all competitions and the main reason why Bayern won their 10th straight domestic trophy.
Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)
A breakout season for the Leipzig man who finished joint fourth in the goalscoring charts with 20 goals and 13 assists.
The France striker has recently been awarded the title of “Bundesliga Player of the Year” having won the monthly award four times. Nkunku’s tally is bettered only by three others in my team of the year, the final one of which is…
Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen)
Patrik Schick celebrates after scoring for Bayer Leverkusen against Eintracht Frankfurt
The Czech striker impressed me during Euro 2020 last summer, where he narrowly missed out on the Golden Boot, and has done so again.
He successfully carried his fine form over to this Bundesliga campaign as he scored 24 goals, the same number he’d managed since his big move to Roma back in 2017. Schick finished second in the Bundesliga goal charts behind only Lewandowski and helped Leverkusen to a surprise third-place finish – their highest finish in six years.
A final word to Cologne’s Anthony Modeste who only just misses out after his 20 goals helped Koln defy the Bundesliga 2022 odds as they finished seventh to qualify for the Europa Conference League. Not bad for a 34 year-old deemed to have had his best days behind him.
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The 2021-22 Bundesliga season had its fair share of barnburners. Champions Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen were involved in high-scoring shootouts as they are wont to do, while European champions Eintracht Frankfurt and surprise package Freiburg were also involved in some fantastic fixtures.
And there was also a high-stakes match in the relegation battle that delivered some incredible final-day drama.
Read on below as SBOTOP lists down the five best matches of the recently concluded 2021-22 Bundesliga season.
Bayer Leverkusen 3-4 Borussia Dortmund
Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund, who finished second and third in the Bundesliga, were also the second and third-leading scorers in the league behind champions Bayern Munich. And both of their fixtures this season were absolute goal-fests that resulted in seven-goal thrillers.
The first of those games in September was easily the more exciting of the two. Despite going in front on three different occasions, Leverkusen just could not shake Dortmund, who equalised three times before grabbing the winner 13 minutes from time. Haaland was the star of the show with two goals, including the winner, as well as an assist.
Borussia Dortmund 2-3 Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich have dominated Der Klassiker in recent years. And even with Borussia Dortmund grabbing the lead in both matches last season, Die Roten stil found a way beat their fierce rivals on both occasions.
Their first meeting of this season in Dortmund followed a similar script. Julian Brandt gave Dortmund a great start as he scored after just five minutes. However, that joy was short-lived as Bayern equalised just four minutes later through Thomas Muller. And they would take the lead on the stroke of half-time thanks to Kingsley Coman.
Dortmund battled back to equalise three minutes after the break through Haaland. But the home side could not quite break their Bayern hoodoo as the visitors went on to score the winner with a Robert Lewandowski penalty.
Eintracht Frankfurt 5-2 Bayer Leverkusen
Eintracht Frankfurt manager Oliver Glasner during a Europa League match
While they won the Europa League in a dramatic penalty shootout, Eintracht Frankfurt had quite a disappointing Bundesliga campaign as they finished a mere 11th in the table. But the Eagles still had their highs in the league, with their most memorable game coming at home against Bayer Leverkusen.
The Bundesliga 2022 betting odds had Leverkusen as heavy favourites to claim the away win after two early goals from Czech striker Patrik Schick gave the visitors a commanding lead.
But Oliver Glasner’s Eagles roared back in a big way. They equalised within just eight minutes, then scored three more goals in the second half to complete a remarkable comeback. Five different players scored Frankfurt’s five goals, which was a classic example of the impressive teamwork that saw them achieve European glory this season.
Freiburg 3-3 Borussia Monchengladbach
Freiburg were the surprise package of the Bundesliga season as they flirted with the top four for the majority of the campaign.
Unfortunately, Christian Streich’s side just fell short of clinching a Champions League spot after dropping crucial points late in the season. One of those matches was an absolute thriller as they drew 3-3 with Borussia Monchengladbach.
Gladbach had gone 2-0 up just 13 minutes into the match after goals from Ramy Bensebaini and Breel Embolo. But Freiburg responded with three goals in the second half, including Philipp Leinhart’s go-ahead goal 10 minutes from time.
Freiburg were moments away from getting the crucial win to keep their Champions League hopes alive, but Gladbach captain Lars Stindl popped up with a stoppage-time equaliser to deny the hosts.
The final-day showdown between Stuttgart and Koln does not have nearly the number of goals that the other games on this list have. But it sure packed more than enough stakes and drama to warrant its inclusion.
Stuttgart needed a win – as well as a Hertha Berlin loss at Dortmund – to escape from the relegation play-off place and ensure survival this season.
They were on their way to holding up their end of the bargain as Sasa Kalajdzic gave them an early lead. However, Koln striker Anthony Modeste – who was one of the biggest Bundesliga surprises this season – equalised on the hour mark with his 20th goal of the campaign.
Stuttgart looked play-off-bound as the match headed to stoppage time still level, but Wataru Endo popped up with a 92nd-minute winner to give Stuttgart all three points. That win, coupled with Hertha’s defeat to Dortmund, ensured Stuttgart top-flight status for next season in the most dramatic way possible.
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Bundesliga: BVB to Deal With a Lot of Moving Parts Post-Haaland
Borussia Dortmund are back to the drawing board after falling short of winning the Bundesliga title again and they will undergo an exodus in these next few weeks.
Their final matchday against Hertha Berlin had an emotional atmosphere even before kick-off since several team members will leave this summer including Erling Haaland.
Following the Norwegian’s departure, BVB’s Bundesliga 2022 odds of winning the title next season have taken a massive hit because they will be stinging from their loss – which is somewhat similar to what Bayern Munich are going through as of the moment.
Today at SBOTOP, let’s examine what’s next for the Yellow Wall as they usher in a new era.
Erling Haaland’s time with BVB was short but sweet
Not many players left their imprint in the club and in the league as fast as Erling Haaland did. He came from RB Salzburg in January 2020 oozing with potential, and he did what he’s supposed to do right away, which is to score a bunch of goals on a consistent basis.
His first match against Augsburg where he scored a hat-trick off the bench was a sign of things to come for the Yellow Wall. All in all, Haaland netted an incredible total of 86 goals in 89 games in all competitions.
At the rate he was going, he could’ve easily topped Borussia Dortmund’s all-time scoring charts sooner than later where Alfred Preissler still holds the 63-year club record for most total goals with 174.
Haaland’s time in Dortmund also yielded some silverware since he helped them win the DFB-Pokal in 2021 – which was their first major trophy in four years – and one can argue that he would’ve won more if he stayed a little bit longer.
He gave BVB fans hope because of his world-class quality. And although his relationship with the club was on borrowed time, it’ll be hard to forget the countless Bundesliga 2022 highlights he has gifted them with.
Other key players will also depart the Yellow Wall
Along with Erling Haaland, Borussia Dortmund also bid farewell to club legend Michael Zorc and also to their tenured players in Marcel Schmelzer, Roman Burki, Dan Axel-Zagadou and Axel Witsel.
Zorc helped them win the Champions League back in 1997 and he stuck with the club when they were on the verge of bankruptcy back then. Schmelzer, meanwhile, made his debut with the first team back in 2008 and played there for almost two decades.
Roman Burki has been their first-choice goalkeeper for much of this season, while Dan-Axel Zagadou has been one of the top young prospects and Axel Witsel is one of their most-used defencive midfielders.
With multiple players leaving this summer, Borussia Dortmund must bring in top reinforcements if they are to mount a significant challenge against Bayern Munich next season.
Borussia Dortmund welcomes back an old friend
Newly-appointed coach Edin Terzic is calling on Borussia Dortmund to take things up a level next season
Following the sudden departure of Marco Rose, Borussia Dortmund went out and appointed Edin Terzic as their head coach until 2025. Terzic isn’t exactly a new hiring for BVB since he was their interim manager from December 2020 to May 2021 after Lucien Favre was sacked.
The German-Croatian coach was the one who guided Dortmund to the DFB Pokal in 2021, so he was the best choice available given his familiarity with the club.
“We held several intensive discussions with Edin Terzic last weekend and are convinced that this personnel decision is the right one for BVB,” said current sporting director Sebastian Kehl.
“Edin knows our club, the environment, a large part of the team and the areas we would like to fine-tune to be able to offer successful football to our fans. The 2022/23 season constitutes a fresh sporting start,” he added.
Edin Terzic now faces the daunting task of taking the team to new heights next season, but he won’t necessarily return with an empty slate.
BVB have been busy in the transfer market as they’ve acquired the likes of Niklas Sule, Nico Schlotterbeck, Salih Ozcan, and Karim Adeyemi, although none of them can fill the void that Erling Haaland has left just yet.
Furthermore, Dortmund have been linked with several forwards in recent weeks, such as Ajax’s Sebastien Haller, VfB Stuttgart’s Sasa Kalajdzic, and Stade Reims’ Hugo Ekitike.
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FC Bayern stormed to yet another league title in May but the Bavarians aren’t having it all their own way in the close season. Things took an unwelcome turn when annual top scorer Lewandowski announced his intention to leave, with Barcelona his preferred destination. The club will struggle to prepare for the 2022/23 campaign the longer this situation lingers on and head coach Julian Nagelsmann has the morale of his other players to consider, as well as lining up a potential replacement.
Things have become a little tense between player and club but Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka refused to be drawn into the discussion when he was asked about his team-mate’s intentions, saying: “I think it does not help to give my two cents regarding this topic. Enough people have already spoken about it. Bayern and Lewy had a success story together, so I’d be happy if both sides take out a bit of their emotionality and find a good solution.”
Lewandowski’s potential move to the Camp Nou seems to be progressing but it is not yet near the signing stage. The Blaugrana chiefs are already thinking about a Plan B, should the move fall through; with Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku on their radar. The prolific Belgian striker is reported to be ready to leave Stamford Bridge after an unhappy return to the club. But he was excellent at his previous side, Inter Milan, and would be a good fit for Barca if the Catalans can’t complete the Lewandowski transfer.
The off-field saga at Chelsea is as good as over, following the announcement of new owners, and head coach Thomas Tuchel can now prepare his squad for next season and he will help Lukaku move if that’s what his man wants.
The Bundesliga 2022 betting oddswill back Die Bayern for another title of course, but the likely loss of Lewandowski will give other teams cause for some optimism. We’ll be all over the story here at SBOTOP and the next few days promise to be intriguing.
It seems that Bayern are almost ready to let Lewy go and there may be an incoming to replace the Polish striker in the form of Liverpool striker Sadio Mane. The Reds’ hit man is reported to be ready to leave Anfield and he has been heavily linked with FC Bayern. But the Bavarians aren’t having it all their own way in this potential deal either, as it seems that moneybags Paris Saint-Germain are beginning to sniff around, and the Ligue 1 side can pay a bigger fee and higher wages than Bayern.
Hertha hire Schwarz
Sandro Schwarz has joined Hertha Berlin as head coach
In otherBundesliga 2022 newsthe latest managerial change has been announced in Berlin where Sandro Schwarz has been appointed head coach of Hertha following a stint in Russia with Dynamo Moscow.
The 43 year old succeeds Felix Magath after the club finished 16th in the 2021/22 campaign and narrowly escaped relegation, beating Hamburg 2-1 in the two leg play-off. Despite the backing of wealthy businessman Lars Windhorst, Hertha have underperformed badly and morale at the club is low. A former Mainz player and head coach Schwarz is well equipped to lift the players and fans can look forward to next season with more optimism.
Expectations will be high at Hertha, particularly as their city rivals, Union Berlin, managed to finish the campaign in fifth despite working with a small budget. And Fredi Bobic, managing director at the club is certain he has got the right man. “With his personality and his positive and forward-thinking style of football, Sandro can create a connection between what happens out on the pitch and the club culture,” he said. “That is what we need at Hertha BSC.”
Another big name is back in the Bundesliga after Werder Bremen secured promotion from Bundesliga 2 on the final day of the season, beating Jahn Regensburg 2-0 to return to the top flight at the first attempt. Head coach Ole Werner is another young manager to take the reigns in the Bundesliga, at the age of 34, and he showed great leadership to lead Werder back to where their passionate fans believe they belong.
The four times winners of the Bundesliga and five times winners of the DFB Pokal have been a powerhouse in German football quite recently, winning both competitions in the 21st century, and Werner has plans to bring the good times back to the 42,000 capacity Weserstadion.
And he has made a good start in the transfer window, bringing in commanding defender Amos Pieper from Arminia Bielefeld and Hertha’s defensive midfielder Niklas Stark.
With this week’s positive news, neither Werder nor Hertha should feature in the 2023 relegation battle.
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Daniel Farke is the latest Bundesliga managerial appointment having landed the Borussia Monchengladbach head coach role, as Die Fohlen prepare for the 2022/23 campaign.
After struggling during the 2021/22 season Die Fohlen potted their head coach, Adi Hutter, at the end of the campaign and they have been quick to appoint Farke on a three-year contract, after he had already been linked with Championship club Blackburn Rovers.
The former Norwich manager has been successful in England’s second tier but he struggled to get the Canaries singing in the Premier League. In his two seasons managing in the top flight his side won just six of 49 games, drawing eight and losing 35 with a goal difference of 31 for and 101 against. But he led the Norfolk side to the Premier League twice, with hugely impressive promotion campaigns in the Championship.
Gladbach finished tenth in the Bundesliga last season and Farke will be tasked with winning European football again for the famous old side. The 45-year-old boss has been keen to move to his homeland and jumped at the chance to move to Monchengladbach. He was a free agent after leaving Russian club Krasnador in March where he’d been since being sacked by the Canaries in November and this is his first chance to manage in the Bundesliga top division, having coached Borussia Dortmund before moving to Norwich in 2017.
Mane keeps the fans guessing
The saga surrounding the potential departure of Robert Lewandowski and who might replace him rumbles on, and his potential replacement, Sadio Mane, is still uncertain about his own future; or so he says. Following his hat-trick in Senegal’s win over Benin at the weekend, reporters asked Mane where he was heading, FC Bayern, Real Madrid or Barcelona, if he does indeed leave Anfield, and he replied: “Hey, you know I’m not a fan of these teams. My club is Marseille. I would rather say Marseille.”
Liverpool and Bayern Munich are getting closer to a deal for Sadio Mane
That’s not exactly what Bayern fans would be happy to hear but they may take heart from the reports in Liverpool that Thiago Alcantara has offered his house in Munich for Mane to stay in. Bayern have already made one bid of £25m which Liverpool declined, and the Bavarians might be ready to table a second bid any time now.
Dortmund man Nico is ready for action
Borussia Dortmund are about to embark on a pre-season trip to Ghana and, on their return they will be joined by new signing Nico Schlotterbeck after the 22-year-old centre-back made the switch from SC Freiburg.
Here at SBOTOP we picked out Schlotterbeck as the standout defender in the Bundesliga. The 22-year-old was Freiburg’s best defensive player in a successful campaign which ended with Europa League qualification, and he also scored four goals and made an assist as he became one of the most sought-after players in the German league. Die Schwarzgelben quickly made their move, shelling out 25m Euros for the player.
Schlotterbeck is delighted with the transfer, saying: “They simply gave me the impression I can take the next step here. I’ve heard a lot about the club, you see a lot about the fans. That impresses me and I’m really up for it now.”
The Bundesliga 2022 betting odds will likely install BVB as second favourites once again, and they will hope to push FC Bayern a little closer next season. Schlotterbeck will be a key player in that aim.
Everybody loves Nkunku
In other Bundesliga 2022 news, speculation is mounting that RB Leipzig star Christopher Nkunku is being tracked by a host of top European clubs. He made his first competitive start for France against Croatia in a Nations League draw on Monday and will hope to star for Les Bleus as they defend their world title in Qatar this year. The 24-year-old has scored 35 goals and provided 20 assists in 51 appearances for Die Roten Bullen and is rated at £50m.
Leipzig will be keen to hold on to their hottest property but that won’t put off the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, FC Bayern and his home club Paris Saint-Germain from tracking the player. He played 78 games for PSG, scoring 11 goals before making his move to the Bundesliga, where he has quickly become one of the best strikers in the world. Chelsea might fancy their chances of luring Nkunku to London as head coach Thomas Tuchel managed him at PSG, but he can take his pick and he may prefer a move to France, or to stay in the Bundesliga with Leipzig where he is worshipped by the fans.
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Who’s Coming in to Replace the Bundesliga Hotshots?
One down and, it would appear, one to go.
Players have come and gone before, of course, and the loss of any stars can be quickly forgotten whenever the next one comes along.
Except the two Bundesliga players in question are rather special.
One has been the leading striker in European football over the last decade, while the other is a phenomenal young talent who, along with France’s rising star, Kylian Mbappe, is the heir to the throne held for so long in the Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi galaxy!
So, what is the latest situation? And who can possibly fill the Bundesliga highlights void left by the departing Erling Braut Haaland and, probably, Robert Lewandowski.
Fans during Manchester City’s match against Aston Villa at Etihad Stadium
Whatever happens, Bayern Munich will still start next season as firm favourites with the SBOTOP Bundesliga betting odds.
But it seems the prolific Pole has made his views known and he no longer wants to be a part of the Bavarian journey.
As you would expect, Bayern is an ever-evolving door and earlier this week the club announced the capture of Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch from Ajax on a five-year deal.
Bayern have paid €18.5 million (£16m), which could rise to €24m (£20m), to sign one of Europe’s most coveted young players.
The 20 year-old has helped the Dutch champions to win three league titles and has 10 caps for his country.
Back to the man spearheading their attack though and Bayern will not want to let their prized asset leave until they have found a replacement which is where speculation comes in.
While Sadio Mane appears to be a realistic swoop from Liverpool, he would not be a like-for-like replacement.
And if ever a club’s history cried out for a number nine, it is Bayern.
The late, great Gerd Müller, Karl Heinz Rummenigge, Giovane Élber, Luca Toni, Jurgen Klinsmann, Roy Makaay, Miroslav Klose, and Lewandowski are just some of the distinguished names that come to mind when you think of their great strikers.
Perhaps a replacement is closer to home than first thought and, if that is the case, then look no further than RB Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku.
The France striker has also recently been awarded the title of “Bundesliga Player of the Year” having won the monthly award four times. Nkunku’s tally is bettered only by three others – Haaland and Lewandowski being two of them.
Another option may be Jonathan Burkardt who has impressed for Mainz in the Bundesliga and contributed 14 goals and four assists in his breakthrough season with the club.
More of a risk, but still a Bundesliga-proven option, is Sasa Kalajdzic.
A German speaker, super tall and emphatic in the air, he could potentially lead the line with Bayern as well as he has with Stuttgart.
The Austrian contributed directly to 23 Bundesliga goals in 20/21, a figure that was reduced to just eight last term as a result of a long-term injury.
Also linked with a move is Gianluca Scamacca who plies his trade for Sassuolo in Serie A.
The 23 year-old Italian forward netted 16 goals in 36 league appearances, putting together a mature and consistent campaign under Alessio Dionisi. Indeed, his strong work saw him inherit Ciro Immobile’s spot in the Azzurri squad in this international break and he’ll be hoping to permanently oust the Lazio star in the starting line-up in the coming months.
Could he be Bayern’s secret weapon?
While the focus is firmly on the Lewandowski saga, we must also remember some new faces have already been confirmed.
Borussia Dortmund’s transfer activity has included the signing of promising young German striker Karim Adeyemi – a triple Austrian league and cup double winner with Red Bull Salzburg and, at 20, a full Germany international with a goal and three senior international appearances to his name
Gravenberch will have a friendly face on his arrival in Munich with the record Bundesliga champions’ capture of Morocco international Noussair Mazraoui from Ajax already confirmed.
Bayer Leverkusen, last season’s third-highest goalscorers, have added young Czech jewel Adam Hlozek to their potent forward line, while Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt have raided Nantes to bolster their squad with the highly versatile French forward Kolo Muani.
With the Bundesliga fixture list out on Friday – something which always sets the pulse racing for a return to action – watch this space for all the latest Bundesliga news.
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Big Bundesliga Dates to Remember in 2022-23 Schedule
The complete schedule for the 2022-23 Bundesliga campaign has been released. This season will be a unique one with World Cup 2022 sandwiched in between.
Nevertheless, the German top flight should still serve up its usual dose of drama and excitement, especially in the big games.
And so you don’t miss any of the action, SBOTOP has listed down the dates to remember in the 2022-23 Bundesliga season.
Tough starts for Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund
The new season will officially kick off on Friday, Aug 15, with 10-time defending Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich taking on reigning Europa League champions Eintracht Frankfurt.
Needless to say, this fixture will be quite a tricky one for Julian Nagelsmann’s side, especially since they could very well be without superstar striker Robert Lewandowski, who has made his intention to leave quite clear.
Moreover, Frankfurt have played Bayern quite tough in recent years. The Eagles handed Bayern their first defeat of the season last year as they won 2-1 at the Allianz Arena.
Borussia Dortmund fans cheering during their team’s victory against Hoffenheim
Meanwhile, it will also be a tough start to the season for Borussia Dortmund, who will host third-placed Bayer Leverkusen at Signal Iduna Park.
The two matches between the two sides were among the most action-packed in the Bundesliga. After Dortmund beat Leverkusen 3-4 away in one of the games of the season, Leverkusen returned the favour with a 5-2 thumping of BVB at Signal Iduna Park.
Returning Dortmund coach Edin Terzic will no longer have Erling Haaland at his disposal, so he must make sure the BVB defence do a better job of keeping the prolific Leverkusen attack – led by the prolific Patrik Schick – in check.
Revierderby returns to list of Bundesliga rivalries
Der Klassiker is the biggest match on the Bundesliga calendar every season, and while it has been a bit one-sided in recent years (Bayern have won the last seven in a row), there is great drama and quality every time Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund meet. The two German giants are set to meet on Matchday 9 (Oct. 7-9) and Matchday 26 (Mar. 31-Apr. 2), and both are can’t-miss matches.
But as compelling as Der Klassiker is, it does not quite have the same level of passion and emotion as the Revierderby between Borussia Dortmund and fierce rivals Schalke, which will make its much-awaited return to the Bundesliga after the Royal Blues earned promotion back to the top flight.
The two sides will collide for the first time on Matchday 7 (Sept. 16-18) at Signal Iduna Park, then meet at the Veltins-Arena on Matchday 24 (March 10-12).
The Bundesliga also features a number of other derbies, including the Berlin derby between Union and Hertha, as well as the Rhine derby between Borussia Monchengladbach and Koln. However, the Revierderby is on a different level given the years of animosity between the clubs.
Schalke still have some way to go to reach Dortmund’s level of quality. But anything can happen in derbies, and Schalke will be especially motivated to mark their first season back in the top flight with a couple of good Bundesliga 2022 results in the Revierderby.
Bayern-Leipzig bookends post-World Cup schedule
The Bundesliga 2022 betting odds have Bayern as favourites to win an unprecedented 11th consecutive Bundesliga title. However, RB Leipzig could be the team that could finally end the Bavarians’ run of dominance.
After some early-season struggles under Jesse Marsch, the Red Bulls returned to form under Domenico Tedesco as they still finished in the Champions League places.
Since Tedesco’s appointment in December, only Bayern scored more points in the Bundesliga than Leipzig during that 20-game stretch. With Christopher Nkunku enjoying an amazing breakout season, the hope is that Leipzig can finally mount a legitimate title challenge.
Although, it will still take a lot to knock Bayern off their perch. Even if Robert Lewandowski gets his wish to leave, Bayern still have quite a formidable squad. They already have Liverpool’s Sadio Mane lined up to help ease the potential loss of Lewandowski, and they still have a terrific array of attacking midfielders that can score loads of goals.
After meeting in the German Supercup, the two sides will meet for the first time in the league in January to headline the return of the Bundesliga from the World Cup break. And the two clubs will face off again in the penultimate round of the season, hopefully with the title still on the line, so be sure not to miss any of their massive matchups this season.
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With the 2022/23 Bundesliga season creeping ever closer, we’re about to see a flurry of transfer activity and the top clubs are battling to bring in the best goal scorers available, while some top strikers could well be on the way out of the German league.
It appears that champions Bayern Munich have struck first with the signing of Sadio Mane nearing completion. The Senegalese striker is due to have his medical and is set to be unveiled to the Bayern fans on Wednesday, having penned a £35-M deal to take him from Liverpool to Bavaria.
Since arriving at Anfield from Southampton, Mane has scored 120 goals in 269 appearances and has been part of a fearsome front three alongside Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino and latterly Diogo Jota – picking up Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and League Cup winners medals along the way.
At Bayern, he is more likely to play as a lone striker ahead of a No. 10 and with two wide-men or he may even be pushed out wide, depending on who else comes through the door.
Wherever he plays, Mane will be a hit with the Bayern fans as his lighting pace and fantastic array of shooting is sure to reap hefty dividends in a side which already scores for fun.
Former Bayern and Germany midfield legend Lothar Matthaus believes Mane will be a sensation in Germany, saying: “The signing of Sadio Mane is fantastic – not just for FC Bayern, but for the entire league. The fact that such a great footballer will play in our league is just class. He has provided goals and assists with Liverpool in a way and with regularity that few other players in the world have been able to match.”
That’s some welcome.
We’ve been following this story here at SBOTOP and I suspect the pre-season Bundesliga 2022 betting odds just got a little shorter on the prospect of the title returning to Bavaria.
Haller set for Dortmund switch
The fixtures for the 2022/22 season are out and Borussia Dortmund have a tough assignment on the opening weekend when Champions League qualifiers Bayer Leverkusen are the visitors to the Signal Iduna Park.
BVB will have to kick-off without their former star striker Erling Haaland, but bosses at the club hope they will have the big Norwegian’s replacement in, ready for pre-season training.
Ajax star Sebastien Haller in action against Benfica’s Gilberto during their Champions League Round of 16 match
Die Schwarzgelben are reported to have agreed personal terms with Ajax forward Sebastien Haller to bring him to Dortmund. The club has tabled an offer of €33-M plus add- ons to sign the former Eintracht striker who, at 27 years of age, is the right profile of player to lead the line.
Ajax are holding out for a fee in the region of €40-M to make Haller BVB’s most expensive signing of all time. And it would be money well-spent on a player who is banging in form.
He scored 11 goals in the 2021/22 Champions League, bettered only by Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski and ahead of the likes of Salah, Kylian Mbappe, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Haller is among the finest strikers in Europe. But if he moves to BVB, he has big shoes to fill.
Stuttgart striker attracting interest
BVB have also been tracking VFB Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic, who looks set to move on after impressing a number of top clubs over the past two campaigns.
The 24-year-old Austria international has scored 23 goals in 54 games for VFB and, at 6’7”, he is a giant of a player, strong in the air, and likened to former England striker Peter Crouch as a fine target man.
If Dortmund are ready to make a bid, they will be in competition with a host of English clubs, including Tottenham, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Leicester City, and even Bayern Munich are reported to be keeping tabs on the player.
Lewi saga rumbles on
The biggest Bundesliga 2022 news of the summer has been Robert Lewandowski’s announcement that he is ready to leave Bayern Munich, his subsequent fallout with the club, and the protracted negotiations to engineer a move to Barcelona.
The 2021 FIFA Player of the Year has seemingly been on his way to Barcelona since the last ball was kicked in the 2021/22 campaign, but there is no big announcement on the cards just yet.
And that has prompted journalists at the French news outlet Foot Mercato to make a cheeky suggestion that, if Barca can’t meet the €50-M asking price, then maybe Paris Saint-Germain will step in.
Following a furious row with Ligue 1 over the conduct of Kylian Mbappe in turning down Real Madrid, Lewi moving to Paris would be the last thing La Liga bosses would want to see.
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Die Bayern insist that the Pole will see out the remainder of his current contract, but you never want an unhappy camper in your team since it’ll affect your Bundesliga 2022 odds for a repeat next term in a negative way.
They’ve won the Bundesliga for the 10th straight time, but it was otherwise a disappointing 2021-22 season for the Bavarians by their standards since they failed to win the DFB-Pokal and they exited the Champions League earlier than usual at the hands of Villarreal.
Changes are on the horizon and getting fresh faces could be the key to bolster Julian Nagelsmann’s side, so continue to read on below as SBOTOP lists down their top transfer needs.
Backup goalkeeper
Manuel Neuer is still one of the best shot stoppers out there and he just signed a two-year extension last May, but he’s not getting any younger at 36 years of age.
To his credit, he has always been available for his club, but he’s becoming more injured these past few seasons – including a knee surgery months ago – so a succession plan is something that Bayern Munich should consider in the long-term.
Sven Ulreich is also approaching the wrong side of his 30’s and he hasn’t played that much, while their youngster in Alexander Nubel is currently out on loan playing for AS Monaco in Ligue 1.
With Christian Fruchtl and Ron-Thorben Hoffmann sold, the Bavarians need another body between the posts, ideally a youngster who can be a viable backup goalkeeper at least until Alexander Nubel returns from France.
Unfortunately for Bayern Munich, there are limited options out there in the transfer market to fill this particular need.
One of them is Stefan Ortega, who has been at Arminia Bielefeld since 2017. The 29-year-old was once linked with a move to Bavaria earlier this year, but he is now being pursued by Manchester City.
Bayern Munich’s defence could also use some fine-tuning by adding more depth at centre-half.
The Bavarians have a strong core of defenders especially with the addition of Noussair Mazraoui, but Dayot Upamecano is their only bona fide centre-back since Niklas Sule is leaving for Borussia Dortmund. Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez can also play centre-back, but they might be called upon to play as full-backs from time to time.
Youngsters Tanguy Nianzou and Josip Stanisic are viable prospects for Julian Nagelsmann, but both are still raw and they might get loaned out in order to gain more experience.
Chris Richards, on the other hand, was loaned to Hoffenheim last season and he may choose to make his move there permanent or he may join another club. The USMNT star has several suitors from La Liga and in the Premier League.
Julian Nagelsmann is looking for an experienced defender who can contribute and lead right away, but they haven’t had much luck on that regard thus far.
Previous reports indicate that Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger, and Matthias Ginter were all listed as their centre-back targets. However, the Bavarians can no longer get them since Christensen is set to join Barcelona, while Rudiger and Ginter have signed with Real Madrid and SC Freiburg respectively.
Ajax defender Jurrien Timber is another possible candidate, but Bayern Munich might put themselves in a bidding war with Manchester United for his services.
Forward
Bayern Munich presentation of new signing Sadio Mane
The Bavarians should continue to be a fixture in the Bundesliga 2022 highlights reel with a new-look frontline that they’ll have next term.
Sadio Mane’s arrival undoubtedly adds another big gun to their attacking arsenal – which already has the likes of Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane, Thomas Muller, and Kingsley Coman.
The former Liverpool man may not score goals at the same rate as Robert Lewandowski, but he’s an equally consistent star who should be able to adjust to the Bundesliga right away.
The 30-year-old forward had a successful six-year stint with Liverpool with 120 goals in 269 games across all competitions. He was also a key cog for the Reds’ Champions League triumph in 2019, as well as their Premier League win in 2020.
But despite his addition, bringing in one more capable scorer would surely come in handy for Die Bayern in light of Lewandowski’s saga. Sasa Kalajdzic is one target that the Bavarians are actively pursuing. Stuttgart reportedly want €25 to €30-M for the Austrian hitman – which is considered by many as a bargain.
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Borussia Dortmund are on the verge of signing Ajax centre-forward Sebastian Haller in a deal worth around 36m Euros as BVB continue to strengthen in preparation for the 2022/23 Bundesliga campaign.
The 27-year-old Ivory Coast striker has been lined up as a replacement for Erling Braut Haaland who departed for Manchester City earlier this month. He has big boots to fill but Haller could be the man to lead the BVB line, after enjoying a stellar season with Ajax in the league and Champions League.
He scored 34 goals for the Dutch champions last term, top-scoring with 21 in the league, and his 11 in the Champions League put him in third position, behind only Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski, and he appears to have comprehensively shaken off the disappointing stint he had in the Premier League while at West Ham United. As well as finding the net with impressive regularity Haller has also provided 16 assists in his 66 appearances for Ajax.
While Haller is not a like-for-like replacement for Haaland, there are some similarities. At 6ft 3in he’s a powerful unit, but for a big man he has a skilful touch with both feet and is not over-reliant on an ability to outmuscle defenders, though it comes in handy at times.
Haller is likely to line up alongside another new recruit, the 20-year-old Karim Adeyemi, who has made the switch from Red Bull Salzburg having scored 18 goals and made seven assists for the Austrians last term. Adeyemi has bags of pace and a cool head in front of goal and these two could form a lethal partnership.
With the excellent Marco Reus and Dutch striker Donyell Malen in the attacking group BVB are well placed to score goals aplenty in 2022.
Exciting new centre-back pairing
The pre-season Bundesliga 2022 betting odds are backing FC Bayern to retain the title, but Dortmund’s new head coach Edin Terzic has worked hard in the transfer market to enable his team to mount a serious challenge. While FC Bayern continue to toil under the strain of the Lewandowski saga, as well as recruiting up front BVB have put together a new look centre-back pairing which looks capable of holding off the best attacks.
22-year-old Nico Schlotterbeck had a standout campaign last term with SC Freiburg ahead of a 25m move to Dortmund. He’s a cultured centre-back, strong in the air and confident on the ball, and he will potentially line up alongside the 26-year-old Niklas Sule, who has made the switch from Bayern after five campaigns with the champions. With 40 caps for Germany, Sule has the experience to marshal the defence while being an attacking threat at set pieces.
Schlotterbeck and Sule will have competition from the present incumbents, Manuel Akanji and Mats Hummels, so the BVB centre back position is also in good health.
Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic during their match against Manchester City at Signal Iduna Park
If Terzic can pull of the signing of TSG Hoffenheim left-back David Raum then he’ll be happy with his business on the backline, but there is plenty of work to do there, with competition from Premier League clubs. Raum is the type of attacking full-back BVB fans love, making 11 assists and scoring three goals last season and Terzic will do all he can to bring him to the Signal Iduna Stadium.
Reyna working towards fitness and Bellingham in Dortmund for another year
BVB could have two of their best teenagers linking up again before long if USA attacking midfielder Gio Reyna continues to make progress after suffering an injury-hit campaign last term. He won’t make the start of the new campaign but the 19-year-old will be back in light training soon and Terzic will be keen to get him in amongst the fist team squad as early as possible.
And while Liverpool fans are getting excited about the prospect of Jude Bellingham arriving at Anfield next summer, the 18-year-old is happy to stay in Dortmund for the 2022/23 season. That is good news for Die Schwarzgelben as they will have a young talent as good as any in the Bundesliga for another 12 months. And with the prospect of Reyna back on the pitch before long the creative muscle of BVB is getting stronger.
The 2022/23 campaign is inching closer day by day and, here at SBOTOP, we’ll keep you up to date with all the Bundesliga 2022 news as it happens. But, in the meantime, it looks like the new BVB team is starting to take shape.
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Bundesliga: Bayern Still Won’t Budge over Lewandowski
The 2022-23 Bundesliga season is set to begin in just over a month’s time, but there is still no end in sight to the Robert Lewandowski transfer saga.
The Bayern Munich star has made it clear that he wants to leave the Bundesliga, with Barcelona as his preferred destination, but the German champions are not budging on their preferred price for the prolific Pole.
Meanwhile, there is more striker news in Germany as Lewandowski’s likely replacement at Bayern, Sadio Mane, will wear the No 17 for the Bavarians. And Bayern’s rivals Borussia Dortmund have sealed the move to sign their replacement for Erling Haaland, Sebastien Haller.
Elsewhere, one of the breakout stars of last season, Union Berlin’s Taiwo Awoniyi, has made the switch to the Premier League as he has signed with newly promoted Nottingham Forest for a club-record fee.
So read on as SBOTOP rounds up all the biggest and latest Bundesliga 2022 news.
Bayern Munich hold firm on Lewandowski
Bayern Munich have no intention of letting Robert Lewandowski leave to Barcelona without getting what they believe he’s worth.
Bayern reportedly want €75 million for the Polish striker, which is far off from the €40m plus add-ons that Barca are willing to pay.
The 33-year-old Lewandowski has just one year left on his contract and has publicly stated his desire to depart Bayern. However, the German champions appear determined to get the best deal for them, so this transfer saga is nowhere near through.
Bayern prepared to sit Gnabry?
Apart from Lewandowski, Bayern also have another unsettled forward whose future remains up in the air: Serge Gnabry.
The 26-year-old is also on the final year of his contract and has yet to come to terms on an extension.
Bayern are reluctant to let Gnabry run out his contract, to the extent that if Gnabry declines to sign an extension, Bayern could opt not to play him this upcoming season, according to kicker.
Of course, that would be an extreme move by Bayern, who, despite their impressive depth up front, still need Gnabry’s production. The German international scored 14 goals – second on the team behind Lewandowski – and provided 5 assists in 34 Bundesliga appearances last season.
Sadio Mane picks new number
Sadio Mane with Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn, President Herbert Hainer and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic during the presentation
“I picked out 17 from the free jersey numbers at FC Bayern and aim to celebrate many successes with my team and this number,” Mane said per the club’s official website.
“Now I’m really looking forward to starting preparations for the season with my new team-mates very soon.”
Mane had worn No. 10 in his previous stops at Liverpool, Southampton, and Red Bull Salzburg, but Leroy Sane already wears that number for Bayern. Mane also wore No. 19 after joining the Reds from Saints, but Alphonso Davies currently wears that.
Haller, 28, spent one and a half seasons with Ajax, scoring 47 goals in just 66 appearances. He also netted 11 goals in 8 Champions League games last season.
Haller spent two seasons in the Bundesliga with Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring 33 goals in 77 appearances. He will help fill the sizable void left by Erling Haaland, who left this summer to sign with Manchester City.
Aside from Haller, BVB have already signed the centre-back pairing of Niklas Sule and Nico Schlotterbeck, Turkish midfielder Salih Özcan, and 20-year-old striker Karim Adeyemi as they look to improve their Bundesliga 2022 odds of winning the title.
Taiwo Awoniyi signs for Nottingham Forest
Premier League new boys Nottingham Forest have broken their club-record transfer fee to sign Union Berlin’s Taiwo Awoniyi for a reported £17 million.
After a loan spell in 2000, Union signed the 24-year-old Awoniyi on a permanent basis last summer from Liverpool and he became one of the breakout stars of the Bundesliga season. He scored 15 goals – sixth in the league – to help Union to a surprise fifth-place finish.
Union, who have already signed young striker Jamie Leweling from relegated Greuther Furth, have also been linked with another Nigerian in Stephen Odey to replace Awoniyi’s goal production for next season. Odey, 24, scored 7 goals in 23 games while on loan with Danish Superliga club Randers FC last season.
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“I’m really happy to be at FC Bayern in Munich,” he said. “It’s the right time for this challenge. I want to achieve a lot for this club, in Europe too. During my time at Salzburg I watched a lot of Bayern games – I really like this club.”
He’s sure to make plenty of Bundesliga 2022 highlightsin the coming months and Bayern president Herbert Hainer is convinced Mane can lift the Bavarian club to even greater heights.
“Sadio Mane is a global star, who underlines the appeal of FC Bayern and will increase the attractiveness of the Bundesliga as a whole,” he said. “Fans come to the stadiums to see such unique players. It’s great that our board have managed to sign a player like Sadio Mane.”
Bayern are getting a player who has got fans on their feet for years with his electric pace, brilliant finishing, mesmerising dribbling and tactical genius. He scores goals with both feet and is a clever header of the ball, finding space in the most congested of penalty areas.
Mane’s Premier League record with the Reds was nothing short of sensational, scoring 120 goals from 269 competitive appearances as part of a front three, comprising Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino. He has also scored 31 goals in 89 games for Senegal and lifted the African Cup on Nations in 2021, after being named African Player of the Year in 2019.
Not everyone has praised the player’s move though.
Former Liverpool forward Dean Saunders, now a pundit in England, said the striker was ‘ruining the best two years of his career’ and suggested he would find it too easy in the German league, comments which drew stinging criticism from Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke who retorted: “There are always some arrogant idiots like this one! As a member of the board of Europe’s club association ECA, I know that German football still has a good reputation.”
To be fair to Watzke, who also pointed out that no English clubs won a European competition this year while Eintracht Frankfurt lifted the Europa League, Saunders may not be in the best place to speak on matters of elite football. The Welsh winger picked up just one FA Cup winners medal and one League Cup winners medal in his two decades as a player in England.
Back to Mane, he can play in a speedy front three, as he did at Liverpool, and the choice for head coach Julian Nagelsmann is who to play alongside him.
Bayern still aren’t budging on their asking price for Robert Lewandowski, holding out for 75M Euros which is way above Barcelona’s present offer at 40M Euros plus add-ons. But nobody wants an unhappy player in the dressing room so we can assume Lewi is unlikely to feature.
Germany’s Serge Gnabry warming-up ahead of their Nations League match against Italy
And there are rumours circulating that another of Bayern’s top strikers might be on his way out. Serge Gnabry has emerged a surprise target for Manchester City who are facing the loss of Raheem Sterling and will see Gnabry as a perfect replacement.
The Germany star has scored 20 goals in 34 appearances for his country and 45 in 122 games for Die Bayern, but he has, so far, refused to sign a new deal with the club who have offered him a wage of £200k a week. The champions are keen to keep the striker who has just one year left on his contract, but they will be tempted to cash in if he refuses to sign, and a fee of around £35m would be well in reach for the English champions.
If Gnabry and Lewandowski make their exits then France winger Kingsley Coman and former Manchester City star Leroy Sane could make up a fleet of foot front three alongside Mane.
The Bundesliga 2022 betting oddsare backing Bayern to win an 11th successive title and Mane will be at the forefront of Nagelsmann’s plans.
Meanwhile…back at Anfield, the gap left by Mane in Liverpool’s front three has been filled by summer recruit Darwin Nunez. And reports have just emerged from Merseyside that Mo Salah has signed a deal to stay at the club for another three seasons.
The SBOTOPodds on the Premier League title reckon Liverpool will push Manchester City close for the 2022/23 title, and it remains to be seen whether the decision to sell Mane turns out to be a good call…or a mistake.
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Bundesliga: Five Players Ready To Take On The Best
Every year we get to see some breakthrough stars in this beautiful game and the Bundesliga is one of the best leagues to nurture young talent and welcome new entrants.
Last season Christopher Nkunku wrote the Bundesliga 2022 news headlines with a string of man-of-the-match performances for Red Bull Leipzig. He scored 20 goals and made 13 assists as he well and truly exploded onto the European stage, earning six caps for France and winning the 2021/22 Bundesliga Player of the Year award.
Over in Leverkusen, Florian Wirtz had a brilliant campaign cut short by an anterior cruciate ligament injury in March, but before that he had become the first player under 19 years of age to score ten Bundesliga goals and earned four caps for the German national side.
This season there will be plenty of new faces appearing in the German top flight, notably Sadio Mane who will be taking his bow for Bayern, and he’s one of five players the SBOTOP team has picked out to keep an eye on.
Karim Adeyemi – Borussia Dortmund
One of the most exciting signings of the German summer so far has been the arrival of 20-year-old Karim Adeyemi from Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg. The Germany international has signed for a fee of 30m Euros and has a five year contract at the club which is well known for developing young stars.
He joined Salzburg in 2018 and had an outstanding campaign last term, scoring 23 goals and making eights assists as his club marched to the title and the knockout phase of the Champions League. Die Schwarzgelben beat Liverpool and Barcelona to his signature and the club clearly believes Adeyemi can step up from Salzburg as Erling Braut Haaland did before him.
Benjamin Henrichs – Red Bull
At 25 years of age Benjamin Henrichs has settled at Red Bull after a period of finding his feet. A product of the Bayer Leverkusen academy he won seven caps for Germany in 2016 and 2017 but then didn’t really kick on over the next two seasons. He transferred to Monaco but didn’t settle in France and was loaned to Leipzig in 2020.
The German giants were impressed enough to trigger a buy out clause and signed Henrichs for 15 million Euros last summer, and he had a good first full season, making 27 appearances and scoring three goals. Now that he looks settled again Henrichs will be pushing for a place in the Germany team and hoping to star at wingback for Red Bull.
Jamal Musiala – FC Bayern
Still only 19, Jamal Musiala already looks comfortable in the German top flight with 11 goals in 57 appearances for Die Bayern over the past two campaigns. He can play as a winger or an attacking midfielder and has already earned 15 caps for his country. Musiala learned his craft at Premier League club Chelsea before moving to Munich in 2019.
His breakthrough season was 2020/21, but 2022/23 could be the year he becomes an established world star and we could have another Nkunku on our hands. The Bundesliga 2022 betting odds reckon Die Bayern will win the league again; and Musiala is ready to play his part.
Paulinho – Bayer Leverkusen
21-year-old striker Paulinho signed for Bayer Leverkusen in 2018 for a record fee of 20m Euros for his former club Vasco da Gama. A Brazil under 17 and under 23 player, he starred alongside Vinicius Junior and Alan as the Selecao won the South American U17 trophy. An undoubtedly talented forward, very quick and with confidence on the ball, Paulinho will hope this could be his breakthrough campaign.
He has scored seven goals in 53 appearances for Die Werkself, many of them from the bench, and Paulinho will aim to build up a partnership alongside the prolific Czech Patrick Schick in the coming campaign.
Sadio Mane – FC Bayern
Sadio Mane during the press conference with Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena
And then, of course there is Mane. He’s a new face in the Bundesliga and the world will be watching to see if, as expected, he takes the German league by storm. He has superb pedigree, winning African Player of the Year in 2020, a year after coming fourth in the Ballon D’Or.
With an African Cup of Nations medal to go with his Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup medals with Liverpool Mane has won it all. And now, the big question is…can he break through as the star of the Bundesliga in 2022?
The seemingly imminent departure of Robert Lewandowski will mean Mane is the main man in Munich and he must be a decent bet for the Golden Boot, particularly if Lewi heads off to Spain.
Top scorer would be Mane’s idea of a breakthrough!
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The Bundesliga has lost one of its two star names and the other is set to depart.
Erling Braut Haaland’s time at Borussia Dortmund was always going to be limited and fans of the club will forever remember fondly his two and a half years at the Signal Iduna Park.
Likewise, there has been no better front man than Robert Lewandowski over the past eight years and his goals and record-breaking time at champions Bayern Munich will not be forgotten even if it appears to be coming to an end – despite the club’s protestations.
This SBOTOP writer actually believes the Bavarians will allow the Pole to leave but only if Barcelona, seemingly his preferred destination, have the funds to match Bayern’s valuation.
And so, with or without Lewandowski and Haaland, attention turns to the next season of Bundesliga highlights.
Then there’s what is surely one of the most exciting signings of the German summer so far with Karim Adeyemi recruited by Dortmund from Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg.
The club clearly believes Adeyemi can step up from Salzburg as Haaland did before him.
Ajax forward Sebastien Haller celebrates scoring their second goal
With other new signings in forward Sebastien Haller and centre backs Niklas Süle and Nico Schlotterbeck, not to mention Edin Terzic replacing Marco Rose as coach, it promises to be an exciting time for Dortmund and possibly the start of a rebuild.
Haller has come in as the man to fill Haaland’s boots and does so on the back of a blistering 34 goals in 42 games for Ajax last season. That included 11 in eight Champions League outings, with two coming against Dortmund.
Perhaps Dortmund will end up with more depth and variability so they can give the champions a run for their money after finishing well adrift last term.
The Bundesliga betting odds still heavily favour Bayern though – and I would back them every step of the way.
Amid their European disappointment where they were surprisingly ousted by Villarreal in the Champions League quarter-final stage, it’s hard to forget Julian Nagelsmann’s side were just four short of Bayern’s bar-raising 101 Bundesliga goal return in 1971/72, continuing a recent trend of near misses as they hunt down their league best from half a century ago.
Hansi Flick’s 2019/20 team became only the second team to hit 100 goals in a sole Bundesliga campaign too and were just one away from the record, while they pulled up two shy of that 1972 vintage the following season
Then, of course there is Sadio Mane who arrives with a superb pedigree after six years with Liverpool.
The 2019 African Player of the Year, this year he has also won the League Cup and FA Cup double and the African Cup of Nations.
Gerd Müller’s 40 goals powered Udo Lattek’s side to both the title and the record all those years ago and it’s been Lewandowski – who bettered Müller’s 40-goal best in 2020/21 by registering 41 strikes – who has fired Bayern’s string of recent challenges.
There is also Thomas Müller who provided 18 Bundesliga assists last time out and will relish the opportunity to tee up his new teammate.
Mane’s presence – and ability across the front line – at the Allianz Arena should also bring out the best of Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane, who know they will have to be at the top of their game to get minutes ahead of the club’s latest marquee arrival, especially with places in World Cup squads to secure.
Who else to look out for?
Well, Hertha Berlin have pulled off a significant loan in enticing the experienced goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow to Gelsenkirchen on a one-year loan deal from Hertha Berlin who, themselves, have brought in full-back Jonjoe Kenny from Everton.
Bayern’s double acquisition from Ajax in right-back Noussair Mazraoui and midfielder Ryan Gravenberch have also caught my eye.
Gravenberch may be 20 but he seems ready to compete for a place in a Bayern engine room.
It is signings like these which, for me, will keep Bayern out in front in what should be a highly entertaining league once again.
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Bundesliga: Is Bayern’s 11th Straight Title Inevitable?
Just like mighty Thanos, Bayern Munich are inevitable. For the last decade, they have absolutely dominated the Bundesliga, winning an unprecedented 10 titles in a row.
So, is an 11th straight title an inevitability? Maybe not, since there are some new challenges that the Bavarians must face this upcoming season.
SBOTOP shares these three factors that could see Bayern’s amazing run of consecutive Bundesliga championships come to an end.
The Robert Lewandowski situation
Bayern Munich could very well come into the new Bundesliga season without their superstar striker Robert Lewandowski, who has been angling for a move to Barcelona this summer.
The prolific Pole, who arrived at Bayern in 2014, has been instrumental in the Bavarians winning the Bundesliga title in all eight years he’s been with the club. He has scored a remarkable 238 Bundesliga goals in 253 appearances, including 35 last year to win his record-tying seventh Kicker-Torjägerkanone as the league’s top scorer.
Despite Bayern securing the services of Sadio Mane, Lewandowski’s potential exit would still be a major blow to Bayern’s Bundesliga 2022 odds to win their 11th straight title. Even for a club that possesses a wealth of attacking weapons like Bayern do, replacing Lewi’s remarkably consistent production of 30-odd league goals per season will be quite a challenge.
But on the other side of the coin, if Lewandowski doesn’t get the Barcelona move he so desperately wants, him staying at Bayern could have a potentially damaging effect on the entire team’s morale. He has not exactly handled the whole situation delicately as he’s pushed hard for Bayern to let him leave, and it remains to be seen whether the bridges he burned can still be repaired.
Granted, Harry Kane – who has recently been linked with a shock move to Bayern as a potential Lewandowksi replacement – recovered from his unsuccessful Man City transfer saga to star at Tottenham last season. But at 34 years of age, a less-motivated Lewandowski could suffer a significant decline in performance, which could then open the door for some of Bayern’s top competitors at the top.
Bayern Munich have not been legitimately challenged for the title in recent years, with their two main rivals – Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig – both falling short of Die Roten’s level.
But this season could be a different story. Borussia Dortmund have had a busy summer transfer market as they’ve brought in Sebastien Haller and Karim Adeyemi to make up for the massive loss of Erling Haaland in attack.
Meanwhile, they’ve brought in two new centre-backs – Niklas Sule and Nico Schlotterbeck, who emerged as one of the most promising German defenders last season – to help shore up their major weakness in defence.
And Edin Terzic is back in charge as he takes over for Marco Rose, who had a disappointing lone season at Dortmund. Terzic had a decent spell as a caretaker boss in the 2020-21 season after Lucien Favre was sacked and will have a squad capable of challenging at the top.
RB Leipzig manager Domenico Tedesco before a match against VfL Wolfsburg
And over in Leipzig, the Red Bulls showed much promise last season under Domenico Tedesco, who got the club back on track after the failed Jesse Marsch experiment.
Leipzig have not been nearly as active as Dortmund in the transfer market, but they did lock up young star Christopher Nkunku to a new long-term deal, which is massive. The French forward had a breakout campaign as he had 20 goals and 13 assists while creating many more Bundesliga 2022 highlights.
With both Dortmund and Leipzig looking in decent shape, any slip-up from Bayern could lead to a legitimate title race for the first time in a while.
World Cup hangover
And last but not least, there is the small matter of the mid-season World Cup, which will be a unique wrinkle that Bayern have not had to worry about in their previous 10 title triumphs.
Bayern will be by far the most affected of all the Bundesliga clubs as their squad is composed almost entirely of international stars – many of whom play for Germany – who will be representing their respective national teams in Qatar.
Granted, Bayern have some impressive depth up and down the squad, so they are capable of overcoming the inevitable fatigue that will set in during the second half of the season.
But if one or two injuries to key players pop up amid the gruelling schedule, then Bayern’s status as the undisputed Bundesliga title favourites suddenly looks a lot shakier, which should make this Bundesliga season that much more interesting and exciting.
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Absolute Beginners And Absolute Veterans Can Shine In Bundesliga
Being asked to select quality players who have been somewhat under-utilised by their teams in the Bundesliga was no easy task.
Indeed, it led me to a fairly extensive search because it’s hardly rocket science that, as long as they are available, the majority of football managers tend to pick their best players most of the time!
So, who were the exceptions to the rule last term in the German top flight?
To begin with, there weren’t any obvious ones who stood out – certainly not as obvious as, say, in the English Premier League where the regular omission of Donny van de Beek was a mystery to many Manchester United supporters.
I did find two though, both at very different ends of the age spectrum.
For that very reason it’s hardly surprising a teenager and a veteran aren’t played too regularly and, in truth, injury more than being out of favour is the main reason for their inclusion.
However, the statistics show they make a significant contribution when involved and could be utilised even more in 2022-23.
Let me begin with a veteran who came very close to making my Bundesliga team of the season last time out.
At the age of 34, Cologne’s Anthony Modeste was understandably deemed to have had his best days behind him.
But, given his input, and the fact he only played eight the campaign before due to knee problems, you can see he is a player whose age should not prevent him from being used too sparingly.
At the other end is someone half his age.
When I saw he was born in May 2003, I realised how well this young man is doing.
Now there was good reason Florian Wirtz only played 24 league matches (22 as a starter) for Bayer Leverkusen last term.
What an impact he had though and it is doubtful, once recovered fully, he will be used quite as sparingly.
The under-21 European champion with Germany enjoyed his best ever start to a campaign last season, racking up four goals and six assists in his first seven league games.
The first player under 19 to net 11 Bundesliga goals, Wirtz was also at one point the division’s youngest ever scorer at 17.
After featuring in just nine top-flight matches in 2022, it’s understandable his name may have been placed somewhat to one side for the moment.
In other words, when Wirtz plays, Leverkusen often thrive and he makes things happen.
Despite only turning 19 in May, Wirtz was one of the major reasons why his side secured a third-place finish and he has now committed his future to the club by adding another year to his previous long-term deal.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick celebrates after scoring against Eintracht Frankfurt
One of the things I’m most looking forward to is seeing how he and Patrik Schick combine next term.
So, after a summer in which one star man has departed Germany and another is likely to follow, the Bundesliga will still have the capacity to thrill next term. And what’s the betting – don’t forget to study the SBOTOP Bundesliga betting odds by the way – that Wirtz and Modeste (injuries permitting) will feature more than ever.
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The 2022/23 Bundesliga campaign is scheduled to start in just three weeks when champions Bayern Munich kick off with a visit to Eintracht Frankfurt.
And there is still plenty of uncertainty around who will line up for Die Bayern as they begin their title defence in Frankfurt, and they have a SuperCup match against RB Leipzig to prepare for a week earlier.
From the final whistle of the last campaign, the Bundesliga 2022 news has been dominated by the plight of Bayern’s star striker Robert Lewandowski, who announced his intention to depart immediately but his proposed move to Barcelona is still in the balance.
And now there may be more news of outgoings in the champions’ camp as it seems Leroy Sane’s agent has offered the winger’s services to Real Madrid.
News reports in the Spanish capital have suggested the arrival of Sadio Mane in Munich has cast some doubt over the former Manchester City player’s future after he made just 22 starts for Bayern last season. The 26-year-old moved to Munich in 2020 for a fee of £45-M after making his name at the Etihad, but Sane’s contract may be cut short if the two clubs can strike a deal.
Back to Lewandowski. Time is running out for the Pole and his Spanish suitors. Lewy is in training with his Bundesliga colleagues while the two clubs try to come to an arrangement.
Bayern are looking for something in the region of €50-M for the 33-year-old, but the Catalans want to pay significantly less. And with Paris Saint-Germain always likely to make a move for a big player, the situation is precarious at least.
According to the pre-seasonBundesliga 2022 betting odds, Borussia Dortmund are second favourites for the title and they have been active in the market, bringing in a new striker to replace Erling Haaland in the shape of Sebastian Haller and a central defencive partnership of Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Sule.
20-year-old attacker Karim Adeyemi has also arrived from RB Salzburg so head coach Edin Terzic is making room in his squad by telling four players they are free to leave.
Creative duo Thorgan Hazard and Julian Brandt have been told they can find new clubs, while current centre-back Manuel Akanji is happy to leave Dortmund.
Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schulz in action during a Bundesliga match against Bayer Leverkusen
The fourth man to be told he isn’t in BVB’s plans is Nico Schulz and reports have emerged that the Germany wing-back will not be joining BVB in the club’s pre-season in Switzerland.
In other news, Juventus are reported to be interested in Eintracht’s highly-rated centre-back Evan Ndicka. The French star impressed as a central defender, who can also play at left back, during Frankfurt’s successful Europa League campaign and he scored four goals and made four assists in 32 league games for the Eagles.
Having secured promotion back to the Bundesliga 2, FC Kaiserslautern have a great chance of opening their campaign with a win atSBOTOP odds of 2.58, while their visitors are ever so slightly lower at a price of 2.56.
Hannover have a good record against these opponents, winning 10 of the last 14 meetings, losing three, and drawing one. But they will face a hostile reception from fans at the 50,000 capacity Fritz- Walter Stadion.
In the third division, Kaiserslautern averaged over 47,000 fans for their final three games and the sleeping giants will fancy their chances of challenging for back-to-back promotions.
The Red Devils were a yo-yo club between the top two divisions in the noughties before sliding down to the third tier, five years after missing out in the 2013 play-offs.
Their fans believe they belong in the top-flight, but opening day opponent Hannover is another proud club and the visitors will provide stiff opposition on Friday night.
The smart money may be on a draw at a price of 3.20.
Kaiserslautern are still ranked as Germany’s ninth-most successful club in history and the second division is one of the best supported leagues in world football, so the atmosphere will be bouncing at the Fritz-Walter Stadion for the entire campaign.
And elsewhere in Bundesliga 2, there will be big matches with electric atmospheres. The average capacity across the 18 grounds is 29,251, slightly down from last season following the promotions of Schalke and Werder Bremen. Make no mistake about it, Bundesliga 2 is big business and great entertainment with Kaiserlautern a welcome addition
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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Bundesliga: Welcome Back, Werder Bremen and Schalke
Schalke and Werder Bremen may be the two newly promoted Bundesliga clubs heading into the 2022-23 season, but the two clubs are far from new to the league. In fact, they had been among the most ever-present clubs in the Bundesliga prior to their relegation the previous year.
So after a one-year absence, two of the most successful clubs in the country have made their way back to the German top flight.
Read on below as SBOTOP shares everything you need to know about the returning Schalke and Werder Bremen.
Schalke 04
Schalke are perhaps the third-biggest club in Germany behind only Bayern Munich and fierce rivals Borussia Dortmund. They are seven-time German champions (although their last triumph was back in 1958) and have been in the Bundesliga for 54 out of its 60 seasons.
And that’s what makes their relegation from the Bundesliga in 2021 all the more unbelievable.
Schalke were historically horrendous during the 2020-21 season. They failed to win their first 14 matches and cycled through five different managers, the first Bundesliga team to ever have that many bosses in a single season.
Schalke 04 star Simon Terodde celebrates following their promotion to the 2022/23 Bundesliga season
Dating back to the previous season, Schalke went an incredible 30 games – nearly a full calendar year – in between wins, which was a truly unfathomable feat for a club of their size and stature.
But despite a major squad upheaval following their shock relegation, the Royal Blues made sure their time out of the Bundesliga would be brief as they were crowned 2. Bundesliga champions to gain automatic promotion.
Schalke started the season a bit slow under coach Dimitros Grammozis and were not even sure of a play-off place for most of the season. But then they replaced Grammozis with Mike Buskens and they suddenly went on a tremendous run of eight wins in the last nine games which saw them claim the title.
Simon Terodde was Schalke’s undisputed star man as he scored a sensational 30 goals in 30 appearances – including 11 during their amazing winning run – to win the Torjägerkanone and power Schalke to promotion.
However, the 34-year-old is a career 2. Bundesliga journeyman who is unlikely to make a difference in the Bundesliga, which is why Schalke must invest heavily in a new striker. They’ve already added Sebastian Polter (10 goals in 33 games last season from Bochum), but they will need more firepower to stay up.
Meanwhile, new coach Frank Kramer must also find a way to solidify their defence. Schalke conceded 44 goals last season, which was only tied for fourth in the league. They’ve added Japanese veteran centre-back Maya Yoshida to provide some much-needed experience to the defensive line, but more investments must be done on the squad if they are to improve their Bundesliga 2022 odds of survival.
Werder Bremen
Werder Bremen may not be as big a club as Schalke, but they have had their fair share of success over the years. They have won the Bundesliga on four occasions – the most recent being in 2003-04 – and are tied with Bayern Munich in being in the Bundesliga in 58 out of its 60 years in existence.
Bremen bounced back immediately from their shock relegation as they finished second in 2. Bundesliga, just two points behind Schalke.
After the resignation of Markus Anfang, Ole Werner took over a midtable Bremen and led them to a run of seven straight wins. He would go unbeaten in his first 10 games in charge and would lose just twice in 19 games in charge as Werder won promotion.
A number of key Bremen players who were in the Bundesliga side that was relegated – Omer Toprak, Leonardo Bittencourt, Niclas Fullkrug – are still with the club. Meanwhile, the addition of striker Marvin Ducksch was crucial in them securing promotion. The 27-year-old led the team in both goals (20) and assists (7) as he formed a lethal strike partnership with Fullkrug (19 goals, 6 assists).
Bremen have focussed on defence during this transfer window, signing Niklas Stark, Amos Pieper, Lee Buchanan, and Mitchell Weiser on free transfers. They also splurged €4 million on central midfielder Jens Stage.
But like Schalke, Werder will be wise to look for another striker. Ducksch does not have a strong track record in the Bundesliga, scoring just twice in 31 career appearances.
Fullkrug has a slightly better record with 28 goals in 98 Bundesliga games over his career and seems capable of delivering more Bundesliga 2022 highlights. But the fact remains Werder will need more weapons if they are to avoid relegation.
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DFL Supercup: Bayern Plan to Kick Off Post-Lewandowski Era With Silverware
RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich
It’s the dawn of a new era for Bayern Munich as wantaway star Robert Lewandowski has already left town. With the Pole leaving for Camp Nou after a long standoff, both parties can now move on and look forward for the 2022/23 campaign.
But before they’ll commence their Bundesliga title defence for the 10th consecutive time, the new-look Bavarians’ first challenge is to face RB Leipzig in the DFL Supercup Final on July 31.
The DFL Supercup is a one-off match, which is basically the equivalent of the Community Shield at England, where the winners of the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal from last season go head-to-head.
Bayern Munich are unsurprisingly the winningest team in this competition with nine trophies, but RB Leipzig are no pushovers and they’ll be gunning for the major upset.
Talking Points
Bayern Munich to parade their newest acquisitions
The Bavarians’ biggest additions so far this summer are Sadio Mane and Matthijs de Ligt, and both of these standouts can prove their worth here in the DFL Supercup Final.
So what will Sadio Mane bring to Bayern Munich? He certainly adds a different dynamic for them, and although he isn’t as prolific as Lewandowski scoring-wise, the former Liverpool star can produce through his electric pace and mesmerising dribbling.
Just imagine once he links up with Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry up front. That would surely give opposing defences nightmares since they’ll be running circles around them.
Meanwhile, de Ligt just became the second Dutchman (and fourth signing overall) to join Bayern Munich this offseason after Ryan Gravenberch. The 22-year-old centre-back was bought for a fee of €80-M to Juventus.
Other than Bayern Munich, de Ligt was also heavily linked to Chelsea since he was seen as a suitable replacement for Antonio Rudiger, who left for Real Madrid on a free earlier this summer. He will surely play a key role in Bayern Munich’s defence for years to come.
In other news, Bayern Munich will miss Leon Goretzka’s services since he’s still recovering from his knee surgery on Monday. He’s expected to be out for around four to six weeks, leaving Julian Nagelsmann short of midfield options for the early part of the 2022/23 season.
RB Leipzig gunning for their second trophy in franchise history
After winning the DFB-Pokal last term, RB Leipzig’s confidence is high and they’ve carried over their solid form thus far in pre-season when they beat Southampton on Saturday with a score of 3-1.
RB Leipzig star Emil Forsberg celebrates after scoring a goal during a Champions League clash against PSG in 2020
Angelino, Emil Forsberg, and Ilaix Moriba all scored vs. the Saints and they’ll look to shine once more for Domenico Tedesco’s side in this upcoming final.
Other than those three, Bayern Munich will have their hands full in trying to keep the likes of Christopher Nkunku, Andre Silva, Dominik Szoboszlai, Konrad Laimer, and Yussuf Poulsen at bay. And RB Leipzig have a strong backline too, which is manned by Willi Orban, Lukas Klostermann, and Josko Gvardiol.
Another trophy for the Red Bulls should help them in changing perceptions about themselves as a club and as an entity since they’re continuously aiming to further close the gap to the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
History
The DFL Supercup was established in 1987 where Bayern Munich won their first after beating Hamburger SV 2-1 in the final.
Since then, the Bavarians have won eight more – including five in the last six years. In stark contrast, this will be RB Leipzig’s first-ever DFL Supercup Final.
Furthermore, Borussia Dortmund are the second winningest team with six and they’re the last club to beat Bayern Munich in this competition, which happened in 2019 with a score of 2-0.
Last season, Bayern Munich achieved a league double over RB Leipzig with an aggregate tally of 7-3.
The Red Bulls have yet to beat the Bavarians for the second time ever since their 2-1 home triumph on Matchday 27 of the 2017/18 season when they were still coached by current Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann.
Bayern Munich are backed by the SBOTOP DFL Supercup 2022 odds to win on July 31. They are priced at 1.91, while a victory for RB Leipzig is installed at 3.45 and a draw after 90 minutes is at 3.75 in the 1×2 market.
Both teams weren’t gun-shy in their two encounters last season and we anticipate more of the same for this upcoming final.
So regardless of who wins, we’re expecting numerous DFL Supercup 2022 highlights to come our way – making Over 1.50 @ 2.28 our recommended bet.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR () BETS ARE WORTH:
= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
= €10 (CONFIDENT)
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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Bundesliga: Frankfurt vs Bayern…How’s That for Starters?
Not long to go now folks.
Europe’s big leagues are just around the corner, starting a little earlier this year to accommodate the Qatar World Cup, and still in the midst of some frantic transfer activity.
And as the 2022/23 Bundesliga is just two weeks away let’s take a look at the opening round of fixtures and pick out the best match-ups. I’ll stick in the current odds of who I believe should emerge with three points and there might be a nice ACCA there!
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Bayern Munich
What a way top open the campaign. The Europa League champions against the 2022 Bundesliga winners on a balmy Friday night in Frankfurt.
For the hosts it’s a chance to show they can continue to compete with the very best, and that they are a team to be reckoned with, while the visitors begin life without Robert Lewandowski.
Oliver Glasner’s Eagles finished 11th in the 2021/22 Bundesliga season but they thrived in Europe, beating West Ham on the way to a Europa League final win over Scottish club Rangers. 29 year old Serbian winger Filip Kostic has been Frankfurt’s best player over the past four seasons, while young central defender Evan Ndicka has attracted plenty of interest in the summer market.
All eyes will be on Bayern’s new striker Sadio Mane and defensive recruit Matthijs de Ligt as Julian Nagelsmanns’s side begin another title campaign.
Bayern @ 1.39
Borussia Dortmund vs Bayer Leverkusen
Marco Reus remains a class act for Dortmund, making the third highest number of assists last season with 12
The pre-seasonBundesliga 2022 betting odds are backing Bayern to win an 11th consecutive title and Borussia Dortmund to run them the closest and, after losing their star striker Erling Braut Haaland, BVB have conducted some sound business, bringing in young striker Karim Adeyemi and Nico Schlotterbeck in defence. This could be a big season for English wonderkid Jude Bellingham while skipper Marco Reus remains a class act, making the third highest number of assists last season with 12.
Bayer Leverkusen finished third last season and the five times Bundesliga runners up will be there or thereabouts again. They have their own young star in 19 year old midfielder Florian Wirtz who has already earned four full caps for Germany. And Czech striker Patrik Schick has been one of the most consistent strikers in Europe in recent years.
Of these four games, here at SBOTOP we believe this is the tightest to call; but Dortmund have the slight edge.
The Berlin Derby is still on after Hertha stayed in the top flight last term by the skin of their teeth. After finishing 16th in the table, they squeezed through a relegation play-off by a 2-1 score line against Hamburg. Trailing by a goal after the first leg, Dedryck Boyata and Marvin Plattenhardt fired Hertha to safety and new coach Sandro Schwarz will try to avoid another scare this term.
In contrast Urs Fischer led Union Berlin to a fifth placed finish in their third season in the top flight and they are about to embark on a Europa adventure. Fischer has just strengthened his team’s midfield, bringing in 26 year old Norwegian midfielder Morten Thorsby, signed from Serie A club Sampdoria this week.
Union Berlin @ 1.77
Stuttgart vs Red Bull Leipzig
After a poor first half of the 2021/22 campaign Domenico Tedesco took over as Red Bull boss and steered the club to its minimum expectation, a top four finish. He’ll want to do better again this year as well as his side going deep into the Champions League.
Leipzig attacking midfielder Christopher Nkunku had an outstanding season and he’s been the subject of transfer speculation all summer. But the Frenchman has said he won’t be leaving Red Bull any time soon and we’re expecting him to provide plenty more Bundesliga 2022 highlights.The experienced pair of Yussuf Poulsen and Emil Forsberg will provide creative support as Red Bull look to continue their expansive style of play.
After a period in the second tier VfB Stuttgart were promoted in 2020 and they narrowly earned a third successive season in the top flight, a win over Koln giving them a 15th placed finish last term. Survival is the aim again, but as recently as 2007 Stuttgart were Bundesliga champions and fans at their 60,000 seater stadium are hoping for a return to top flight stability.
Every now and then a major sale happens with almost no build up and if FC Bayern somehow lured the England striker to Munich this would be one such case. The question has been asked in the hot gossip section of Bundesliga 2022 news, and if there is anything in it we can prepare for shock waves around Europe!
Last summer it looked like the prolific striker was on his way to Manchester City but, as he sat in the stands watching his Tottenham Hotspur team-mates kick off the new campaign without him, the deal was unravelling behind him. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has always been a tough cookie to deal with and the Sky Blues lost heart.
This summer Manchester City have taken on Erling Braut Haaland and so they don’t need another big hitter in the number nine role, but Spurs have now been disturbed by overtones from abroad.
Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann was asked about the striker in a press conference last week and, instead of refusing to talk about another team’s player he was surprisingly forthcoming, almost gushing in his admiration and slyly suggesting that if the money is available he’d make a swoop. “He’s very expensive, that’s the problem,” he said. “But a brilliant player, one of two or three who can play as a centre forward or a Number 10, he’s very strong, brilliant with head and both feet.
“He could score a lot in the Bundesliga, I don’t know the price, but it’s really tough for Bayern Munich. We’ll see what happens in the future.”
Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte during their pre-season match against Rangers
It may be that Nagelsmann is preparing the ground for a move next summer or even trying to attract the attention of the player’s agent; either way Spurs boss Antonio Conte has not been impressed. After a slow start to last season Kane was soon back to his best when Conte arrived and the former Inter Milan boss has been quick to hit back at Nagelsmann.
“For sure, I am a coach who does not speak about players at other teams,” said Conte. “The situation at Tottenham is very clear. The plan is very clear with the club. He is part of the project, an important part of the project. At the same time, I don’t like to speak about the players of other clubs. If I want to do something, I’ll go and speak with the club and not go through the media. Maybe it is a little disrespectful for the other club.”
Spurs finished last season in fourth place, guaranteeing Champions League football and that might be enough to convince Kane, who ended up with 17 goals last term, to stay for at least another year.
Here at SBOTOP we’ve picked the England skipper out as a potential Golden Boot winner at the Qatar World Cup and, if he did make the move to Bayern the Bundesliga 2022 betting odds on Nagelsmann’s side to win the 2022/23 league title might disappear without trace!
In the meantime, the teams hoping to stop Bayern had some encouragement at the weekend as the Bavarians lost a friendly game to Manchester City when former Borussia Dortmund hitman Haaland scored his first goal for the Sky Blues.
Eintracht ready for Milan swoop
Premier League
ASTON VILLA
EVERTON
1X2 Everton @ 3.30
Aston Villa First Half Asian Handicap -0.25 @ 2.17
Bayern start the new campaign with a clash away to Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday 5th August and it looks like the Eagles may be without one of their best defenders as Serie A giants AC Milan have emerged as a suitor for centre back Evan Ndicka. The Rossoneri have been looking to strengthen their back line to bolster their Scudetto defence and have been tracking Spurs youngster Japhet Tanganga, but they have now turned their attention to Ndicka.
According to the Italian media Eintracht would be willing to sell the 22 year old at around 20m Euros as he has just a year left to run on his contract. Milan head coach Stefano Pioli is working out his next step, but time is running out with the new campaign’s fast approaching.
Another talented young defender who looks like he’s on the way out of the Bundesliga is Red Bull Leipzig’s highly rated right back Nordi Mukiele. The 24 year old France international is set to sign a five year deal with Paris Saint-Germain and Red Bull are set to receive a fee of 12m Euros with add-ons. It loos like this deal could happen in the next few days.
The quest to stop FC Bayern winning a record 11th successive Bundesliga title will fall on the shoulders of Borussia Dortmund, Red Bull Leipzig and maybe Bayer Leverkusen. The loss of Mukiele isn’t necessarily a major blow to Red Bull, but they will look to strengthen in defence before the season starts.
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For on Friday night the German top flight will roar into life for the start of another Bundesliga season and what promises to be one of the most exciting in any of Europe’s leading divisions.
Among the many questions, one stands out?
Can anyone really stop Bayern Munich from winning an 11th successive title?
After a decade of dominance, the Bundesliga betting odds do not expect the Bavarians to relinquish their grip on the title and neither does this SBOTOP observer.
Indeed, why should anyone?
Well, for a start they have just sold the best marksman in Europe for the past seven years.
With the departure of prolific Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, who netted an incredible 238 goals in 253 appearances for Bayern, there could well be a feeling that the champions are weaker.
And in one sense they are.
But this is a team which, after failing in Europe last term, now seems stronger all round.
Even this opening weekend alone, there’s enough potential to have fans salivating.
It all starts on Friday night when Bayern travel to the German club which did secure European success last term.
Oliver Glasner’s Europa League winners have added world champion Mario Götze to their ranks this summer and should offer a stern test. Let’s remember, Eintracht Frankfurt have actually won two of their last four meetings with Bayern.
Then there’s perennial runners-up in the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund, now minus the services of Erling Braut Halland.
Sebastien Haller has come in as the man to fill Haaland’s boots and does so on the back of a blistering 34 goals in 42 games for Ajax last season, including 11 in eight Champions League outings, with two coming against Dortmund.
However, his unfortunate health news last week means he will not be playing for a while.
New coach Edin Terzic, who replaces Marco Rose, has also brought in centre backs Niklas Süle and Nico Schlotterbeck and exciting forward talent Karim Adeyemi so it could be an exciting time for Dortmund and possibly the start of a rebuild.
Yet it is hard to see them sustaining a title challenge and they could even struggle to stay ahead in the race for second.
In fact, their two meetings last term produced a total of 14 goals so don’t put any money on this being a goalless encounter.
They have strengthened with Czech forward Adam Hlozek arriving to join his compatriot Patrik Schick – the Bundesliga’s second highest scorer with 24 goals in 2021/22 – and they should possess one of the division’s most potent attacks.
Patrik Schick during Bayer Leverkusen’s match against Eintracht Frankfurt last season
With Moussa Diaby, 17 goals and 14 assists in all competitions last season, still on board and the captivating Florian Wirtz making solid progress in his comeback from injury, Leverkusen’s prospects are full of promise.
What else to look for this weekend?
A derby in the capital with Hertha Berlin facing the challenge of neighbours Union and a chance to gain some revenge.
The Old Lady survived a play-off fright against Hamburg before clinging to Bundesliga survival last time out, but what will have hurt most during a difficult season were the three losses against Union.
Along with successive defeats in the top flight – which included Union’s biggest away win in their Bundesliga history (4-1 at the Olympiastadion) – Hertha also went down to Die Eisernen in the German Cup.
Bundesliga highlights elsewhere could involve newly promoted clubs Schalke (who visit Cologne) and Werder Bremen who face Wolfsburg, now managed by Niko Kovac whose showed his pedigree when he guided Bayern to a domestic double and Frankfurt to the German Cup in recent campaigns.
Meanwhile, German Cup holders RB Leipzig face survival specialists VfB Stuttgart with last season’s Bundesliga Player of the Year, Christopher Nkunku, in their ranks.
The Bundesliga has boasted the highest goals-per-game rate among Europe’s top five leagues in four of the last five seasons. Even without Lewandowski and Haaland, I don’t expect that to change.
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Bundesliga: Champions Bayern, Frankfurt Collide in Season Opener
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Bayern Munich
The Bundesliga will kick off another exciting campaign this weekend, and the first match of the season will see reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich travelling to Deutsche Bank Park to face Europa League champions Eintracht Frankfurt.
But Frankfurt have had their share of success against the Bavarians in recent meetings and will be eager to defy the Bundesliga 2022 betting odds once again.
After successfully claiming silverware in his first season, manager Oliver Glasner will now look to get the Eagles back up to the top half of the table in his second campaign in charge. And he will have a couple of new weapons to help him do so.
Frankfurt signed striker Lucas Alario as well as former Bayern star Mario Gotze this summer to bolster an attack that was a bit lacking in firepower last season. They scored a mere 45 goals, with Rafael Borre’s eight goals leading the team.
Alario, who has spent the last five seasons with Bayer Leverkusen, scored 6 goals in 27 appearances last season. And Gotze – who famously scored the winning goal for Germany in the 2014 World Cup – spent the past two years at PSV, where he had 9 goals and 10 assists in 47 league appearances.
Meanwhile, Filip Kostic’s future remains unclear. The Serbian wing-back, who has been Frankfurt’s main creative force in recent years, continues to be linked with several clubs. Although, it looks as if he will still be around to start against Bayern.
Kostic got the start in Frankfurt’s 4-0 win over Magdeburg in the DFB-Pokal earlier this week and set up the first of Daichi Kamada’s two goals after just four minutes. Meanwhile, newcomer Alario came on as a substitute and scored in the 90th minute to wrap up the win.
Lewandowski-less Bayern look good in win over Leipzig
Bayern Munich are all set to begin their quest for an incredible 11th Bundesliga title in a row. But for the first time in nine years, they will look to do so without superstar striker Robert Lewandowski after his move to Barcelona.
Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner gestures from the sideline during a DFB-Pokal match against FC Magdeburg
But the Bavarians did not seem to miss Lewy all that much in the German Super Cup, as they thumped RB Leipzig 5-3. Sadio Mane got on the scoresheet for his new club and led the line well in a more flexible and dynamic-looking Bayern attack.
Meanwhile, midfielder Jamal Musiala starred as he scored the opener and set up another goal. The talented teen got the start over veteran wingers Leroy Sane and Kingsley Coman, and he may have earned another start after his excellent performance, which received rave reviews from his manager Julian Nagelsmann.
Nagelsmann could also move Musiala to central midfield to partner Joshua Kimmich, with Marcel Sabitzer – who got the start for the injured Leon Goretzka – possibly giving way.
New signings Matthijs de Ligt, Ryan Gravenberch, and Noussair Mazraoui all came in as substitutes against Leipzig, but none of them is likely to start the season opener.
History
Bayern Munich have dominated Frankfurt over the years in the Bundesliga. The Bavarians have been victorious in 20 of their last 27 league meetings, with Frankfurt winning just three times.
However, two of the Eagles’ three triumphs have come in the last two seasons. They beat Bayern 2-1 at home on February 2021, then they went to Munich to beat Bayern 2-1 again in their first meeting of the following season.
Bayern finally snapped their surprising losing skid to Frankfurt with a 1-0 win at the Deutsche Bank Park last February. Leroy Sane scored the lone goal in a 1-0 victory.
SBOTOP odds have Bayern Munich priced as 1.41 favourites for the season opener away from home. Frankfurt are 6.00 home underdogs, while a draw is 5.00.
While Bayern looked mighty impressive against Leipzig, facing European champions Eintracht Frankfurt will not be a walk in the park. The Eagles will bring back a mostly similar side to the one that claimed the Europa League title, and the home crowd should provide some much-needed energy against Bayern.
Bayern still look like a decent bet to go on and win the opener, but look for Eintracht Frankfurt to keep things competitive against the champions once again.
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The Bundesliga is back with a bang, folks, and it’s business as usual for the champions as Bayern’s trip to Frankfurt ended in a 6-1 rout for Julian Nagelsmann’s title favourites.
Sadio Mane scored his first goal for the Bavarians as they wiped away any fears that the sale of Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona would make it more difficult for them to score goals. Bayern, in search of a record 11th successive Bundesliga title, simply shared the fun around as they tore into the Eagles’ shell-shocked defence.
Frankfurt face Real Madrid in the Super Cup next week and their own fans will fear the worst after watching their team decimated, as the champions put down a clear and brutal marker in the first 90 minutes of the new season.
Here at SBOTOP we’ve watched Mane’s move to Bayern with interest, and while his former club Liverpool struggled to a 2-2 draw with Premier League new boys Fulham, the Senegalese striker scored Bayern’s third in an explosive opening half. It took just five minutes for them to open their account when Joshua Kimmich struck, his clever free-kick going in off the post.
Five minutes into the season and the teams expected to make up the chasing pack, as one, breathed a heavy sigh!
Benjamin Pavard has been linked with a move away from Munich following the arrival of Matthijs de Ligt, but Nagelsmann wants to keep him and the French utility defender showed just why as he drilled in the second goal. Chelsea, Juventus and Atletico Madrid have all been linked with Pavard, but he started games against Leipzig and Eintracht at right-back it looks like he’s the boss’s number one choice in that position.
Mane got on the score sheet when he headed in a cross from Serge Gnabry on the half hour, before 19-year-old Jamal Musiala tapped in the fourth. Gnabry made it five just before the break when the Eintracht players had a chance to go in and work out what happened while the Bayern stars had a cup of tea.
The second half was much gentler for the hosts and they scored their consolation when French centre-forward Randal Muani struck early in the second half. But, with the clock mercifully ticking down, Musiala scored his second and Bayern’s sixth when he latched on to Leroy Sane’s pass.
With two goals already in the bag the young striker looks ready to play a big part in Bayern’s campaign and sees no reason why he should bulk up, happy to make use of his slender frame and his speed and agility: “For me, it’s important to take another step going forward into next season,” he said. “I don’t think I need a lot of upper body strength. That might slow me down, so I would work on more explosive stuff that will keep me quick and agile.”
Borussia Dortmund grind out a big win over Bayer
Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus during their match against Bayer Leverkusen
BVB boss Edin Terzic is determined to ensure his team is the hardest working in the Bundesliga and they certainly put a shift in to beat title rivals Bayer Leverkusen, thanks to Marco Reus’s winner. Terzic said: “We did not start really well, lost possession a few times but recovered well. They were better after the break but we defended our lead well.”
Leverkusen had 55 per cent possession while Dortmund had four shots on target to their three, and Reus’s early strike turned out to be the only goal of the game. Bayer keeper and skipper, Lukas Hradecky, was sent off in injury time as the game became bad-tempered. But there was bad news too for BVB who saw their new signing Karim Adeyemi limp off with a foot injury with just a quarter of the game gone.
It was a gutsy win for Borussia, but they will need to show more quality and attacking intent if they are to keep pace with Die Bayern.
The loss of Erling Braut Haaland, the cancer diagnosis for new striker Sebastien Haller which will sideline him for a few months, and now the injury to Adeyemi means Die Schwarzgelben are short of numbers up front. So they are closing in on a deal to bring experienced striker Antony Modeste from Koln to Dortmund. The 34-year-old scored 20 goals in 32 appearances for Koln last year but his cash-strapped club would be willing to cash in, and an offer of a fee of around 5m is on the table.
Among the rest of the first weekend Bundesliga 2022 results, FC Union won the Berlin derby with a 3-1 victory over Hertha, while Freiburg started impressively with a 4-0 win away to Augsburg. Borussia Monchengladbach started with a home victory over Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig open their campaign away to Stuttgart on Sunday.
The early-season Bundesliga 2022 betting odds are heavily backing Bayern to lift the title again, and they will sit at the top of the table at the end of Round One, unless Leipzig can hit Stuttgart for six too!
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Bundesliga: Freiburg Go for Hat-Trick of Home Wins over Dortmund
SC Freiburg vs Borussia Dortmund
Freiburg find themselves in second place in the Bundesliga through one matchday after their dominant 4-0 win over Augsburg in the season opener. The Brazilians of Breisgau had a brilliant campaign last season and will be looking to finish even higher in the table this year.
Christian Streich’s side will face their first real test of the new season as they take on Borussia Dortmund, but they will not be afraid of their big-name visitors.
Freiburg have won back-to-back home games against BVB and will be going for the hat-trick this weekend as they face a Dortmund side with their fair share of injury concerns.
Talking Points
Freiburg’s new faces fire on their debut
After their fine sixth-place finish last season, Freiburg are off to a fantastic start this year as they smashed Augsburg 4-0, with all four goals coming in the second half.
Freiburg owed much of their success last season to their strong defence, but they lost one of the key pieces of that formidable backline this summer as Nico Schlotterbeck – who was one of the top defenders in the Bundesliga last season – was sold to Dortmund.
However, they got back German international Matthias Ginter, who should serve as a capable replacement for Schlotterbeck. Ginter scored on his Freiburg return against Augsburg, as did fellow debutants Michael Gregoritsch and Ritsu Doan.
With their other summer signings – Gregoritsch, Doan, and attacking midfielder Daniel-Kofi Kyereh – Freiburg prioritised improving their attack, which was quite mediocre last season. They ranked a distant 10th in expected goals (49.9) but they overperformed that and scored 58 goals. Vincenzo Grifo led the team with 9 league goals, although five of them were from the penalty spot.
Doan and Gregoritsch both started against Augsburg in Streich’s more adventurous 4-2-3-1 formation, and they have likely done enough to keep their places against Dortmund.
Borussia Dortmund battling injury concerns
Borussia Dortmund had a busy summer as they made a handful of key signings – Sebastien Haller, Karim Adeyemi, Nico Schlotterbeck, Salih Ozcan, and Nicklas Sule – to help boost their Bundesliga 2022 odds of dethroning champions Bayern Munich.
Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus kicks the ball during DFB Cup First Round against TSV 1860 Munich
Meanwhile, Adeyemi left in the first half of Dortmund’s season opener against Bayer Leverkusen – which BVB won 1-0 thanks to a Marco Reus goal – after picking up a foot injury. And Schlotterbeck says he suffered a dislocated shoulder, which he played through.
It’s doubtful Adeyemi will be able to recover in time to play this weekend, but Schlotterbeck should be able to face his former side despite his shoulder problem.
Moreover, BVB will likely have new signing Anthony Modeste available to make his debut. The 34-year-old striker, who was brought in to help make up for Haller’s absence, is a proven Bundesliga goalscorer. He is coming off a career-best campaign where he scored 20 goals in 32 league appearances for Koln.
Modeste will look to make some Bundesliga 2022 highlights against Freiburg, against whom he scored in both matches last season and has scored 7 goals in 10 career matches.
History
Dortmund have dominated Freiburg in the Bundesliga in recent years. BVB have a massive 18-3 advantage in terms of wins, with three draws.
However, Freiburg have finally begun to fight back in the last couple of seasons. They scored back-to-back wins over BVB in 2021, with both of those wins coming at home. Overall, Freiburg have lost just once in their last five home games against BVB.
But Dortmund got their revenge in the return fixture at Signal Iduna Park as they smashed Freiburg 5-1. Thomas Meunier and Erling Haaland bagged braces for BVB in that game, while Mahmoud Dahoud added a fifth four minutes from time.
SBOTOP odds have Borussia Dortmund installed as slight 2.26 favourites over Freiburg, who are priced at 2.96 to win their home opener. A draw is 3.45.
As the tight odds suggest, this is quite a tough match to call. Either side is fully capable of winning, and it could also just as easily be a draw.
However, Freiburg do have a slight edge in my eyes. They will be at home, an advantage that has served them well against Dortmund recently. Moreover, they figure to have a more cohesive system under Christian Streich while BVB still seem to be finding their way with Edin Terzic.
With those factors in mind, look for Freiburg to give Dortmund all they can handle and avoid defeat on their home opener.
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Bundesliga: Koln Out to Wreck Werner’s Red Bulls Return
RB Leipzig vs Koln
Despite taking an early lead, RB Leipzig were unable to get off to a winning start in the new Bundesliga season as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Stuttgart last weekend.
But with a certain Timo Werner expected to make his return, the Red Bulls will be ready to get their first win of the season in front of their home fans as they host Koln this weekend.
Koln got their season off to a fine start as they smashed newly promoted Schalke 3-1. But the Bundesliga 2022 betting odds will have the Billy Goats as big underdogs when they visit Red Bull Arena.
Talking Points
Werner in line to make Leipzig return
RB Leipzig will be kicking themselves that they did not start the season with a win over Stuttgart. They took an early lead through star forward Christopher Nkunku and absolutely bossed the match with 68 per cent possession and 28 total shots. But despite that domination, they were still held to a 1-1 draw.
However, the last week’s Bundesliga 2022 news should help relieve some of the Red Bulls fans’ disappointment.
RB Leipzig boss Domenico Tedesco stands in the sideline during a Bundesliga match against Wolfsburg in January 2022
Werner had an underwhelming time in the Premier League as he scored just 10 goals in 56 total games, but his goalscoring credentials in the Bundesliga are bonafide. Werner banged in an impressive 78 goals in his 127 league appearances in his first stint at Leipzig and will be keen to add more this season.
It remains to be seen whether Leipzig coach Domenico Tedesco will opt to start Werner against Koln after just a couple of days’ training. But at the very least, Werner should be available to come on as a substitute, adding to Leipzig’s already loaded bench that could also include Dominik Szoboszlai, Emil Forsberg, and Alexander Sorloth.
Koln look to overcome Modeste, Ozcan loss
Koln are coming off a fine Bundesliga campaign which saw them finish in seventh, their highest finish since coming in fifth in 2016-17.
Just like in that 16-17 season, striker Anthony Modeste was a massive part of that success as he led the team with 20 goals; the team’s second-leading scorer – Mark Uth – finished with just five.
However, Koln sold Modeste as well as another key player in defensive midfielder Salih Ozcan to Borussia Dortmund this summer, which have severely weakened the squad on paper.
It certainly helped that Schalke went down to 10 men just after half an hour when Dominick Drexler was sent off. But Steffen Baumgart’s side fully capitalised on their man advantage as they attempted an astounding 32 shots.
The starting front two of Jan Thielmann and Florian Dietz impressed as they combined for nine shots. Attacking midfielder Dejan Ljubicic added five, including a goal.
However, Koln will not see nearly as much of the ball in Leipzig and will instead be mostly on the defensive away against the Red Bulls.
Leipzig and Koln have squared off 10 times in total in the Bundesliga. The Red Bulls hold a 5-2 edge in wins, while there have been three draws.
Leipzig went unbeaten against Koln in their two meetings last season. After a 1-1 draw in the first match at Koln, the Red Bulls ran riot at home as they own 3-1.
SBOTOP odds have RB Leipzig installed as significant 1.42 favourites to win their home opener. A Koln win is priced at 6.80 while a draw is 4.60.
After failing to beat Stuttgart last weekend, look for Leipzig to come out with a greater sense of urgency in their home opener – with or without Werner in the starting lineup.
And while Koln looked decent against a 10-man Schalke, it seems unlikely that they will be able to handle a top side like Leipzig quite as well without either Modeste or Ozcan in the side.
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Bundesliga: New-Look Bayern Munich Welcome a Familiar Face
Bayern Munich vs VfL Wolfsburg
Former Bayern Munich boss Niko Kovac has found himself back in the Bundesliga, this time at VfL Wolfsburg, and he’ll face the daunting task of trying to beat his old employers this Sunday at the Allianz Arena.
The Croatian tactician coached the Bavarians from 2018 to 2019 but was unceremoniously sacked after a stretch of poor results and he went to Ligue 1 to coach AS Monaco for two seasons.
Kovac will certainly look to get one over his former club, but it’s easier said than done since the defending champions are off to a flying start following their outstanding season opener.
In contrast, his side is fresh from a disappointing performance against Werder Bremen and they wouldn’t want to have the same outcome this weekend.
Talking Points
Bayern Munich not skipping a beat
Questions surrounding Bayern Munich as to how they’ll compensate for Robert Lewandowski’s departure were answered emphatically by their impressive display during their 6-1 mauling of Eintracht Frankfurt.
Sadio Mane opened his Bundesliga scoring account six days after striking in their DFL Supercup victory over RB Leipzig, which was the team’s third goal after Joshua Kimmich and Benjamin Pavard’s efforts.
Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane applauds fans after their Bundesliga match against Eintracht Frankfurt
Jamal Musiala notched a brace while Serge Gnabry added one for good measure, while Randal Kolo Muani could only muster one for Die Adler to prevent a clean sheet.
Given that his men are in form, Julian Nagelsmann is likely to retain the same starting lineup, although he may consider giving his other new signings spots in the starting XI in order to get their feet wet.
Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, and Ryan Gravenberch all came off the bench last weekend, and at some point, they will all play key roles in their pursuit of their 11th straight Bundesliga championship.
Leon Goretzka is Bayern Munich’s only major injury concern as he continues to recover from his knee surgery, but they should be fine since Marcel Sabitzer has been filling in well for the German midfielder.
VfL Wolfsburg still adjusting to their new coach
Die Wolfe will need more time to get acclimated to Niko Kovac’s tactics as shown in their 2-2 draw against Werder Bremen.
The newly-promoted visitors were eager to upstage their hosts and they were solid at the start, up until Lukas Nmecha scored for the Wolves at the 11th minute.
But Ole Werner’s men stuck to their gameplan and they reclaimed the advantage as Niclas Fullkrug and Leonardo Bittencourt both found the back of the net in just a span of three minutes.
Both sides exchanged chances in the second half, and it was super sub Josuha Guilavogui who scored the equaliser for Die Wolfe through Max Kruse’s cross during the 84th minute.
VfL Wolfsburg have a couple of injury worries to deal with ahead of Saturday as Jonas Wind and Yannick Gerhardt are doubtful to play after their opener.
So Niko Kovac will continue to rely heavily on the trio of Lukas Nmecha, Max Kruse, and Omar Marmoush to provide Bundesliga 2022 highlights, while Josuha Guilavogui might get the nod to start as well.
Bayern Munich have been dominant against VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, losing only four of their last 50 meetings (8-per cent), which is their second-lowest losing percentage against any German counterpart only behind KFC Uerdingen (7-per cent).
Their last league defeat to VfL Wolfsburg happened in January 2015 where the Wolves won with a scoreline of 4-1.
The Bavarians have yet to lose in their last 25 league home matches against Die Wolfe (W23, D2), which is their longest undefeated home streak against any other side. They’ve also scored in each of their last 28 league matches against VfL Wolfsburg since their goalless draw back in May 2008 (80 goals total).
Die Wolfe held Bayern Munich to a 2-2 draw in their previous encounter last May as Jonas Wind and Max Kruse netted after trailing early in the first half.
The SBOTOP Bundesliga 2022 odds have Bayern Munich as the favourites to win. They are installed at 1.14, while VfL Wolfsburg are huge underdogs at 17.50 and a draw is priced at 7.60 in the 1X2 market.
Over 4.00 @ 1.92 might be a bet to consider especially after looking at their encounters last season, although Bayern Munich are likely to provide majority of the goals.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the hosts should get their second consecutive win, which will heighten their confidence even more as they continue to defend their crown.
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Two weeks into the Bundesliga and the fledging league table has a familiar look.
The champions are top and right on their heels are the perennial bridesmaids.
It is very early days but, with a respectful nod to RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen, it is hard to see Bayern Munich being dislodged from top spot or Borussia Dortmund being pushed away from the top four anytime soon.
After winning the German Super Cup in style and then hitting Europa League winner Eintracht Frankfurt for six in their opener, Bayern Munich settled for two against Wolfsburg on Sunday.
It was actually one of the teenage stars plying his trade in the German top flight who set them on their way as veteran Thomas Muller found Jamal Musiala and the 19 year-old got a lucky break off his marker and steered home the opener.
He now has 14 league goals in a Bayern shirt.
Just before the break, Alphonso Davies broke down the left and cut the ball back for Joshua Kimmich whose first-time shot appeared to be heading wide until the evergreen Muller stuck out a boot and diverted in the second.
Job done, game over.
If Bayern have young talent, so do Borussia Dortmund.
And if the Yellow and Blacks from the Rhine genuinely believe they can mount a title challenge this term, they will need every ounce of the character they displayed at Freiburg on Friday night.
Two teenagers, in fact, in the shape of Youssoufa Moukoko and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.
The latter levelled up matters by firing a speculative long-range shot that slipped through the home keeper Mark Flekken’s fingers and into the net and the mood music quickly changed.
Bynoe-Gittens was involved again shortly afterwards when his mazy dribble dragged defenders out of position before slipping a pass into fellow substitute Julian Brandt, who flicked it to Moukoko to fire home.
A quick-fire turnaround was completed moments later when Marius Wolf scampered down the right wing, cut inside and drilled a shot inside the far post.
Leipzig are a team who excite me.
The Red Bulls have caught my eye, or more specifically the talents of the “Bundesliga Player of the Year” have, with rave reviews from my 10 year-old grandson!
Now the France striker has been joined by the returning Timo Werner who never properly settled in English football.
After frustration at a poor scoring return at Chelsea, you can guess what happened as it took him just 36 minutes to score on his return to Germany!
RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner after their match against FC Koln at Red Bull Arena
After Florian Dietz equalised, Nkunku restored the home team’s advantage but Josko Gvardiol levelled again for the battling visitors 18 minutes from time as Cologne managed to take the gloss off the homecoming party.
For a team I tipped to be potential runners-up this term, it has been a poor start for Bayer Leverkusen with two defeats out of two.
An opening loss against rivals Dortmund is one thing but to lose at home to FC Augsburg, who finished 14th last term, was not in the script.
Andre Hahn’s winner seven minutes from time would have frustrated home coach Gerardo Seoane and sealed Augsburg’s first ever victory against Leverkusen, who have started the season with three straight defeats when you include elimination from the German Cup.
Leverkusen had never previously lost to Augsburg in 22 matches in what had been the longest remaining unbeaten head-to-head record in Bundesliga history.
Hahn’s goal was late but far from the latest of the weekend.
Just how important Marius Bulter’s 93rd minute penalty will be remains to be seen but, for Schalke, back in the top flight after a 12-month absence, it is a foundation to build on.
Rodrigo Zalazar’s 29th minute opener had the home fans in raptures until two goals in six minutes threatened to turn the game in favour of Borussia Monchengladach.
But, deep in stoppage time, Patrick Herrmann handled in his own area following a set piece and Bulter sent Yann Sommer the wrong way from the spot.
After an 11 year absence, Bochum are also back in the top flight and hoping to deliver Bundesliga highlights.
Yet they were left to rue conceding an 88th minute goal to Munas Dabbur which proved to be the winner for Hoffenheim.
There was a blistering start to the encounter with four goals traded in the opening 23 minutes.
Simon Zoller scored twice in three minutes to fire Bochum into an early two-goal lead before Christoph Baumgartner turned in a rebound and Ozan Kabak flicked in a header in quick succession.
As the Bundesliga betting odds fluctuated one way then the other, it was left to Dabbur to be granted too much time and space to rifle in the winner. It was a welcome win for the hosts who had gone 10 Bundesliga matches without a win, dating back to a 1-0 success over Cologne in early March.
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Bundesliga: Last-Place Leverkusen Look for First Points
Bayer Leverkusen vs TSG Hoffenheim
Bayer Leverkusen’s new Bundesliga campaign is off to a lousy start. Die Werkself find themselves bottom of the table after back-to-back defeats in the first two rounds.
Gerardo Seoane will be hoping the third time’s the charm in terms of getting their first win as his side host Hoffenheim this weekend.
Hoffenheim are in eighth place and are coming off a dramatic comeback win over Bochum last week. Die Kraichgauer’s first few games have been high-scoring affairs, and they could be in for another shootout against a Leverkusen side that still has some capable attacking weapons.
After their strong third-place finish last season, Bayer Leverkusen have started this new campaign on a losing streak. They dropped their first match 1-0 away to Borussia Dortmund, then lost 2-1 to Augsburg in their home opener despite being heavy favourites according to the Bundesliga 2022 betting odds.
Leverkusen absolutely dominated Augsburg as they finished with a 24-6 advantage in shots, but they were unable to convert their chances.
Patrik Schick, who was one of the surprises of last season with 24 goals in just 27 games, has had a slow start in front of goal. Despite seven shots in his first two games, the Czech striker has yet to find the back of the net. Similarly, winger Moussa Diaby (13 goals, 12 assists last season) still hasn’t gotten off the mark.
The continued absence of playmaker Florian Wirtz has also played a part in Leverkusen’s slow start. The 19-year-old wunderkind, who had a wonderful campaign last season with 7 goals and 10 assists, is still recovering from a serious knee injury.
Seoane started Sardar Azmoun and new signing Adam Hlozek against Augsburg in the absence of Wirtz and Bellarabi, and they could keep their places against Hoffenheim after producing their share of Bundesliga 2022 highlights.
Hoffenheim still entertaining under new head coach
Hoffenheim bounced back from their 3-1 opening-day defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach by beating Bochum 3-2 at home.
Hoffenheim found themselves two goals down after just 13 minutes, but they made a brilliant comeback, which was capped off by Mu’nas Dabbur’s goal two minutes from time to give new coach Andre Breitenreiter his first win in charge.
Hoffenheim new boss Andre Breitenreiter watches from the sidelines during a Bundesliga match between former club Hannover 96 and Bayern Munich last 2018
With a total of nine goals in their first two games, Hoffenheim are still as entertaining as ever under Breitenreiter. Last season under Sebastian Hoeness, they scored 58 goals – tied for fifth in the league – and conceded 60, which was the fourth-most in the division.
The departure of left-back David Raum to RB Leipzig this summer looked to be a significant blow for Hoffenheim. Raum was one of their main creative sparks as he provided 11 assists last season. But Angelino, who came over from Leipzig on loan, is a capable attacking outlet from the wing-back position.
Hoffenheim also have another wing-back who is looking quite dangerous going forward. Robert Skov has had a stellar start to the season; he scored in the opener against Gladbach and had five shots (two on target) against Bochum.
Meanwhile, Andrej Kramaric will look to bounce back after his rough outing against Bochum. The Croatian striker had five shots but none were on target, and he also had a penalty saved.
History
Leverkusen have had the edge over Hoffenheim in recent years. They have a 16-6 advantage in wins, with six draws.
Leverkusen are four games unbeaten against Hoffenheim, with two wins and two draws. Both matches last season were high-scoring barnburners. After a 2-2 draw at the BayArena, Leverkusen beat Hoffenheim 4-2 in the reverse fixture. Patrik Schick scored a brace in both matches.
SBOTOP odds have Bayer Leverkusen as big 1.68 favourites to get their first win of the season at home. Hoffenheim are priced at 4.40 while a draw is 4.00.
Without a doubt, Leverkusen will be desperate to get their first points of the season and emerge from the bottom of the Bundesliga standings. While Wirtz’s continued absence hurts, Schick and Diaby are still around and are more than capable of causing Hoffenheim’s shaky defence some problems.
Based on recent history and Hoffenheim’s start to the season, this could yet be another high-scoring affair. But home advantage, coupled with their quality up front, should see Leverkusen come out on top.
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Early pacesetters Borussia Dortmund are aiming for a third win on the bounce when they entertain newcomers Werder Bremen at the Signal Iduna Park on Saturday.
This Bundesliga gamebrings together a leading contender for the 2022/23 title and a team which was promoted to the top-flight last term and could easily be dragged into a relegation scrap.
Dortmund have picked up a maximum six points from their opening two games to keep pace with the other 100-per centers FC Bayern, thanks to victories over Bayer Leverkusen and SC Freiburg, while Werder Bremen have played out two 2-2 draws against Wolfsburg and Stuttgart.
That represents a decent start for Ole Werner’s team, but they will need to pick up wins against the teams around them.
The Bundesliga 2022 betting odds price a home win at 1.36 and another draw for the Die Werderaner would be a great result, while handing BVB an unwanted early season setback.
Talking Points
BVB’s latest wonderkid signs a new deal
Dortmund has been a hotbed of young talent in recent years, with stars such as Christian Pulisic, Jadon Sancho and, most recently, Erling Haaland earning big money moves after making their names with Die Schwarzgelben.
Young England star Jude Bellingham was the breakout sensation last season and he is still at the club, and now a new kid has landed on the block.
The opening day win over Bayer was followed by a difficult trip to Freiburg where Borussia Dortmund have fallen in their last two visits. And it looked like another defeat might have been on the way when U19s star Jamie Bynoe-Gittens entered the fray three quarters way through the game with the score at 1-0 to Freiburg.
But just 12 minutes after he came on, Bynoe-Gittens scored a 76th minute leveller and Dortmund went on to win 3-1 as Youssoufa Moukoko and Marius Wolf breached the Freiburg defence.
Following the match on Tuesday, Borussia announced they had given the 18-year-old Bynoe-Gittens a new contract to June 2025 to ensure they get the best deal if and when their latest star moves on.
He has been likened to Sancho and has already shown he has the composure and skill to change a game, and we’re going to see a lot more Bundesliga 2022 highlights from this young man.
Dortmund are second favourites to lift the 2022/23 Bundesliga title at SBOTOP odds of 8.00 and new head coach Edin Terzic knows he will need to find the right blend of youth and experience as captain Marco Reus illustrated with his goal which took all three points against Bayer Leverkusen.
Werder’s squad players have a big role to play
Bremen head coach Werner has some injury concerns early in the campaign and he will be pleased with the response of his fringe players who are being asked to step up at a time the club is stepping up too.
Werder Bremen head coach Ole Werner on the sidelines during their Bundesliga clash against VfL Wolfsburg
Star striker Niklas Fullkrug has scored a goal in each match so far, though he was doubtful for the VfB Stuttgart game having picked up a knock against Wolfsburg and Werner is watching him closely.
Another striker, Eren Dincki, is near to fitness after a four-week absence due to a muscle injury and Togan midfielder Dikeni Salifou is also sidelined.
The injuries meant that 25-year-old Scottish midfielder Oliver Burke played in the home match against Stuttgart, which the Green and Whites started superbly. However, after spurning the chance to go 2-0 up, they faded and found themselves 2-1 down late in the game.
But Burke saved the day with his equaliser which was the last kick of the game. The Scot’s pace gave the VfB defence a hard time and he could be pushing for a start against BVB.
With players coming back, the competition for places will surely help Werder in their search for enough points to avoid trouble.
The head-to-heads between Borussia Dortmund and Werder Bremenover the past three decades have been well-contested with BVB winning 31 matches to Werder’s 21 and their have been 12 draws.
The last meeting, a 4-1 win for Borussia at the Signal Iduna Park in April 2021, speeded up Werder Bremen’s decent into the Bundesliga 2 while BVB once again trailed FC Bayern at the top of the table. Both teams are hoping for better outcomes this season.
A draw at 4.64, or even a Werder Bremen win at odds of 6.76, are not entirely out of the question here. But I do think Dortmund look in good shape to make it three wins from three.
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RB Leipzig’s hopes of potentially challenging for the Bundesliga title have been dealt a blow after back-to-back draws to start the season.
And Domenico Tedesco’s side face the very real possibility of going winless in their first three games as they travel to the capital to face Union Berlin.
Die Eisernen are up in fifth through the first two rounds after a big derby win and a draw away to Mainz.
Union Berlin are playing their fourth straight season in the Bundesliga, where they have enjoyed a steady upward trajectory. After a strong 11th-place finish in their debut campaign, they have gone seventh and fifth the last two years, qualifying for Europe both times.
And Union are off to another strong start this season with a win and a draw in their first two games. Dating back to last season, they are now unbeaten in nine consecutive Bundesliga matches (7 wins, 2 draws), which is a club record.
Urs Fischer has led Union throughout this remarkable run. The 56-year-old coach has done a masterful job maximising his squad amid limited resources.
Fischer’s success at Union is made even more impressive by the fact that they have sold their leading Bundesliga scorer from the previous season each time. After Sebastian Andersson and Max Kruse, it was Taiwo Awoniyi’s turn to move on as he was sold to Nottingham Forest this summer following his breakout campaign where he scored 15 goals.
Union brought in American centre-forward Jordan Pefok to fill Awoniyi’s boots, and he has looked good thus far. He scored in his debut against city rivals Hertha and has five shots in his first two games. Meanwhile, strike partner Sheraldo Becker has also had a bright start with a goal and an assist.
But Julian Ryerson has been perhaps the biggest surprise thus far. The 24-year-old wing-back leads the team with six shots; he had attempted just 16 in his 28 appearances last season.
Leipzig still looking for first win
Timo Werner playing for Germany during a UEFA Nations League’s match against Italy last June
The Bundesliga 2022 odds had RB Leipzig as one of Bayern Munich’s main title challengers heading into the season after their dramatic turnaround under coach Domenico Tedesco.
But the Red Bulls have come out of the gates slowly as they’ve been held to back-to-back draws against Stuttgart and Koln.
Timo Werner made Bundesliga 2022 highlights on his return to Red Bull Arena as he scored the opener in his against Koln. However, Leipzig were down to ten men for the second half after Dominik Szoboszlai’s straight red card, and they were held to a 2-2 draw even after Christopher Nkunku had given them back the lead.
Nkunku has picked up from where he left off from last season as he’s scored in each of the first two games. He and Werner figure to be quite a prolific partnership moving forward.
With Szoboszlai suspended, Emil Forsberg could make his way back into to the starting lineup alongside Dani Olmo. After a disappointing injury-hit season last term, Olmo is returning to his best form and already has two assists in two games.
But while the Red Bulls have some exciting weapons in attack, they still have work to do at the back. Mohamad Simakan is likely to continue deputising in defence if Lukas Klostermann is unable to recover from his latest injury.
History
Despite being relative newcomers to the Bundesliga, Union Berlin have been surprisingly competitive against RB Leipzig, who have been one of the division’s top teams over the last few years.
Union and Leipzig have three wins each in their six Bundesliga matchups, although Union have won three in a row over the Red Bulls. Union did the double over Leipzig last season with two 2-1 wins.
Although, Leipzig did get one over on Union as they won 2-1 in the DFB-Pokal semi-finals. Emil Forsberg scored a dramatic winner in stoppage time to break the Berliners’ hearts.
SBOTOP odds have RB Leipzig installed as 2.11 favourites, with Union Berlin priced at 3.40 to pick up the home win. A draw is 3.30.
Leipzig are certainly much better than they’ve shown thus far this season, and the addition of Werner should be a big boost. But going to Berlin and picking up a win against an in-form Union side will be a tough task.
As Union’s undefeated run has shown, they are a difficult side to face, and even without a bona fide star in their squad, they are still capable of bringing down the best teams. Look for them to give Leipzig more problems en route to picking up a positive result at home.
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Bundesliga: VfL Bochum are Not a Walk in the Park for Bayern Munich
VfL Bochum vs Bayern Munich
VfL Bochum and Bayern Munich had two of the craziest results from the 2021-22 season, so Bundesliga fans should mark this match on their calendars.
The Bavarian giants drew first blood in dominant fashion, but Die Unabsteigbaren replied with a blowout win of their own in the reverse fixture, and they’ll be ambitious for the same outcome this Sunday.
However, Die Unabsteigbaren’s confidence is low after consecutive defeats against Mainz and Hoffenheim, while Bayern Munich aren’t skipping a beat with convincing Bundesliga 2022 results versus Eintracht Frankfurt and VfL Wolfsburg.
With another fun encounter ahead, read on below as SBOTOP offers certain talking points for this upcoming matchup.
Talking Points
VfL Bochum facing lineup concerns
Die Unabsteigbaren did well in their top-flight return last season when they finished 13th in the Bundesliga table – which is nine points clear of the relegation zone. But repeating or outdoing the same result this season might be too much to ask from them given their slow start.
Mainz took the early lead courtesy of Karim Onisiwo’s 26th minute goal, but Kevin Stoger answered back for VfL Bochum 13 minutes later. In the end, the 05ers secured the three points because Onisiwo scored again in the second half.
It was a similar situation for VfL Bochum when they took on Hoffenheim, but Simon Zoller’s brilliance in three minutes where he recorded a brace weren’t enough to topple their hosts.
VfL Bochum boss Thomas Reis can point to his depleted lineup as the main reason for their slow start, although you can’t fault them for trying.
His absentee list includes Jacek Goralski, Patrick Osterhage, Danilo Soares, and Kostas Stafylidis, while their talismanic wide-man Gerrit Holtmann was also sidelined due to a knee injury and remains a major doubt.
Zoller and Stoger are tasked to shoulder the heavy load once more, but the others have to do their part too in order to have a chance.
Jamal Musiala is becoming a star for Bayern Munich
Julian Nagelsmann expects to make 2-3 changes to Bayern Munich’s starting XI vs Bochum
Jamal Musiala is slowly realising his potential as he’s been Bayern Munich’s most productive player so far. In their opening three games this term, the 19-year-old forward has tallied four goals and one assist.
With Serge Gnabry, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, and Leon Goretzka dealing with injuries, Musiala will have more opportunities to shine and Bayern Munich might just have their new golden boy at their disposal.
But he recently picked up a knock, though, and hopefully it isn’t serious. If Musiala sits this one out, then expect Leroy Sane or the returning Kingsley Coman to take his place in the starting lineup.
History
Last season, Bayern Munich had the edge over VfL Bochum with an aggregate tally of 9-5 – where the Bavarians won 7-1 in the first, and Die Unabsteigbaren took a 4-2 victory in the next one.
The said 4-2 result was VfL Bochum’s first league win against Bayern Munich since 2004. They’ve never won back-to-back against the record Bundesliga champions, although they’ve beaten them twice at home in 1974 and 1975.
The last time that VfL Bochum were undefeated against Bayern Munich in two straight matches dates back to 1998.
For the first time in four years, the Bavarians have won both of their first two games in the season, which is good omen in their pursuit of their 11th straight Bundesliga crown.
In the last 11 campaigns that this happened, Bayern Munich only once failed to win the domestic silverware at the end of the season (4th place in 2006/07).
Same as last season, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are the only two sides with maximum points after two games.
The Bundesliga 2022 odds have Bayern Munich as the overwhelming favourites this Sunday. The Bavarians are pegged at1.17, while VfL Bochum are priced at 12.50 and a draw is at 7.40 in the 1X2 market.
Bayern Munich and VfL Bochum supporters may have shared a friendship over the last 50 years. But on the pitch, the visitors aren’t expected to take it easy against the hosts.
Over 3.50 @ 1.62 and Total Goal 4-6 @ 1.86 are possible alternatives to think about since recent encounters between these two have been goal fests.
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At the time of writing FC Bayern haven’t even played their third game of the 2022/23 Bundesliga campaign but it’s already been a good weekend for the reigning champions.
If they can avoid defeat away to Bochum Die Bayern will return to the top of the table, while a victory will take them two points clear, thanks to a dramatic turn of events in Dortmund where BVB gave away three points in six minutes of madness. And elsewhere, title hopefuls Red Bull Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen both fell to defeats while Borussia Monchengladbach’s strong start to the new season continues.
BVB must learn to play the full 95
When the Bundesliga 2022 betting odds say you have an uphill battle to wrestle the title away from Bavaria the last thing you need to do is lose your third match of the campaign; and particularly at the Signal Iduna Stadium in front of the legendary Yellow Wall.
But, after winning their first two, that’s exactly what Dortmund did when Werder Bremen came to town. Here at SBOTOP we backed the hosts to make it three wins from three but they failed spectacularly, surrendering a two goal lead which they held as the 90 minute mark approached. Goals from Raphael Guerreiro and Julian Brandt put the hosts in a comfortable position heading into injury time but when former Derby trainee Lee Buchanan pulled a goal back on 89 minutes the home side fell apart.
Niklas Schmidt stunned the home crowd with a 93rd minute header and then, with just seconds left on the clock Oliver Burke shrugged off two lame challenges to fire home the winner. Dortmund had beaten Leverkusen and Freiburg before this game which, on paper, was the easiest; but the result was no more than Werder deserved after matching their hosts for possession and winning the shot count by 14 to six, and seven to four on target.
Leverkusen in disarray
After three games Bayer Leverkusen are rock bottom of the table and the manner of their latest defeat will set alarm bells ringing in the North Rhine region. A 3-0 loss at home to Hoffenheim was a third consecutive defeat for Die Werkself who have also been dumped out of the German Cup in the first round.
Hoffenheim were lethal in attack as Christoph Baumgartner, Andrej Kramaric and Georginio Rutter, with a brilliant long range effort, all breached the Bayer defence while the closest the hosts came was when a free kick from Kerem Demirbay hit the post. These are fine margins but the harsh fact remains that Leverkusen are pointless after three.
Die Fohlen looking bright
Alassane Plea during Borussia Monchengladbach’s match against Schalke 04
While Leverkusen struggle, Borussia Monchengladbach opened the weekend’s football with a Friday night victory over Hertha Berlin, a result which took them to the top of the table on seven points.
Alassane Plea scored the only goal of the game with a 34th minute penalty, the French striker coolly slotted home his spot kick after Max Mittelstadt had handled in the area. An identical opportunity presented itself mid way through the second half when Filip Uremovic handled and was sent off having already received a yellow card in the first half. This time Jonas Hofmann stepped up but his penalty was saved in the bottom corner.
With over 60 per cent possession and six shots to four on target Die Fohlen deserved their win, which followed an impressive home victory over a strong Hoffenheim and a draw away to Schalke.
Siebatcheu and Becker on fire for Union
Red Bull Leipzig’s trip to Berlin turned out to be another disappointing event for Domenico Tedesco’s team after they followed up two draws with a defeat to FC Union Berlin, leaving them winless after three games. Die Roten Bullen were undone by a partnership which is bang in form, as Jordan Siebatcheu and Sheraldo Becker both scored for the second time in three games.
Becker fed Siebatcheu for the opener after a fast break, and then they reversed roles for Becker to score with a top class finish. Both players had scored in Union’s derby win over Hertha Berlin and they will take some stopping on this form.
Willi Orban halved the deficit with seven minutes remaining but Red Bull failed to break down Union’s defence in a late onslaught. So Leipzig is stuck on two points while Union’s second win took them up to second place on Saturday night.
With the Bundesliga 2022 results pretty much going to plan, Die Bayern can go top providing they avoid defeat away to Bochum on Sunday.
It’s a huge ask, but the BVB players will be hoping for Bochum to give as big a shock to Bayern, as they themselves received in the final six minutes against Bremen!
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Bundesliga: Sense of Urgency for Both Hertha and BVB
Hertha Berlin vs Borussia Dortmund
Two clubs who are fresh from disappointing losses are set to go head-to-head as Hertha Berlin host Borussia Dortmund at the Olympiastadion this Saturday evening.
Hertha Berlin remain winless three weeks into the 2022-23 Bundesliga season after recently losing to Borussia Monchengladbach, while the other Borussia team in Dortmund suffered a shocking capitulation against newly-promoted Werder Bremen.
Both sides look to set things right for different reasons. For the hosts, a win here would finally put an end to their winless run which stretches back to their preseason in July, while for the visitors, a victory would put them back into the title mix alongside perennial archrivals Bayern Munich.
Without further ado, continue to read on below as SBOTOP offers a preview of this fun matchup.
Die Alte Dame have consistently flirted with relegation in these past few seasons and they’re bound to have another difficult campaign if things don’t improve in these next few weeks.
It’s hard to blame head coach Sandro Schwarz since he’s been dealt with a bad hand.
Heading into this contest, Hertha Berlin are to miss several players in Dong-Jun Lee, Jessic Ngankam, and Kelian Nsona due to knee injuries, while Rune Jarstein is suspended indefinitely by the club and Filip Uremovic was given the red card last game.
Schwarz, though, does have some quality players who can give Borussia Dortmund’s malleable backline some problems.
Dodi Lukebakio is their top attacking threat with his athleticism and physicality, while midfielder Suat Serdar is a heady playmaker who continues to improve game by game.
Jean-Paul Boetius and Stevan Jovetic can also contribute up front, but neither have been in their best form so far this term.
Borussia Dortmund can’t afford another slip-up
Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus looks dejected after Werder Bremen’s Oliver Burke scores their third goal
The honeymoon period for Edin Terzic is over and the returning BVB coach is back to the drawing board following their implosion against Werder Bremen.
When Borussia Dortmund had a two-goal lead after 89 minutes, all they needed to do was to hold on to claim the three points. But instead, those three points disappeared in a blink of an eye.
Lee Buchanan kicked in a nice left-foot volley into the top corner, which looked like a consolation goal for the visitors, or so everybody at the Signal Iduna Park thought.
During the third minute of stoppage time, Werder Bremen kept pushing and Niklas Schmidt headed in the equaliser. Then the crowd was left in disarray two minutes later when Oliver Burke hit the dagger to the hosts’ hearts with his thumping angled shot.
The said result was a massive step back for Borussia Dortmund as it opened the door for Bayern Munich to extend their lead over everyone in the standings.
Perhaps these are growing pains for a relatively fresh Borussia Dortmund squad. The good thing for them is that football seasons are long and they still have time to figure things out.
History
Hertha Berlin and Borussia Dortmund have split their league meetings last season, with the former winning at home last December 3-2, while the latter won 2-1 during their reverse fixture in May.
The said win by Die Alte Dame was their only league victory against BVB since the start of the 2017/18 season. Before that, the hosts endured seven defeats against their visitors.
Die Alte Dame are winless in their first four games of the season in all competitions (D1, L3) for the first time since 2003/04. Sandro Schwarz became the first Hertha Berlin boss to have this unwanted record since Michael Skibbe in 2011/12 where they were eventually relegated to the second division.
Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, are on the brink of winning their first two away games of a season for the first time since 2015/16. They were the best team on the road last term with seven wins, two draws, and one loss.
The Bundesliga 2022 odds are picking Borussia Dortmund to win on the road. BVB are pegged at 1.72, while Hertha Berlin are priced at 3.90 and a draw is installed at 4.30 in the 1X2 market.
We expect a wire-to-wire victory for the Yellow Wall because they’re the better team overall. Hertha Berlin’s growing injury list and lack of firepower compared to their visitors are going to be too much for them to handle. However, Hertha Berlin can score a goal here, although Borussia Dortmund will ultimately have more contributions in the Bundesliga 2022 highlights reel. Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.10 is another bet to consider if the hosts somehow find the back of the net.
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Bundesliga: In-form Bayern Out to Tame the Resurgent Foals
Bayern Munich vs Borussia Monchengladbach
Bayern Munich’s march to their 11th straight Bundesliga title is off to a perfect start. The defending champions have won their first three games and are looking as dominant as ever despite the departure of talisman Robert Lewandowski.
The Bavarians will be out to record their fourth win in a row when they host Borussia Monchengladbach this weekend.
After a disappointing season in 2021-22, the Foals have made a fast start under new coach Daniel Farke and are currently right behind Bayern in the table.
Gladbach have had a good record against Bayern in recent years, so can they defy the Bundesliga 2022 betting odds and come away from the Allianz Arena with all three points?
Talking Points
Bayern looking better than ever
Is it possible that Bayern have gotten even better without Robert Lewandowski? It’s too early to say definitively, but their incredible statistics through three Bundesliga games certainly make a strong case that they are not missing the prolific Pole.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side are off to a fantastic start with three wins out of three, including a whopping 15 goals scored and only one conceded.
They are coming off a 7-0 demolition of Bochum last weekend, with new star striker Sadio Mane bagging a brace. The former Liverpool man is loving life in the Bundesliga, with three league goals already in three games.
Mane is the focal point of a more fluid Bayern attack that Nagelsmann has installed, which is thriving with the increased movement and interplay sans Lewandowski.
And what’s even scarier for the rest of the Bundesliga is that Bayern utterly battered Bochum without arguably their best player thus far this season, Jamal Musiala. The teenage phenom had been brilliant in the first two games and scored three goals, but he missed out on the Bochum match due to a muscle injury.
However, he got back on the training pitch this week and could potentially make it back against Gladbach.
Foals off to fast start under Farke
Coach Daniel Farke is delighted with the results of his coaching in their recent Bundesliga encounter
Borussia Monchengladbach are back – at least that’s what their fans are hoping. After back-to-back disappointing seasons where they finished 10th and 8th, the Foals are looking to get back to challenging for a top-five place.
And they’ve started this season strong under new coach Daniel Farke, with two wins from their first three games. They beat both Hoffenheim and Hertha Berlin at home and were held to a 2-2 draw by Schalke after conceding a last-gasp penalty.
Gladbach have gotten off to a good start despite being without captain Lars Stindl, who has missed the first three games due to a thigh injury.
Luckily, the Foals’ French forwards – Marcus Thuram and Alassane Plea – have stepped up in their skipper’s absence.
After an injury-hit campaign last season, Thuram already has two goals and an assist as he looks to get back to the form that made him one of the most exciting young forwards in the Bundesliga. Meanwhile, Plea has chipped in with a goal and two assists.
The latest Bundesliga 2022 updates say Stindl has made a quick recovery and could be back to face Bayern, which would be a big boost for Gladbach.
History
Borussia Monchengladbach have been among the most competitive clubs against Bayern, who have dominated the Bundesliga over the last decade. They have beaten Bayern nine times in their last 28 league meetings, although Bayern have had 12, while there have been seven draws.
However, the Bavarians were unable to beat Gladbach last season. The Foals held Bayern to a 1-1 draw at home before beating the champions 2-1 in Munich thanks to goals by Florian Neuhaus and Stefan Lainer.
Despite Gladbach’s recent resurgence, SBOTOP odds still have Bayern installed as massive 1.19 favourites to preserve their perfect record at home. The Foals are priced at 9.75, while a draw is 8.00.
With Bayern in such dominant form, it’s hard not to see them coming away with all three points once again at home.
Although, Gladbach have shown signs that might have turned things around under Farke and have the potential to at least make things competitive against the champions.
Thuram’s pace makes them a big threat to catch Bayern out on the counter, and while the Foals are unlikely to beat Bayern, I fancy that they can stay within two goals.
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Bundesliga: Super Sommer Stops Bayern’s Perfect Start
Bayern Munich’s perfect start to the Bundesliga season has come to an end as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by bogey team Borussia Monchengladbach.
The Foals have been a thorn in Bayern’s side in recent years, and they needed a record-setting performance by Swiss international goalkeeper Yann Sommer to keep the free-scoring Bavarians at bay.
Bayern’s setback has allowed Union Berlin to pull level with the champions at the top of the table. Die Eisernen continued their impressive start to the season with a 6-1 smashing of newly promoted Schalke.
Elsewhere, RB Leipzig and Bayern Leverkusen finally got off the mark this season, as did Borussia Dortmund’s brand new marksman.
Read on as SBOTOP breaks down the biggest takeaways from the latest round of Bundesliga fixtures.
Gladbach resurgence continues as Sommer stymies Bayern
After Marcus Thuram capitalised on a Dayot Upamecano error to put Gladbach 1-0 up before half-time, Sommer produced a number of Bundesliga 2022 highlights to preserve their lead as his goal was besieged by Bayern for most of the second half.
However, Sommer and Gladbach’s resistance was finally broken as Leroy Sane scored the equalising goal seven minutes from time.
Still, Sommer’s heroics saw Bayern’s perfect start to the season come to an end. He also ensured that Gladbach extended their unbeaten run to four games (two wins, two draws).
After two down seasons, Gladbach are looking much improved under new coach Daniel Farke. With Marcus Thuram getting back to his best after some injury issues and captain Lars Stindl still set to return, the Foals will be hoping to rediscover their old form and challenge for a top-four place once again.
Unbelievable Union Berlin keep going up
With Bayern held to a draw at home, Union Berlin tied the reigning champions with a league-best 10 points after they smashed newly promoted Schalke 6-1 at Veltins Arena.
Despite selling star striker Taiwo Awoniyi this summer, Union have hardly missed a beat, with the front two of Jordan Pefok and Sheraldo Becker starting the season in sensational form. Becker bagged a brace against Schalke to push his tally up to four goals – tied with Christopher Nkunku for the league lead. And Pefok had a pair of assists and is up to two goals and three assists on the season.
Union Berlin head coach Urs Fisher gives instructions from the sideline during Bundesliga clash against Hertha Berlin
Head coach Urs Fischer has done a tremendous job in leading Union from promotion to the Bundesliga to challenging for a European place over the last two seasons despite their limited resources.
Union Berlin’s Bundesliga 2022 odds of them breaking into the top four are quite remote, but they have consistently defied the odds during their stay in the Bundesliga, and their early-season form is another reminder that you should not count them out by any means.
Leipzig, Leverkusen finally get first win of the season
After a disappointing start to the season, both RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen stopped the bleeding as they both got their first three points.
Leipzig beat Wolfsburg 2-0 thanks to a brace by star striker Christopher Nkunku. Meanwhile, previously pointless Leverkusen thumped previously unbeaten Mainz 3-0 in a match where they finished with just nine men.
Despite their somewhat disappointing start to the season, Leipzig should be pleased with Nkunku’s start to the campaign. The Frenchman already has four goals, which is tied with Union Berlin’s Sheraldo Becker for the Bundesliga lead. When Timo Werner gets back up to speed in the Bundesliga, the Red Bulls’ attack will be tough to stop.
On the other hand, Leverkusen still haven’t seen much production from their prolific striker, Patrik Schick, who had a breakout campaign with 24 goals last season. It’s still too early to panic about Schick’s lack of goals, but it’s clear that Leverkusen will need their top goal-getter going rise back up the standings.
Dortmund need new duo to deliver more
After their inexplicable collapse against Werder Bremen where they lost 3-2 at home despite being up 2-0 after 89 minutes, Borussia Dortmund bounced back with a 1-0 victory against Hertha Berlin.
Anthony Modeste and Salih Ozcan – who were both signed from Koln this summer – were both impressive. Modeste had his best outing to date for Dortmund as he had three shots and scored his first BVB goal, which Ozcan set up. And aside from his assist, Ozcan also hit the woodwork in his first appearance for the club.
Those two figure to be key players for Dortmund this season if they are to compete at the top of the Bundesliga table. BVB will need Modeste’s goals as Sebastien Haller recovers from his cancer. Meanwhile, Dortmund desperately need Ozcan to provide more steel in midfield alongside Jude Bellingham.
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Bundesliga: Union Berlin Seek to Unseat Bayern from Top Spot
Union Berlin vs Bayern Munich
There’s a big battle at the top of the Bundesliga table this weekend as second-place Union Berlin host leaders Bayern Munich at Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
They now face an Union Berlin side that has made a tremendous start to their campaign and will have their sights set on defying the Bundesliga 2022 odds even further by unseating Bayern from top spot.
Talking Points
Union Berlin’s unbeaten run continues
Union Berlin are in the midst of their best-ever start to a Bundesliga season with 10 points from their first four games (3 wins, 1 draw) and will head into a matchday in the top two in the top-flight standings for the first time.
Urs Fischer’s side are coming off a 6-1 demolition of newly promoted Schalke last time out, which extended their club-record Bundesliga unbeaten run to 11 games (9 wins, 2 draws). Coincidentally, their last loss was a 4-0 hammering away to Bayern Munich back in March.
The new front two of Sheraldo Becker and Jordan Pefok has begun the season in brilliant form. Becker, who scored a brace against Schalke, is tied with Christopher Nkunku for the league lead with four goals, and he also has two assists. And Pefok, who just arrived this summer, has already provided plenty of Bundesliga 2022 highlights with two goals and two assists.
Meanwhile, the excellent Union Berlin defence that was among the best last season is still going strong. They have conceded just three goals thus far; one was a penalty and the other two were late consolation goals.
They had a particularly resolute defensive performance in their 2-1 home win over RB Leipzig. Despite the Red Bulls controlling 74 per cent of possession, only two of their 16 shots were on target.
Bayern keen to bounce back from Gladbach setback
Bayern Munich suffered their first setback of the season as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Borussia Monchengladbach.
After scoring a remarkable 15 goals through their first three Bundesliga games – all wins – Bayern struggled to get past Gladbach’s inspired keeper Yann Sommer, who set a new Bundesliga record with 19 saves. Luckily, though, Leroy Sane got a late equaliser to salvage a point for the champions.
Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane during their recent Bundesliga match against Borussia Moenchengladbach
Jamal Musiala, who has been arguably Bayern’s best player during the first month of the season, came off the bench after his recent injury to set up Sane’s equalising goal. The 19-year-old now has four goals and an assist on the season and should be ready to reclaim his starting spot against Union.
Despite their inability to convert their chances against Gladbach, there’s not much to be concerned about Bayern, who have been absolutely dominant to start the season. Robert Lewandowski’s departure has helped unlock a new dimension to Julian Nagelsmann’s side, which is playing a more dynamic and free-flowing style of football.
Although, there is still a bit of question mark in defence. Dayot Upamecano made a costly error that led to Gladbach’s goal, so he could potentially be dropped in favour of Matthijs de Ligt.
History
While Union Berlin have done remarkably well since their promotion to the Bundesliga, they have – like most clubs do – struggled against Bayern. The Bavarians are unbeaten in six meetings against Union, with four wins and two draws. Bayern are the only team that Union have been unable to beat in their three years back in the top flight.
Bayern were particularly dominant last season as they thumped Union 9-2 on aggregate. After beating them 5-2 in Berlin, they strolled to a 4-0 win at the Allianz Arena, which was the last time Union have lost a Bundesliga match. Robert Lewandowski scored four goals in those two games, while Kingsley Coman got two.
Despite Union Berlin’s strong start, SBOTOP odds still have Bayern Munich installed as massive 1.35 favourites away from home. Union are priced at 8.00, while a draw is 4.90.
Based on their impressive form this season coupled with their strong history against Union, it’s hard to bet against Bayern. Musiala set to return to the starting lineup, so they should regain much of the cutting edge they were missing against Gladbach.
With all the attacking weapons at Nagelsmann’s disposal, look for the champions to bounce back by claiming a comfortable win in Berlin.
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Bundesliga: Hoffenheim Can Pose Danger to Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund vs TSG Hoffenheim
Two of the top Bundesliga clubs in Borussia Dortmund and Hoffenheim are set to square off at Signal Iduna Park to give us some Friday night football action.
After a rough setback against Werder Bremen a fortnight ago, Borussia Dortmund bounced back with a tight win against Hertha Berlin, while Hoffenheim are on a three-game winning streak following their opening loss at Borussia Monchengladbach.
Fourth place Hoffenheim may be above fifth place Borussia Dortmund at the moment, but the visitors haven’t beaten their hosts in quite some time now in league play.
The pre-match SBOTOP betting odds reflect that, so Die Kraichgauer will have their work cut out for them if they are to end their losing streak this weekend.
Talking Points
Anthony Modeste on a mission for Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund’s Anthony Modeste applauds fans after winning against Hertha BSC in Bundesliga
Former Koln star Anthony Modeste has finally hit the ground running this season as he opened his Borussia Dortmund scoring account against Hertha Berlin, which was enough for them to claim all three points.
Salih Ozcan – who also happens to be a teammate of Modeste before at Koln – received a brilliant pass from Marius Wolf and then he launched a cross from the right hand side for Modeste to head it in the back of the net at the 32nd minute.
It was a great moment for Modeste and Borussia Dortmund are hopeful that he’ll stay in great form all season long. They’ll need it since summer signing Sebastien Haller is out indefinitely due to a testicular tumour.
He did lead Koln in scoring last term with 20 goals, with 10 of them being headers. Given Modeste’s physical profile, he should excel in BVB as a target man for crosses towards the penalty box.
Modeste’s difficult start can be attributed to him acclimating to Edin Terzic’s system, but he will adjust and produce more Bundesliga 2022 highlights in these next few weeks.
And once Borussia Dortmund’s injury list eases up, they should be able to challenge Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga crown once more.
Die Kraichgauer’s tally of nine points from their first four games is their second-best start to a Bundesliga campaign since 2010/11 (10 points). Andre Breitenreiter’s arrival last May has improved the team’s morale following their disappointing end to their 2021-22 season with three losses on the bounce.
Despite their spate of injuries, Hoffenheim are fighting and everyone is contributing. As of this writing, they already have seven players who have scored at least once this season.
Leading the way is Christoph Baumgartner with two, while Andrej Kramaric is their top playmaker with two assists thus far. They occupy the same side of the pitch and their connection is what fuels their attack.
Hoffenheim’s defence has also improved a ton under Breitenreiter since they’ve posted back-to-back clean sheets in the league for the first time since April 2021.
If they can hold BVB scoreless this weekend, they would equal a club record for the longest streak of shutouts in the Bundesliga, which was previously achieved in January 2021.
History
Hoffenheim are winless in their last four meetings against Borussia Dortmund. BVB did the league double over Hoffenheim last term for the first time ever and they could enjoy three consecutive victories against Die Kraichgauer for the first time in the Bundesliga this Friday evening.
BVB, though, have only won once in their last four league home matches against Hoffenheim (D2, L1) and they’ve conceded at least twice in each of those four games.
Since 2018/19, Borussia Dortmund have conceded 11 goals on home soil against Hoffenheim – which is more than against any other team in that stretch.
Their shocking defeat to Werder Bremen in their last home game meant that they’ve dropped points in at least one of their first two home matches of a top-flight campaign for the first time since 2014/15.
The Bundesliga 2022 odds like Borussia Dortmund’s chances to win this contest. BVB are installed at 1.63, while Hoffenheim are pegged at 4.80 and a draw is at 4.00 in the 1X2 market.
While we anticipate this to be a tight affair, we’re picking the hosts to win because of their resilience and stronger quality overall. However, the visitors are going to make sure that they’ll earn it.
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Bundesliga: Mainz are a Big Test for Upwardly Mobile Foals
Borussia Monchengladbach vs Mainz
Borussia Park is the placed to be on Sunday for a cracking Bundesliga clash between sixth and seventh, as Borussia Monchengladbach welcome FSV Mainz in the fifth game of the campaign.
With eight points, Die Fohlen are just one clear of their opponents and a win could easily take either team into the top four. And the hosts come into the game on the back of an impressive draw away to FC Bayern, while Mainz are hoping to erase the memory of a drubbing on their home soil at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen.
This promises to be a tight game between the hosts, who finished tenth last term and two places below Mainz, and they couldn’t be separated in either of their two league meetings last season.
Talking Points
Borussia aiming for a return to Europe
The Bundesliga 2022 betting odds place Die Fohlen as fifth favourites to win the title behind the big four of Bayern, Red Bull, BVB and Bayer Leverkusen, and that’s a position their fans will be delighted to be in following a fallow period. Former Norwich City head coach Daniel Farke has led Die Fohlen to a fast start after disappointing mid table finishes over the past two campaigns and, while it could be a honeymoon period for the new boss, the manner of their performances has been undeniably impressive.
Borussia Monchengladbach’s Marcus Thuram celebrates scoring their opening goal against Bayern Munich
Die Fohlen kicked off the campaign with a 3-1 victory over highly rated TSG Hoffenheim who have gone on to win the next three and sit in fourth. A second home win over Hertha Berlin and a draw away to Schalke were both good results, but Die Fohlen’s draw away to FC Bayern last week was the pick of the lot. Keeper Yann Sommer was the hero of the night as he set a new Bundesliga record by making an astonishing 19 saves to keep the Bavarians at bay, and spoil their perfect start to their title defence. With three goals in the bag Marcus Thuram is leading Borussia’s attack and it even looked like his 43rd minute strike would give the underdogs all three points until Leroy Sane levelled for Bayern with just seven minutes remaining.
Captain Lars Stindl has been out with a thigh injury and is doubtful for this game so the experienced French forward Alassane Plea will continue in the hope of adding to his two assists and one goal, while midfield general Jonas Hofmann remains a key figure at both ends of the pitch.
Mainz’ happy travels
Mainz have only picked up one point at home, a goalless draw with Union Berlin, and last week they were thumped 0-3 at home to Bayer Leverkusen despite their opponents finishing the game with nine men. But on the road it has been a different story with two 2-1 victories, against Bochum and Augsburg, landing them six very useful points. Head coach Bo Svensson wants to see his team’s home form pick up but as far as the away Bundesliga 2022 results go, it will be more of the same on the agenda for Die Nulfunfer.
Austrian forward Karim Onisiwo has been the biggest goal threat, with three so far, and he will play alongside the highly promising Jonathan Burkhardt, while commanding centre back Maxim Leitch will have a busy afternoon against the Gladbach attack.
In the 41 encounters between these two teams this century, Borussia Monchengladbach have had more success with 17 victories to Mainz’ 12 and there have been 12 draws.
Last season both games ended in a 1-1 draw: the most recent, an April meeting at Borussia Park, was an end to end affair with 17 shots on target, seven for Borussia and ten for Mainz. Breel Embolo gave the hosts a first half lead before Onisiwo levelled for the visitors.
In terms of recent form Die Fohlen have the edge having won three and drawn three of the last six games, while Mainz have won three, drawn two and lost one.
And Gladbach are unbeaten in 12 matches in all competitions.
With Borussia at odds of 2.18 and Mainz at 3.06 this is a wide open game; and the draw, at a SBOTOP price of 3.20, will attract a lot of interest among neutrals. It’s a tough test for the hosts but I think they will end the day with their unbeaten run intact.
And, for an outside bet, how about a third successive 1-1 scoreline at odds of 5.80? I suspect that won’t be far off the mark.
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Bundesliga Battle Should Be Compelling Despite Bavarian Dominance
So how was the Bundesliga transfer window for you?
While more than £2 billion went towards realising the English Premier League dreams of panic-bought centre-backs, destined-for-Turkey wingers and price-tag-burdened strikers (in the words of The Athletic), there was still plenty to keep fans occupied elsewhere across Europe.
Indeed, there remains a group of players who have somehow existed in European football without colliding with the English juggernaut.
Some of those ply their trade in the German top-flight and, arguably, are better for it.
For it remains one of the most compelling top flights around even if, like so many, top spot appears all but guaranteed.
There are reasons why they will probably not relinquish their grip, even following the departure of prolific Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, who netted an incredible 344 goals in 375 appearances for Bayern.
Out has gone Lewandowski, in has come 22 year-old Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt, a double acquisition from Ajax in right-back Noussair Mazraoui and midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, French under-17 captain Mathys Tel and Sadio Mane, the latter of whom marked his competitive debut with a goal and fine all round performance in the German Super Cup Final which kick-started the campaign.
In midfield Germany metronome Joshua Kimmich is as consistent as ever, while Marcel Sabitzer is starting to show why manager Julian Nagelsmann was so keen for the Austrian to follow him from Leipzig to Munich last season.
In defence Nagelsmann is also spoilt for choice. Benjamin Pavard and Alphonso Davies are two attacking, confident and top-quality full-backs, while Lucas Hernandez can play on the left-side if needed.
He has mostly been used at centre-back alongside Dayot Upamecano so far, however, with De Ligt sure to muscle into the team more often as the campaign goes on.
Expect more Bundesliga highlights from the German giants who are overwhelming favourites.
There is still much to be excited about elsewhere, though, with a number of exciting new recruits and familiar faces.
From Mane to the reigning Bundesliga player of the year, Christopher Nkunku, from Czech forward Adam Hlozek and Florian Wirtz to Karim Adeyemi and 2014 World Cup match-winner Mario Gotze, many Bundesliga clubs have been working overtime during the transfer window.
Two other deals which stand out for me centre on RB Leipzig.
Mario Gotze has signed until June 2025 with Eintracht Frankfurt
When the frontman left for Chelsea two years ago, I was convinced he was going to be a smash hit.
For whatever reason that didn’t happen, although he did become a European champion, but I still think he has the potential to become one of the best strikers in Europe.
The 26 year-old netted 78 goals and 31 assists in 127 Bundesliga outings for Die Roten Bullen in his first spell.
He has already teased about how he believes he and Nkunku have the makings of a formidable partnership that can strike fear into opposition teams.
Werner played with Nkunku in the final year of his first spell at Leipzig in 2019/20, when the Saxony club finished third in the Bundesliga and reached the Champions League semi-finals.
By the time you read this, he could well have netted his 100th goal for the club. Watch this space!
Also at Leipzig, David Raum.
After impressing with Greuther Fürth in the second division in 2021, the left-sided specialist became a full Germany international in the space of a year after taking the top-flight by storm with Hoffenheim in his debut Bundesliga campaign last term.
These two recruits could well see them build on last season’s German Cup success.
To highlight the closeknit battle below Bayern, Leipzig are one of the Bundesliga’s five Champions League representatives in this season’s group stage. Domenico Tedesco’s side started the new campaign with something of a bump, but appear to be finding their groove.
Another exciting Bundesliga season certainly beckons after a raft of exciting signings.
The title winners may not change but the chase directly below that could be thrilling.
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Bundesliga: Dortmund Out to Destroy Limping Leipzig
RB Leipzig vs Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund have a chance to reach the top of the Bundesliga standings this weekend when they take on RB Leipzig at Red Bull Arena.
On paper, going away to Leipzig would seem like a tough outing for BVB, and the Bundesliga 2022 betting odds for the match are indeed close.
However, the Red Bulls have been in remarkably poor form to start the season and are in serious danger of being on the receiving end of another damaging result against Dortmund.
Talking Points
Deja vu for Leipzig
It’s deja vu all over again for RB Leipzig. Just like last season, when they sputtered under head coach Jesse Marsch, the Red Bulls are once again off to a rough start under Domenico Tedesco.
They have won just one of their first five Bundesliga games, with two defeats in their last three. That includes a shock 4-0 hammering against Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend.
Tedesco changed his 3-5-2 formation to a 4-2-3-1 after their recent disappointing performances, but that did make much of a difference as they continued to look incredibly shaky at the back. They have now conceded a staggering 18 goals in 8 competitive games this season.
Perhaps more disappointing, though, is that their attack – which looks so impressive on paper – is still not firing on all cylinders. They failed to get a shot on target against Frankfurt, just the third time that has happened in the top flight.
RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner looks dejected after Union Berlin scored their second goal
Timo Werner has been unable to deliver too many Bundesliga 2022 highlights since his return to the Red Bulls; the German international has just five total shots in his first four games back in the Bundesliga.
Leipzig also lost key midfielder Dani Olmo to an ankle injury that will keep him out for four to six weeks.
Dortmund showing progress under Terzic
Edin Terzic’s Dortmund return is off to a promising start. He has led BVB to a brilliant start in the Bundesliga with four wins in five, tied with leaders Freiburg on 12 points.
And Terzic’s side also got off to a great start in the Champions League as they crushed FC Copenhagen 3-0 in midweek.
The Dortmund attack that had looked a bit unconvincing in the early going finally delivered the goods. Captain Marco Reus got another goal as he continued his fine early-season form; he now has 3 goals and 2 assists in the campaign.
Meanwhile, Giovanni Reyna came on for the injured Thorgan Hazard and provided two assists. The American teenager has been riddled with injuries in recent years, so his return could be a huge boost for BVB.
But Terzic will perhaps be more pleased by how his defence has performed. Since their disastrous collapse in their 3-2 defeat to Werder Bremen – when they conceded three goals in the last few minutes of the game – Dortmund have kept three straight clean sheets.
The brand new centre-back partnership of Niklas Sule and Nico Schlotterbeck finally started together for the first time against Copenhagen and will likely keep their places against Leipzig.
Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig have been among the best teams in the Bundesliga over the last few years, and their encounters have been quite competitive. Dortmund hold a slight 6-4 edge in wins, with two draws in their last 12 matches.
But after Dortmund went on a run of five wins in six against Leipzig, the Red Bulls did the double over Dortmund last season. They won 2-1 at home thanks to goals from Christopher Nkunku and Yussuf Poulsen, then smashed Dortmund 4-1 at Signal Iduna Park. Nkunku again got on the scoresheet, while Konrad Laimer bagged a brace.
Despite Leipzig’s recent struggles, SBOTOP odds still have the Red Bulls pegged as slight 2.38 favourites at home. Dortmund are priced at 2.78 to win, while a draw is 3.45.
Based on the form of the two sides, Dortmund represent tremendous value at 2.78 to win. They are clearly the form team at the moment, with their new-look defence showing signs of promise.
On the other side, Leipzig are in shambles and have seemingly lost any semblance of the defensive organisation that they had last season. That makes it difficult to see anything other than a Dortmund win at Red Bull Arena.
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Bundesliga: Dortmund and Schalke Gear Up for the 100th Edition of the Revierderby
Borussia Dortmund vs Schalke 04
Ruhr district neighbours Borussia Dortmund and Schalke are set to renew their storied rivalry.
The Revierderby is one of the classic matchups here in the Bundesliga. And now that Schalke are back in the German top-flight after a one-season absence, football fans are going to see more from these two proud sides starting this weekend.
Borussia Dortmund are fresh from a disheartening loss against Manchester City in the Champions League group stage, while Schalke are coming off their first win of the 2022-23 season.
BVB are backed heavily by the pre-match SBOTOP betting odds to win given their position at the table compared to their visitors, but it won’t necessarily matter come Saturday night at Signal Iduna Park.
Jude Bellingham has been the consistent bright spot for Borussia Dortmund this season. Even if they’re coming off losses against RB Leipzig and Manchester City, the hosts are bound to snap out of it with the Englishman on their side.
At just 19 years old, Bellingham is mature beyond his years with his experience. He already has a full Championship season, almost three Bundesliga campaigns, and 18 Champions League appearances thus far.
The former Birmingham City midfielder is the complete package. Bellingham has the stamina and pace to punish his opponents and he continues to get better in facets such as shooting, passing, and defending.
Against City yesterday, Bellingham put BVB up 1-0 and it looked like they were about to pull off the massive upset. However, late goals from John Stones and from former teammate Erling Haaland sealed the comeback for the reigning Premier League champions.
Over the years, Borussia Dortmund have seen their young stars come and go – including Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland most recently. If they have plans to finally unseat Bayern Munich, BVB would have to hold on to Bellingham for dear life, especially with Liverpool keeping tabs on him for January.
Moreover, Bellingham’s performances should also merit him a spot in England’s national team for the upcoming international break.
Schalke aiming to stay in the Bundesliga for good
Schalke have returned to the German top-flight after winning the 2021-22 Bundesliga 2 and for sure they’re not going to take this granted.
However, the Royal Blues have their work cut out for them if they’ll be extending their stay in the league. It starts on the defencive end where they’ve conceded 44 goals last term.
Schalke 04 manager Frank Kramer gives instructions to his players during a Bundesliga clash against VfL Bochum
Schalke’s backline is anchored by the centre-back combo of Maya Yoshida and Marcin Kaminski. Unfortunately for them, Kaminski is dealing with a calf injury and he’s likely to be replaced by Liverpool loanee Sepp van den Berg in the starting XI for this weekend’s contest.
Up front, Schalke have some decent firepower that can give their opponents problems since five players have already found the back of the net this season.
Marius Bulter is their top scorer with three, while Dominick Drexler, Sebastian Polter, Rodrigo Zalazar, and last season’s 30-goal man Simon Terodde have one each.
History
The Revierderby is one of the fiercest and well-known rivalries in world football today.
In the 99 matches that they’ve shared prior to Saturday night, BVB have the slight edge with 36 wins, while Schalke have won 32 times along with 30 draws.
Borussia Dortmund have won each of their last three derbies for the first time since between 1982 and 1984 and they’re the first team in this fixture to secure four straight clean sheets – including their 4-0 result last February 2021 when Schalke were still in the Bundesliga.
This fixture has produced a ton of classics over the years. Perhaps the most notable one in recent memory took place in November 2017, where Borussia Dortmund built a 4-0 half-time lead only to be pegged back for a 4-4 draw when Schalke replied with four goals in the second half.
This is a game Borussia Dortmund need to win and the Bundesliga 2022 odds offer them a good chance to do so. BVB are installed at 1.36, while Schalke are priced at7.80 and chances for a draw are at 4.80in the 1X2 market.
The 100th edition of the Revierderby in the Bundesliga era promises to be a banger, so expect multiple Bundesliga 2022 highlights to come out from this match.
With that said, goals are likely to be scored from both sides – making Total Goals 2-3 @ 2.22 a plausible alternative bet, with the home side scoring more.
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Bundesliga: Unexpected Top Four Contenders Duel in Sinsheim
TSG Hoffenheim vs SC Freiburg
It’s rare to see SC Freiburg over the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga standings. After the first six games of the 2022-23 season, the Black Forest have 13 points – good for second place behind leaders Union Berlin.
Their upcoming opponents in Hoffenheim are in the top four as well, placing fourth with 12 points to level with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
With valuable points up for grabs, this contest between Hoffenheim and SC Freiburg is certainly a must-see since the race to the top of the German top-flight table is getting tighter by the week already.
With another entertaining match to look forward to, continue to read on below as we preview this fixture.
Die Kraichgauer continue to punch above their weight because of their collective effort. From seven different scorers two weeks ago, now they have nine.
Andrej Kramaric has been their main protagonist responsible for their early charge up the table. He has already chipped in two goals and as many assists as of this writing. Christoph Baumgartner and Munas Dabbur both have scored twice too.
On the other end of the pitch, Hoffenheim have shown improvement as they’ve only surrendered two goals in their last four matches after letting in five during their first two.
Ozan Kabak has established himself as the team’s cornerstone at the back. After some underwhelming spells at Liverpool and Norwich City, the 22-year-old Turkey international now looks at home in Sinsheim.
Michael Gregoritsch is still the difference maker for Freiburg
Freiburg’s Michael Gregoritsch celebrates scoring their second goal against Olympiacos in Europa League
Michael Gregoritsch has more than made up for the absences of Lucas Holer and Roland Sallai, who remain sidelined due to their foot and eye injuries. He has formed a strong partnership up front with Vincenzo Grifo to add a new dimension to the Black Forest’s attack.
It can be noted that Gregoritsch once snubbed SC Freiburg back in 2017 when he chose to play for Augsburg instead, but he has certainly made amends.
The imposing Austrian put his team on top of Group G at the Europa League table as he recorded a brace against Olympiacos on Thursday. He now has five goals so far in SC Freiburg uniform.
He will continue to shoulder the offencive load for the Black Forest, but this is what he wanted after all when he joined them this summer.
A top five place seems like an achievable objective for the Black Forest this season with all the weapons that they have led by Gregoritsch.
History
SC Freiburg have been solid on the road against Hoffenheim as they’ve won each of their last four games at Sinsheim. Last season at the said venue, the Black Forest pummeled Die Kraichgauer 4-1 in the DFB-Pokal and 4-3 in the Bundesliga.
Should Hoffenheim lose on Sunday, it’ll be the first time that they’ve suffered five straight home defeats against a Bundesliga opponent. Hoffenheim have also lost four straight home games against Bayern Munich (2013 to 2015) and Bayer Leverkusen (2012 to 2014).
Die Kraichgauer have conceded at least one goal in each of their last 19 meetings against their visitors, which is the longest such run against any other side that they’ve ever faced. It is also the Black Forest’s longest goalscoring streak against a single opponent.
Hoffenheim are the only Bundesliga side to have won all of their home matches so far this term, while SC Freiburg are the only club in the league to have won all of their away matches. So something has to give.
The Bundesliga 2022 odds expect a tight affair between these two upstarts. Hoffenheim have been given the edge at 2.68, while SC Freiburg aren’t far behind at 3.55in the 1X2 market.
Since both of them are in similar recent form, this one is a tough call. Hence, we’ll be sitting on the fence and say that Draw @ 3.50 is the likeliest scenario.
Over 2.75 @ 1.72 is another possibility since both have been trigger-happy at the final third in their recent encounters. Nonetheless, football fans will get their healthy dose of Bundesliga 2022 highlights from this fixture.
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Bundesliga: Bayern No Longer Unbeaten as Concerns Deepen
Bayern Munich’s seventh Bundesliga match turned out to be quite unlucky as the defending champions suffered their first defeat of the season 1-0 away to Augsburg.
That defeat extended the Bavarians’ winless league run to four games as concerns about the form of Julian Nagelsmann’s side deepen.
Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund bounced back from back-to-back defeats to beat rivals Schalke 1-0 in the return of the Revierderby, sending BVB to the top of the table.
Meanwhile, struggling RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen remain in the lower half of the table after dropping more points.
Read on below as SBOTOP brings you the main takeaways from the latest round of Bundesliga fixtures.
Bayern creeping closer to crisis mode after Augsburg defeat
After three straight draws, Bayern Munich’s recent rotten league form continued as they suffered a shock 1-0 defeat away to Augsburg over the weekend. Bayern, who were coming off a 2-0 win over Barcelona in the Champions League, struggled at Augsburg on both ends of the pitch.
The attack, which looked so fluid and dynamic in the first few weeks without Robert Lewandowski, sputtered as they were held without a goal for the first time this season. And perhaps more concerningly for Julian Nagelsmann, his side still allowed Augsburg a fair number of chances despite controlling over three-quarters of possession (76-24).
This poor run of Bundesliga 2022 results is putting a lot of pressure on head coach Julian Nagelsmann, who will need to watch his back with Thomas Tuchel available to take over should he continue to falter.
Nagelsmann will have the upcoming international break to sort out Bayern’s growing issues. And with some big games coming up after the break – including Der Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund – he cannot afford to suffer many more setbacks, or else Bayern management may consider making a coaching change.
BVB back on top but suffer Reus injury blow
As if going back to the top of the Bundesliga – albeit momentarily with Union Berlin and Freiburg yet to play – wasn’t enough great news, Borussia Dortmund defeated fierce rivals 1-0 Schalke in the return of the Revierderby to get there.
Teenage wunderkind Youssoufa Moukoko came on as a second-half substitute to score Dortmund’s winner 11 minutes from time.
On the bright side for BVB, Gio Reyna came on for Reus and looked impressive as he played a key part in the winning goal. The 19-year-old American has had his share of injury issues in recent years, but if he can stay fit, he can help fill the significant void that Reus will leave in the Dortmund lineup.
Leipzig and Leverkusen still slumping
While Borussia Dortmund are flying high at the top of the table, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig – who finished third and fourth last season, respectively – are still trying to snap out of their early-season slump.
Leipzig thought they had done so after thrashing Dortmund 3-0 in their first match under new coach Marco Rose. But the Red Bulls reverted to the form that saw Domenico Tedesco sacked as they were themselves thumped 3-0 by Rose’s other old club, Borussia Monchengladbach. Leipzig were utterly disastrous defensively as they conceded 21 total shots, 10 of which were on target.
In the meantime, Bayer Leverkusen followed up their impressive 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League with a 1-1 draw at home to Werder Bremen. It was a completely frenetic match with both clubs totalling 19 shots apiece.
Both Leipzig and Leverkusen will be hoping to solve some of their early-season issues during the upcoming international break.
The Bundesliga 2022 betting odds will likely have Leipzig as massive favourites to return from the break with a win as they face bottom-club Bochum. But Leverkusen will have a much tougher test as they travel to Munich to face a Bayern side that will be desperate to end their own winless drought.
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Bundesliga: Europa League Winners Up Next for Surprise Leaders
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Union Berlin
If you had told me at the start of the season that this meeting would involve the Bundesliga leaders, I may have suspected that Europa League holders Eintracht Frankfurt had made a scintillating start.
Then reigning champions Bayern Munich hit them for six on the opening weekend and I changed my mind.
No amount of favourable SBOTOP Bundesliga 2022 betting odds would have persuaded me to back Union Berlin to be the leaders, even though they only missed out on Champions League qualification last term by a solitary point.
However, that is exactly the position they find themselves in going into October and, with the only unbeaten record still in place too, the club from the capital deserve enormous credit.
The man who has led Union throughout this impressive spell is Urs Fischer.
FC Union Berlin manager Urs Fischer during a Bundesliga match against VfL Wolfsburg
The 56-year-old coach has done a masterful job maximising his squad amid limited resources but his success is even more impressive given the club has regularly sold its leading Bundesliga scorer in recent seasons.
After Sebastian Andersson and Max Kruse, it was Taiwo Awoniyi’s turn to move on as he was sold to Nottingham Forest this summer following his breakout campaign where he scored 15 goals.
It’s quite a turnaround for a club which won the East German Cup in 1968 before the following two decades, that proceeded German Reunification in 1989, saw flitting up and down the country’s doldrum divisions.
From there, they watched city rivals Hertha double down on their status as the premier outfit in the capital, but Union’s first-ever promotion from the Regionalliga Nord to Bundesliga 2 in 2001 suggested the promise that the club is now finally fulfilling.
That same season saw third-tier Union contest the DFB Cup final and, although they lost the showpiece to Schalke, it was enough to earn a spot in the UEFA Cup for the first time in their history.
The boom would turn to bust after back-to-back relegations in 2004 and 2005, prior to a return to the second tier in 2009.
A third-place finish in the 2018/19 Bundesliga 2 campaign set up a top-flight debut as they overcame VfB Stuttgart on away goals in the promotion/relegation play-off.
Now, for those that have poured so much into the club, they are now not just seeing the fruits of their labour, they’re reaping them.
Saturday’s hosts, Frankfurt, know all about ups and downs – albeit not on that scale – and have shown plenty of their own promise in 2022 – most notably their first European triumph since 1980.
That is just one of the reasons which makes this fixture so exciting and, even at this stage, a game which could well have a bearing on the race for the top four come next May.
Evan N’Dicka scored a last-gasp winner in this fixture for Frankfurt last season.
Ninety-five minutes were on the clock when he earned victory for the hosts after Djibril Sow and Kruse (penalty) had found the net.
The return match, in April, saw Berlin run out 2-0 winners, courtesy of two goals in the opening 20 minutes from Awoniyi and Grischa Promel.
That was one of two victories in their last eight they have managed against Frankfurt. The other arrived in 2020 when Andersson and N’Dicka were the marksmen in a 2-1 away win.
That was only their second ever meeting in the Bundesliga with all previous contests coming in the German Second Division.
In three meetings between 2001 and 2011, the best Berlin could manage was three draws, while their sole German Cup clash in 2007 saw Alexander Meier score a hat-trick in a 4-1 Frankfurt success.
Overall, Frankfurt have won seven of their 13 meetings with four draws.
The hosts have the edge with our betting odds and can be backed 1X2 @ 2.28 with Berlin priced @ 3.15.
Likewise, with Asian Handicap, Frankfurt are available -0.50 @ 2.28 compared to Union Berlin 0.00 @ 2.42.
The draw is on offer @ 3.20 and, with Frankfurt perhaps having one eye on their forthcoming Champions League meeting with Spurs, I am plumping for that as my two-star tip.
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Bundesliga: Can Leverkusen Capitalise Against Ailing Bayern?
Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen
The Bundesliga returns from the first international break of the season and the game between Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen is going to be the curtain-raiser for Matchday 8.
Die Bayern and Die Werkself come into this match searching for a turnaround since neither have had good Bundesliga 2022 results in these past few weeks.
The defending champions have fallen to the fifth seed and are creeping closer to crisis mode since they are fresh from a tough 1-0 loss at the hands of Augsburg.
Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen have one foot in the relegation mire at 15th place as they have five points with only one win thus far this term.
But with so much quality out on the pitch, it’s only a matter of time before these two teams reach their top form and this match might be the turning point.
Talking Points
Bayern Munich have a Sadio Mane conundrum
Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane with coach Julian Nagelsmann after he was substituted during their recent Champions League match against Barcelona
Sadio Mane was off to a brisk start in his Bundesliga career when he notched three goals in his first three league matches, but his form has dropped off and it’s not a coincidence that Die Bayern have struggled since then.
Several pundits have questioned Julian Nagelsmann’s tactical nous, saying that he’s not playing Mane at his best position since he operated primarily at the wings during his time with Liverpool where he rose to fame.
Mane was even benched during their clash against VfB Stuttgart in favour of Mathys Tel and Jamal Musiala, and recent reports suggest that Die Bayern are keen on adding a new striker in 2023.
The good thing about Bayern Munich, though, is that their collective firepower is unrivalled across the Bundesliga so it’s just a matter of how Julian Nagelsmann will optimise his lineups.
On the other hand, it would also help if Manuel Neuer and Leon Goretzka return soon after testing positive for COVID-19 last week.
Bayer Leverkusen hopeful to have a healthier squad
The absences of Florian Wirtz, Karim Bellarabi, and Amine Adli are the main reasons why Bayer Leverkusen have lost their magic from last season where they finished third. Wirtz and Bellarabi are sidelined because of their knee injuries, while Adli has a fractured collarbone.
Wirtz was one of their top creative outlets last season with seven goals and 10 assists, while Bellarabi and Adli combined for six goals and five assists.
A by-product of their absences is Patrik Schick’s dip in form since he’s the main beneficiary of their solid wing play. The Czech poacher has just struck twice thus far this term.
Die Werkself reacted to their growing injury list by signing Callum Hudson-Odoi on a season-long loan last August, hoping to give Gerardo Seoane more attacking options. However, he hasn’t opened his scoring account yet.
If Bayer Leverkusen are to win this game, it’ll have to be on the defencive end where they’re more settled. Jeremie Frimpong, Jonathan Tah, Piero Hincapie, and Edmond Tapsoba will have their hands full against the reigning champions.
All signs point to a Bayern Munich victory especially if you’ll examine their head-to-heads with Bayer Leverkusen.
At home, Bayern Munich have scored in each of their last 32 league matches against Bayer Leverkusen, which is their second-longest scoring run only behind Hamburger SV (39 games since 1979).
The last time Die Bayern didn’t score at home against Die Werkself was in October 1989 where the latter won 1-0.
Bayern Munich are currently on a four-game winless run in the league for the first time since a run between November 2001 and January 2002. A return of 12 points from seven games also represents their worst Bundesliga start in 12 years.
Bayer Leverkusen have collected four points from their last three league games at the Allianz Arena (W1, D1, L1), which is as many points as they had in their last 15 visits prior.
Their previous league meeting took place last March where it was honours even at 1-1. In the prior fixture, though, Bayern Munich dismantled Bayer Leverkusen with a 5-1 tally.
Bayern Munich are being favoured by the SBOTOP Bundesliga 2022 odds. They are priced at 1.32 to win, while Bayer Leverkusen are the underdogs at 7.40 and a draw is at 5.60 in the 1X2 market.
Bayer Leverkusen have the capability to give Bayern Munich problems, but it’s hard to see them win on the road despite the hosts’ inconsistencies lately.
Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.52 is one bet worth considering, with Bayern Munich likely to score more en route to taking all three points.
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Bundesliga: Shorthanded Dortmund Face Tricky Trip to Koln
Koln vs Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund return to Bundesliga action this weekend with hopes of keeping pace with leaders Union Berlin.
The Bundesliga 2022 betting odds will back second-placed BVB to beat mid-table Koln, who have won just one of their last six Bundesliga matches.
However, Dortmund will be without a couple of their key players against Koln – including one they bought from the Billy Goats this summer – as they try to end their winless run at RheinEnergieStadion.
Talking Points
Modeste to face old club, but Ozcan out
Borussia Dortmund had a busy summer transfer window as they brought in a host of new players to strengthen the spine of their team. And as it so happens, two of their summer signings came from Koln – Anthony Modeste and Salih Ozcan.
Dortmund signed the 34-year-old Modeste to fill in for fellow newcomer Sebastien Haller, who is still recovering from cancer. However, the veteran striker – who scored 20 Bundesliga goals for Koln last season – has had a slow start with Dortmund, scoring just once in his first six league appearances.
Meanwhile, Ozcan has done a much better job settling into the side. The 24-year-old Turkish international has quickly formed a strong partnership with Jude Bellingham at the heart of Dortmund’s midfield, providing more defensive solidity and ball retention.
But Dortmund have suffered a major blow with Ozcan possibly set to miss months due to a foot injury. With Mahmoud Dahoud also out injured, Emre Can looks set to come in and partner Bellingham in midfield against Koln.
The 33-year-old had had a bright start to the season, with two goals and two assists to help BVB into second place in the Bundesliga.
Coach Edin Terzic has a few choices for Reus’s replacement. Giovanni Reyna, who came on in place of Reus in the derby, is the front-runner to get the start. The 19-year-old is in fine form as he has regained his fitness amid a host of injury setbacks.
Marco Reus being carried on a stretcher after suffering an injury during Borussia Dortmund’s game vs Shalke
But with Reyna busy on international duty with the USA during the break, Terzic could opt to rest the American and turn to another teenager, Youssoufa Moukoko, who scored the winner against Schalke. Karim Adeyemi and Thorgan Hazard are two other options to start, although neither is in particularly fine form.
Koln coping with key departures
After a strong seventh-place finish last season led by the brilliance of Modeste and Ozcan, this season will be more of a rebuilding year for Koln and coach Steffen Baumgart.
The Billy Goats brought in a handful of younger players during the summer to help fill the void left by the sale of Modeste and Ozcan. One of their big acquisitions was centre-forward Steffen Tigges, whom they bought from Borussia Dortmund.
Tigges has yet to score a goal in four Bundesliga appearances, but he did get off the mark in the UEFA Conference League.
Despite Modeste’s departure, Koln have done well thus far with 11 goals in their first seven games. Florian Kainz has been delivering the Bundesliga 2022 highlights as he’s had a hand in five of those 11 goals (two goals, three assists).
Meanwhile, Koln have also been quite solid at the back. They currently lead the Bundesliga with just 6.0 expected goals allowed, which means they are surrendering low-quality chances to their opponents.
And that backline will be back to full strength with centre-back Luca Kilian set to return after serving out his one-match suspension in their 1-1 draw at Bochum.
History
Over their last 22 Bundesliga meetings, Borussia Dortmund have won 13 times, with Koln claiming three wins and six draws.
But while BVB have historically dominated Koln, the Billy Goats have been much more competitive in recent years. They have lost just once to Dortmund in their last four meetings, with a win and two draws.
Both of those draws came at the RheinEnergieStadion. Koln held Dortmund to a 1-1 draw last season and the season before that, Dortmund needed a 90th-minute equaliser from Erling Haaland to salvage a 2-2 draw.
SBOTOP odds have Borussia Dortmund installed as 2.09 favourites against Koln, who are priced at 3.25 to beat BVB for just the second time in seven years. A Draw is at 3.50.
This will be a tricky match for Dortmund. Aside from their recent struggles at Koln as well as the absence of key players, other stars in Jude Bellingham, Nico Schlotterbeck, Niklas Sule and Reyna could be a bit leggy from international duty, which could significantly affect them.
That’s why I’m leaning toward Koln to continue their good run against Dortmund and get another positive result at home.
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Bundesliga: Union, Dortmund Rocked as Bayern, Red Bulls Roll
The Bundesliga returned from the international break with a bang as the top two sides – Union Berlin and Borussia Dortmund – both suffered shock defeats on the road, while Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig both rolled to 4-0 home wins.
Meanwhile, Freiburg are flying high once again as Christian Streich’s side jumped up to second spot while extending their unbeaten league run to six consecutive games.
Read on below as SBOTOP gives you the five top takeaways from the latest round of Bundesliga matches.
Union Berlin not quite unbeatable
Union Berlin are unbeaten no more as they suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Eintracht Frankfurt in their first match after the international break. Mario Gotze and Jesper Lindstrom got the goals for the Eagles, who have now won three of their last four games.
Eintracht Frankfurt had to play the last 22 minutes with just 10 men after Randal Kolo Muani was sent off, but were able to withstand Union Berlin’s late surge.
Despite the defeat, Union remain top of the Bundesliga, albeit only by goal difference. The match was a bit of a reality check for coach Urs Fischer and Union, who had been in such impressive form to start the season. As good as they have been, they are far from unbeatable.
But still, look for them to bounce back from this setback in their next match against struggling Stuttgart.
Billy Goats take a bite out of BVB once again
Koln have done it again. They have successfully avoided defeat to mighty Borussia Dortmund at the RheinEnergieSTADION for the third straight game. And after two draws, Koln came out on top this time around as they beat BVB 3-2.
Dortmund took an early lead through Julian Brandt, but Koln stormed back in the second half, with the in-form Florian Kainz and former Dortmund striker Steffen Tigges scoring in quick succession to fuel the comeback.
Dejan Ljubicic added a third, and despite a Benno Schmitz own goal, Koln held their nerve to seal the big home win over the second-place side.
The win lifted Koln to seventh as they continue to show little signs of missing their key stars, who moved to Dortmund over the summer.
Dortmund received a big boost as midfielder Salih Ozcan recovered from a foot injury to face his old club. But the absence of captain Marco Reus and Gio Reyna was keenly felt as they missed that cutting edge in attack.
Anthony Modeste, who was signed from Koln, continues to struggle as he was held to just two shots, neither one on target. The 34-year-old, who bagged 20 goals for the Billy Goats last season, has just one goal in seven Bundesliga starts for BVB.
Bayern snap winless run as Nagelsmann’s tweaks work
The Bavarians were 3-0 up inside 40 minutes thanks to the brilliance of Jamal Musiala. Fresh off international duty for Germany, the 19-year-old scored a goal and provided two assists as he continued his fantastic form to start the season. He already has five goals and three assists in seven appearances.
Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann during their Bundesliga match against Bayer Leverkusen
Julian Nagelsmann made a slight tweak to his system as he moved Sadio Mane to the left, with Thomas Muller playing as the focal point of the attack, and it worked wonders. Mane ended his six-game goal drought, while Muller got a goal and an assist.
So while there was a bit of concern about Bayern’s recent disappointing Bundesliga 2022 results, this performance showed just how good the champions still are – and that Julian Nagelsmann is a top coach who can push the right buttons.
Red Bulls need more consistent results under Rose
Similarly, RB Leipzig returned from the break in ruthless form as they battered Bochum 4-0. The dynamic duo of Timo Werner and Christopher Nkunku did the damage as they both bagged braces.
There’s not much to take away from the Red Bulls beating up on the Bundesliga’s bottom-place club. But it does highlight the fact that they need to find consistency under Marco Rose.
Leipzig have now alternated wins and losses in their last six games; they’ve won all three of their home games – which included a 3-0 win over Borussia Dortmund – and lost all three away matches during that time.
Clearly, the talent is there for Leipzig to challenge at the top. But they need to begin producing those top-quality performances week in week out either at home or on the road.
Freiburg not a fluke
Freiburg were one of the big surprises of the Bundesliga last season. They flirted with the top four for most of the season before falling off and finishing sixth. And this season, they are showing that they are no fluke as they are once again back near the top of the table.
Christian Streich’s men went up to second in the standings after a 2-1 win over Mainz, with Michael Gregoritsch and Daniel-Kofi Kyereh getting the goals. Since losing their second game against Borussia Dortmund, Freiburg have now gone unbeaten in their last eight games in all competitions, six of which have been in the Bundesliga.
Streich’s side is still far from the flashiest in the league, but they defend well – they have conceded just six goals, tied with Union Berlin and Bayern for the fewest in the league – and take enough of their chances when they come.
The season is still young, but with Leipzig looking for consistency and Leverkusen in freefall, Freiburg’s Bundesliga 2022 odds of finishing in the top five – or higher – this season could be better than anticipated.
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Bundesliga: The Yellow Wall Is Set for Der Klassiker
Borussia Dortmund vs Bayern Munich
The biggest day in the Bundesliga diary is looming as Borussia Dortmund gets ready to welcome FC Bayern on Saturday for the first Klassiker of the 2022/23 campaign.
These are early days in the German league but this is a third-versus-fourth clash as the two giants currently trail FC Union and SC Freiburg at the top of the table. The latest Bundesliga 2022 betting odds are still squarely behind the Bavarians to win another German title at a price of 1.12 with Borussia Dortmund the team most likely to challenge at odds of 11.00.
Dortmund are strong at home in the Signal Iduna Stadium and, with the legendary 25,000-strong Yellow Wall behind them, the hosts and their fans will make this a tough night for the reigning champions.
Dortmund’s Bundesliga 2022 results have been pretty good to date but, last week, they spurned a chance to go clear at the top of the league when they fell to a 3-2 defeat away to FC Cologne, and now head coach Edin Terzic must lift his team for the biggest domestic match of the season.
And he’ll have to do it without talismanic captain Marco Reus, who is sidelined with a serious ankle injury picked up in Dortmund’s victory over Schalke in September. Terzic has a team full of good young players, with 19-year-old Jude Bellingham one of the first names on the team sheet. The box-to-box midfielder is one of the most highly rated players in European football, with his ability to break up play and find the killer pass, or take players on with his super tight ball control.
17-year-old striker Youssoufa Moukoko has had a breakthrough as BVB’s latest wunderkind and he has already scored two goals and made two assists this season. But Dortmund need some old heads for a game of such magnitude and the experience in the side comes from the likes 31-year-old Belgian defender Thomas Meunier and Julian Brandt, who scored in the defeat to Cologne to make it two for the campaign.
These players have been there before and can guide the young guns through, but
The way the Bavarians dismantled Bayer Leverkusen last week with a 4-0 thumping washed away any fears that the recent defeat to Augsburg might signal a weakening of Bayern in the post-Lewandowski era.
Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane celebrates scoring their first goal against Bayer Leverkusen
Young midfielder Jamal Musiala continued his impressive run of form, scoring a goal and making two as Bayern dispatched Leverkusen with ease, while Leroy Sane, Thomas Muller and Sadio Mane scored the other goals.
Musiala now has five league goals and three assists and Sadio Mane has four, and head coach Julian Nagelsmann knows he can still rely on experienced forward Thomas Muller, who has three assists and two goals and is still producing without his old mate Lewy.
Bayern hammered Viktoria Plzen 5-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday night as Leroy Sane scored a brace and so, with nine unanswered goals in the last two games, we can safely say they are back with a bang.
History
FC Bayern have won 43 of the 78 Klassikers played over the past three decades, while Die Schwarzgelben have won 19 and there have been 16 draws. But BVB have not tasted success over the last eight encounters, losing the last six with a goal difference of 19 to ten. Bayern have scored three or more in each of the last six meetings and the lowest scoring outcome was a 3-1 victory in Munich last April.
Both teams have won three of their last six games, though Bayern have drawn two and lost once while Dortmund have lost their other three, before the match with Sevilla on Wednesday.
BVB are strong at home though, winning three on the bounce at the Signal Iduna Stadium without conceding a goal.
In the 1X2 market the hosts are at SBOTOP odds of 4.36 to win or draw at 4.07, while the champions are odds on at 1.60.
The Bavarians have got over their recent blip quite spectacularly and will fancy their chances, but if Borussia can make a strong start to the game the Yellow Wall will give them an edge. For an alternative bet, Over 3.50 goals would have paid out in the last few Klassikers and can be backed at 1.95 this time around.
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Bundesliga: Modeste Makes His Mark in Dramatic Der Klassiker
Der Klassiker, one of the biggest games in the Bundesliga calendar, has been quite one-sided in recent years, with Bayern Munich completely dominating rivals Borussia Dortmund.
But BVB delivered some much-needed drama and excitement to this fixture as they came from two goals down to deny Bayern another win. Anthony Modeste was the star of the show as he played a part in both goals, including the equaliser at the death, to finally make his mark at Dortmund after a slow start to the season.
Speaking of making his mark, Xabi Alonso made a winning start to life as Bayer Leverkusen manager as his side smashed Schalke on his debut. Meanwhile, RB Leipzig’s maddeningly inconsistent season continued as they were held at Mainz, extending their winless drought away from home.
Read on as SBOTOP brings you the three biggest takeaways from the most recent round of Bundesliga fixtures.
Modeste finally makes his mark for Dortmund at Der Klassiker
The Bundesliga 2022 betting odds had Bayern Munich favoured to pick up their eighth straight Der Klassiker win, and they seemed to be well on their way towards another victory. They had a 2-0 lead at Signal Iduna Park thanks to goals from Leon Goretzka and Leroy Sane with just 20 minutes left.
But then Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic brought on Anthony Modeste for Donyell Malen, which completely changed the game. Just four minutes after coming on, Modeste set up teenager Youssoufa Moukoko, who pulled a goal back.
And deep into stoppage time, Modeste got on the end of Nico Schlotterbeck’s cross on the back post and headed in the equalising goal to send the Yellow Wall into delirium.
That was much more like the Modeste Dortmund were hoping to get after signing him from Koln to help make up for Sebastien Haller’s absence. The 34-year-old, who scored 20 goals for the Billy Goats last season, has had a slow start to the season with just one goal in seven starts.
Dortmund will certainly be hoping that this fine display in Der Klassiker will be the morale-booster Modeste needs to push on for the rest of the campaign.
Xabi Alonso makes winning start at Leverkusen
Xabi Alonso made a perfect start to life as Bayer Leverkusen head coach as his side thumped struggling Schalke 4-0 at the BayArena.
The 40-year-old Spaniard, who won three straight Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich in the mid-2010s, was appointed after the sacking of Gerardo Seoane, who led Leverkusen to set of disappointing Bundesliga 2022 results with just one win from their first eight games. But Alonso’s arrival saw the return of the free-scoring Leverkusen side that finished in third last season.
Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso celebrates their first goal scored by Moussa Diaby in recent Bundesliga match against Schalke 04
Young wing-back Jeremie Frimpong bagged his second brace of the season as he became the team’s leading scorer with four goals. Meanwhile, Moussa Diaby finally snapped out of his season-long slump with a goal and two assists.
Of course, much tougher tests are set to come for Alonso’s Leverkusen, with Porto and Eintracht Frankfurt coming up next week. But their impressive performance against Schalke could be an indicator that they may enjoy a bit of a new manager bounce under the Spaniard.
RB Leipzig’s away woes continue
Speaking of new manager bounce, RB Leipzig don’t seem to be experiencing it under new boss Marco Rose – at least not away from home.
The Red Bulls were held to a 1-1 draw away to Mainz as they remained without a win away from home this Bundesliga season (two draws, three defeats).
After a strong 3-1 home win against Celtic in the Champions League midweek, Leipzig looked quite mediocre against Mainz. They had just three shots on target from 13 total shots and needed a late Christopher Nkunku equaliser to salvage a point.
There was hope that some impressive Bundesliga home wins against Borussia Dortmund (3-0) and Bochum (4-0) meant Leipzig were finally starting to turn the corner under Rose. But the Mainz setback showed that there is still much work to be done in terms of finding consistency this season.
Even with the brilliance of Nkunku, who has now scored four goals in his last three games, Leipzig need to come together as a team to turn their disappointing season around.
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Bundesliga: Dortmund Look to Close Gap on Leaders Union Berlin
Union Berlin vs Borussia Dortmund
It’s a big weekend in the Bundesliga, with the current top four all facing off against one another! The first match will feature leaders Union Berlin, who are undergo another big test as they host fourth-placed Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund have won just once in their last four league games after their dramatic Der Klassiker draw against Bayern Munich last week, so they will be desperate to win and move back to within a point of Union.
But the Bundesliga 2022 betting odds will be close against Union Berlin, who remain unbeaten at home this season and will be a tough team for BVB to break down.
Talking Points
Union Berlin still in top spot
Union Berlin forward Sheraldo Becker reacts during the match against VfB Stuttgart
Who would have thought that Union Berlin would still be on top of the Bundesliga a quarter into the season? The Berliners are two points clear of Freiburg with six wins in their first nine games.
Union Berlin’s home form has been a big factor in their success this season. They are one of three Bundesliga clubs (RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich are the others) who are still undefeated at home (three wins, one draw).
Urs Fischer’s side has also been brilliant defensively. They have the best defensive record in the Bundesliga with just six goals conceded in nine games, two of which coming in their 2-0 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Union Berlin once again have a Europa League assignment this midweek against Malmo. But despite their relatively small squad, Union have not had too many problems juggling their European commitments with the league. They have won all three of their Bundesliga games following a Europa League match.
Sheraldo Becker has been Union Berlin’s breakout star this season, providing most of the club’s Bundesliga 2022 highlights. The Suriname international striker leads the team with six goals and three assists in nine league games.
Neither Becker nor striker partner Jordan Pefok had a single shot in their most recent Bundesliga match, a 1-0 win over relegation strugglers Stuttgart. They have combined for score nine of the team’s 16 league goals thus far, so they will have to bounce back against Borussia Dortmund.
BVB need a victory
Borussia Dortmund are not in the best of form at the moment. After a strong start where they won five of their first six games in all competitions, BVB have only picked up two wins in their last seven, with three defeats and two draws.
They had a dramatic come-from-behind 2-2 draw against rivals Bayern Munich in Der Klassiker last time out in the league. However, they were unable to carry over that momentum to the Champions League, where they were held to a 1-1 draw by Sevilla at home.
Anthony Modeste, who was instrumental in the comeback against Bayern, had another disappointing match as he went without a shot before being subbed off for Youssoufa Moukoko. The 17-year-old Moukoko had started each of the previous two games, contributing one goal and one assist, so he could be in line to reclaim his place over Modeste against Union.
Fellow newcomer Karim Adeyemi was also underwhelming once again and could be replaced by the fit-again Giovanni Reyna.
Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham continued his remarkable Champions League form as he scored his fourth goal in four games. The England international will be hoping to carry over that goalscoring touch in Europe to the Bundesliga, where he has yet to score this season.
Union Berlin and Borussia Dortmund have met just six times in the Bundesliga. Union surprisingly had the upper hand to start, winning two of their first three matchups, both of which coming at home. But Borussia Dortmund have reestablished dominance as they’ve won each of the next three games, all of which by at least two clear goals.
Dortmund did the double over Union last season, winning 4-2 at Signal Iduna Park before beating them 3-0 in Berlin.
Marco Reus, who will not feature due to injury, bagged a brace at An der Alten Försterei, while left-back Raphael Guerreiro scored in both matches.
SBOTOP odds have Borussia Dortmund installed as slight 2.36 favourites to beat Union Berlin, who are priced at 2.94 to maintain their unbeaten home record. A draw is 3.30.
This battle between first and fourth figures to be a tough fight from start to finish. As discussed earlier, Union Berlin are a tough nut to crack, especially at home, so Dortmund and their inconsistent attack will have their work cut out for them.
But as they showed against Bayern, Dortmund have that never-say-die attitude that could very well earn them a draw in Berlin.
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When I think about the Bundesliga betting odds for the top four, the club from the capital were not even on my radar either.
Well, more fool me!
Because here we are on October 16 and, thanks to a wonderful team effort, they stand proudly aloft with just one defeat in their opening 10 matches.
My surprise continued on Sunday afternoon as Janik Haberer scored twice in the opening 21 minutes to put perennial runners-up, Borussia Dortmund, to the sword.
Ok, so the first was a gift from goalkeeper Gregor Kobel who slipped as he attempted to clear a back-pass, leaving the marksman with the relatively simple task of slotting into an unguarded net.
The second, though, was a beauty as the 28 year-old drove a first-time effort into the bottom corner from 20 yards. And they thoroughly deserved it.
The last time Union Berlin lost at home was in February when Marco Reus scored twice in a 3-0 Dortmund success.
Reus was one of three players brought on at the break as the visitors tried to get a foothold back into the encounter yet, apart from a shot 13 minutes from time, Berlin never gave Dortmund a sniff and they went closer to extending their lead after the break than the visitors did in their attempts to reduce the deficit.
Remember, this is only Union’s fourth season in the top flight in their 56 year history.
That was on Sunday afternoon and, before the weekend’s programme of fixtures was up, there was still time for champions and title favourites Bayern Munich to leapfrog the other surprise high-fliers this term, SC Freiburg.
Once Serge Gnabry headed home in the 13th minute, Freiburg were always up against it in the Allianz Arena.
Leroy Sane celebrates scoring Bayern Munich’s third goal against Freiburg
One became two after the half hour when Leroy Sane played a delicious pass with the outside of his boot to Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting who doubled the advantage.
Two goals in four minutes shortly after the restart highlighted why the Bavarians are so difficult to beat.
First, Sane fired in an unstoppable effort from 18 yards, then Sadio Mane was found unmarked by Gnabry and he lofted in the fourth.
When Marcel Sabitzer grabbed number five with 10 minutes remaining, Freiburg were demoralised.
I have long felt a goal at the end of a first half can demoralise opponents.
And surely that is what strugglers FC Schalke must have felt when they hosted Hoffenheim on Friday night.
Mu’nas Dabbur was the man who doubled their advantage in the second minute of first half stoppage time, adding to an 11th minute penalty from Robert Skov.
The same player also proved reliable from the spot for a second time, just before the hour, to seal a comprehensive 3-0 away win and leave newly promoted Schalke in the bottom three.
It ended a run of three matches without a win for Hoffenheim who end the weekend in fourth spot.
Just two points clear of Schalke are Bayer Leverkusen, surprisingly struggling to deal with the duel combat of Bundesliga and Champions League duties.
After a goalless opening 45 minutes, the deadlock was broken in the fifth minute of injury time.
Edmond Tapsoba tripped Jesper Lindstrom as he darted past to give the hosts a penalty and, while Kolo Muani saw his effort saved by Lukas Hradecky, the Leverkusen captain had come off his line early.
Leverkusen made a double change at the break and one of those substitutions paid off as Kerem Demirbay delivered a free-kick that Hincapie met with a diving header to beat the previously underworked Kevin Trapp.
Parity lasted barely two minutes as Muani got on the end of an inch-perfect cross to power the home side back into the lead. The advantage was extended not long after when Lindstrom found himself in behind and produced a sublime lob over Hradecky. Things went from bad to worse for Bayer as Hincapie was shown a second yellow for his challenge on Muani in the box.
Kamada stepped up once again to put away his second penalty and Frankfurt’s fourth before substitutes Rafael Borre and ex-Bayer man Lucas Alario combined to add a fifth.
A thoroughly miserable day all round for Bayer Leverkusen and a day to remember for Frankfurt.
The only team below both them and Schalke are Bochum who have conceded a league-high 27 goals so far this term.
There was a chance they would have climbed out of the drop zone had they won at VfB Stuttgart.
Instead, Die Roten earned their first league win of the season with victory inspired by Silas.
It was the perfect response by the home side following the sacking of manager Pellegrino Matarazzo last week.
He had been at the club for almost three years, earning promotion back to the top tier of German football and faring fairly well in the dugout with two solid mid-table finishes.
Silas scored from the penalty spot after being tripped by Danilo Soares and then teed up Naouirou Ahamada to rifle home following a mistake by Bochum goalkeeper Manuel Riemann.
The visitors managed to hit back before the break when Simon Zoller converted a Kevin Stöger ball after some slick one-touch movement down the left.
Only a super save from goalkeeper Florian Müller prevented Bochum from netting an equaliser only for two goals in seven minutes to end the match as a contest. Silas netted his second after good work by Borna Sosa and then, after a free-kick wasn’t cleared, Wataru Endo applied the finishing touch to complete a rare afternoon of Bundesliga highlights for Wimmer and his men.
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Bundesliga: Freiburg Back to Square One Against Bremen
SC Freiburg vs Werder Bremen
High-flying Freiburg’s fantastic unbeaten run came to a crashing end as they were smashed 5-0 by Bayern Munich last time out.
It was a sobering reality check for Freiburg, who entered the match in second place in the Bundesliga, one spot above Bayern.
Christian Streich’s side must now pick themselves up and start again when they host Werder Bremen on the weekend.
Newly promoted Bremen are doing well as they are currently in midtable, although the Bundesliga 2022 betting odds will be against them despite their impressive away form.
Freiburg found themselves on the wrong end of a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich last week. Despite being in fine form ahead of the match, Christian Streich’s side were completely outclassed by the German champions, who simply had too much.
That defeat put an end to Freiburg’s seven-match unbeaten run in the Bundesliga and 11 matches in all competitions.
Freiburg’s defence is nowhere near as bad as Bayern made them out to be, though. In fact, Freiburg were tied with Bayern for the second-best defensive record in the Bundesliga with just eight goals conceded prior to the match.
Although, the Freiburg attack is once again showing its faults. They have now scored just four goals in their last five Bundesliga games, with top scorer Michael Gregoritsch getting just one goal during that time.
Lucas Holer, who was the club’s second-leading scorer last season with 7 league goals, is still slowly working his way back from a broken foot, and Streich does not have too many other options at striker.
Freiburg are finding it particularly hard to score goals at home this season. They have scored just four times in four home games, the third-fewest total in the Bundesliga. Although, they have also conceded just four goals, which is tied for the third-best home defensive record.
Newly promoted Werder in a decent position
Werder Bremen forward Niclas Fullkrug celebrates during their Bundesliga match against VfL Wolfsburg
Bremen currently find themselves in ninth place, in between supposed top clubs Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig.
Werder’s early success is being fuelled by their prolific striker, Niclas Fullkrug. The 29-year-old, who banged in 19 goals in their promotion campaign last season, leads the Bundesliga with eight goals and has also contributed two assists.
With Fullkrug leading the way, Werder are the third-leading scorers in the Bundesliga with 20 goals in 10 games. Although, Fullkrug and Werder were shut out by Mainz, who went into the Weserstadion and won 2-0.
Bremen have a surprisingly poor home record, with just one win from their first five games. They have been more successful away from home with 3 wins and 2 draws; in fact, they are the only remaining Bundesliga team unbeaten on the road.
Midfielder Leonardo Bittencourt missed the Mainz match due to illness, but he might be fully recovered in time to face Freiburg.
Werder Bremen have had the upper hand over Freiburg in recent years. Over their last 22 league meetings, Bremen have a 10-4 edge in wins, with eight draws.
Bremen are unbeaten in their last six matches against Freiburg, with two wins and three draws. They drew both matches in the 2020-21 season.
Freiburg’s last win over Werder came in 2018. That is their only victory in nine games against Bremen.
SBOTOP odds have Freiburg installed as 1.94 favourites at home, with Werder priced at 3.50. A draw is 3.75.
After getting shredded by Bayern, look for Freiburg to go back to basics against Bremen, which means shoring up their solid defence.
As their loss to Mainz showed, Werder’s attack has its limits despite Fullkrug’s fine form, and they could very well find Freiburg’s backline similarly tough to crack.
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Bundesliga: Fischer, Nagelsmann, and Streich are the Cream of the Crop
Union Berlin, Bayern Munich, and SC Freiburg are Top 3 in the Bundesliga right now for good reason. While much of the plaudits go to the players who go out there and compete every match, the men behind the touchline should get credit as well.
Continuity in particular has been the theme for both Union Berlin and SC Freiburg, as Urs Fischer and Christian Streich are currently the longest serving coaches in the Bundesliga and the clubs’ investment on these two has been paying off.
On the other hand, Julian Nagelsmann is one of the brightest young coaches today. Despite their ups and downs so far this season, Bayern Munich are generally doing well under his guidance.
It’s rare that coaches take the praise especially when they’re teams are winning. So without further ado, allow SBOTOP to give credit where it’s due by looking into their respective campaigns thus far.
Even if Union Berlin might relinquish their top spot eventually due to the law of averages, securing a Champions League berth is an achievable objective for them this season.
Since they were promoted to the German top-flight three years ago, Die Eisernen have shown steady progress as they’ve finished in the top half in two of the last three seasons – which includes a return to the Europa League.
Urs Fischer has maintained the same tactical approach all these years. The Swiss coach typically employs a 3-5-2 formation with three centre-backs stretched wide, two pacey wing-backs, three technical midfielders, and two strikers up front who are clinical inside the box.
Another key element in Fischer’s tactics is using their youth and athleticism to their advantage. Union Berlin love to press the ball and defend as a whole unit, which allows them to disrupt their opponents and make them vulnerable to counterattacks.
Sheraldo Becker, Jordan Siebatcheu and even Taiwo Awoniyi before have thrived in this system. Becker and Siebatcheu are the team’s leading scorers with seven and three goals, while they’ve combined for six assists.
Moreover, Die Eisernen currently are the best defencive team with only six goals conceded and they’ve scored 18 on the other end. They’ve also had some notable performances against Bayern Munich (1-1) and Borussia Dortmund (2-0) as evidence that they’re not afraid of the big challenges.
Christian Streich, SC Freiburg
SC Freiburg are also punching above their weight as they’re third behind Union Berlin and Bayern Munich. The Black Forest had an auspicious start to 2022-23, so their Bundesliga 2022 odds of making it back to Europe are realistic.
Like Union Berlin, SC Freiburg don’t have any attention-grabbing stars. Instead, they make up for it through sheer sacrifice and hard work to give themselves a chance to win every match regardless of who they’re facing.
Christian Streich has also overseen the resurgence of Vincenzo Grifo and the growth of Ritsu Doan, while Daniel-Kofi Kyereh is proving to be a bargain addition in his first campaign in German top-flight. The ability to unearth these gems is what makes SC Freiburg a viable threat in the Bundesliga.
However, they are winless in four of their last five matches and they might lose their top four spot if their Bundesliga 2022 results don’t improve soon, especially with the likes of Hoffenheim, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Monchengladbach, Koln, and Borussia Dortmund all within striking distance.
Julian Nagelsmann, Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann gestures during a Champions League game against Viktoria Plzen
There was considerable hype when Julian Nagelsmann arrived in Bavaria last year. Prior to joining them, he was the architect behind RB Leipzig’s meteoric rise in the past few seasons.
However, there are still skeptics who are questioning whether he can take Die Bayern to a whole new level, as last season’s modest trophy haul of just one is certainly a lot left to be desired.
To be fair, Nagelsmann has been dealt with a lot of baggage given the lofty expectations that come from being a Bayern Munich manager.
Of course, the departure of Robert Lewandowski hurt them to a certain degree, although he’s doing his best to figure out how to maximise Sadio Mane. Overall, he has yet to find the perfect balance with so much talent on his roster.
Perhaps this is just the harsh reality for the 35-year-old. But as long as the club keeps on getting the job done despite the growing pains, it would be asinine to even consider sacking him at all.
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Bundesliga: The Foals and the Eagles Will Entertain at Borussia Park
Borussia Monchengladbach vs Eintracht Frankfurt
Two teams vying for Champions League spots are set to go head-to-head this weekend as Borussia Monchengladbach host Eintracht Frankfurt at Borussia Park.
Eintracht Frankfurt are in the Champions League but they’re not doing great, especially following their defeat against Tottenham. However, they’re already planning to make it back there next season.
Meanwhile, Borussia Monchengladbach haven’t been in any European competitions since 2019-20 and they’re itching to return soon.
Die Adler are currently fifth at the Bundesliga standings with 17 points, which is only one point ahead of the sixth-seeded Die Fohlen who have 16.
This is likely to be a tight encounter according to the pre-match SBOTOP betting odds, as these two sides are going to bring it come Saturday night.
Talking Points
Marcus Thuram rediscovering his form
Perhaps I should’ve added Daniel Farke in this top Bundesliga managers list since he’s getting the best out of Marcus Thuram.
The Frenchman always had the potential to be one of the league’s top forwards. However, injuries and fitness issues have halted his progress over the past few years.
Last season under Adi Hutter, Thuram was not placed at his best position so he struggled for goals and consistent minutes. He only scored three times and it took him until February to open his account.
Borussia Monchengladbach star Marcus Thuram celebrates after scoring a goal during Bundesliga match against FC Koln
Marcus Thuram currently leads the team in scoring with seven goals in 10 matches, which is good for second in the ongoing Bundesliga Golden Boot race.
His contract is expiring soon, so there’s added motivation for the son of French World Cup winner Lilian Thuram. As long as he keeps this up, Marcus should earn a big new contract soon – whether it’s from Borussia Monchengladbach or from other clubs.
Several media outlets claim that Inter Milan, Juventus, and Bayern Munich are reportedly keeping tabs on the 25-year-old striker.
Rafael Santos Borre keen to get the ball rolling
Rafael Santos Borre’s form has dropped off, although Eintracht Frankfurt are doing well despite that. Nonetheless, they’re going to need him to find his shooting boots soon if they are to make noise again this term.
He is, after all, their top scorer last season with 11 goals across all competitions. However, 13 games in, and he has only notched one goal and one assist.
The arrival of Randal Kolo Muani is one of the main reasons why Borre has slipped down the pecking order. The Frenchman has tallied three goals and five assists so far.
There were rumours of him leaving in January amid reported interest from La Liga and Serie A clubs, but Die Adler insist that they’re keeping him in order to maintain their attacking depth.
Borre, 27, arrived on a free transfer from River Plate during the summer of 2021 and is still under contract with Eintracht Frankfurt until 2025.
History
Borussia Monchengladbach have only lost one of their last eight Bundesliga matches against Eintracht Frankfurt (W4, D3).
The said loss happened in their first meeting last season as Die Adler defeated Die Fohlen at their home pitch 3-2, where Rafael Santos Borre, Jesper Lindstrom, Daichi Kamada, Florian Neuhaus, and Remy Bensebaini all found the back of the net.
Die Fohlen have scored in all of those eight matches (21 goals total) which is their second-longest scoring streak in this particular fixture – only a game behind a run between 1967 and 1971 (9 games).
Furthermore, Borussia Monchengladbach have yet to lose a Saturday game this season after defeating RB Leipzig and drawing with Schalke and Bayern Munich.
Die Adler picked up more points away to Die Fohlen more than any other side in their German top-flight history (53). They’ve also scored the second-most away league goals versus Borussia Monchengladbach (67), which is only one behind against VfB Stuttgart (68).
The Bundesliga 2022 odds backed the hosts to win as Borussia Monchengladbach are installed at 2.28, but Eintracht Frankfurt aren’t far off at 2.83 and a draw is priced at 3.60 in the 1×2 market.
With both sides evenly matched, the result for this match is a tough call. However, we expect to see several Bundesliga 2022 highlights from this one.
We’re inclined to recommend going for Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.08 since a clean sheet is unlikely. We also won’t be surprised if points are going to be shared.
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Bundesliga: Hoffenheim and Bayern are Ready to Rumble
TSG Hoffenheim vs Bayern Munich
Fourth plays second in the Bundesliga clash of the weekend when Hoffenheim welcome Bayern Munich to the Rhein-Neckar Arena and it promises to be a cracker.
Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann comes up against the club he made his managerial name at, successfully coaching TSG between 2016 and 2019, leading the club to the Champions League for the first time in its history. And now, Hoffenheim’s new head coach Andre Breitenreiter has similar ambitions and he’s made an impressive start.
Both teams were in cup action in midweek and put on five-star performances in the DFB Pokal second round. Hoffenheim hammered Schalke for the second time in four days, this time 5-1, while Bayern handed out a 5-2 whacking to Augsburg.
And in the league, they both arrive on the back of a big win last week. Hoffenheim had an impressive 3-0 victory away to Schalke while Bayern battered top four hopefuls SC Freiburg 5-0. So you’d like to think we’ll get some pretty good Bundesliga 2022 highlights in Hoffenheim this weekend.
Talking Points
Musiala coming of age at Bayern
While the Bundesliga 2022 betting odds overwhelmingly back Bayern for the 2022/23 title, Union Berlin are the team to catch in the early stages of the campaign.
Even a win for Bayern on Saturday won’t topple the Berliners but, already four points adrift, Nagelsmann won’t want to see the gap increase to six or seven even at this relatively early stage.
Union Berlin visit bottom club Bochum on Sunday so we must assume the leaders will pick up another win.
Following a summer of some turmoil when former talisman Robert Lewandowski engineered a move to Barcelona, Sadio Mane arrived from Liverpool and the Senegalese star has settled well, scoring five league goals already.
But it is 19-year-old attacking midfielder Jamal Musiala who’s getting the fans off their feet and he has already contributed five goals and five assists. He’s a skilful operator with a superb range of passing and great dribbling skills, and he loves to slice open opposition defences.
Hoffenheim have plenty to think about, but they will be minded to play to the final whistle as that has benefited Bayern’s opponents this season.
The recent Der Klassiker turned out to be a hugely frustrating match for Nagelsmann as he watched his side throw away a 2-0 lead after the brilliant Musiala had set up goals for Leon Goretzka and Leroy Sane.
Youssoufa Moukoko halved the deficit on 74 minutes and when Kingsley Coman was sent off on 90, and Die Schwarzgelben threw the kitchen sink at it and Antony Modeste headed in a 95th minute equaliser.
And not so long ago, Bayern went into injury time against Stuttgart with a 2-1 lead only to concede a penalty which Serhou Guirassy slammed home.
Dabur is Hoffenheim’s biggest threat
Head coach Breitenreiter has made a strong impression in his first season at the helm in Hoffenheim.
The club finished ninth last term and Breitenreiter is gearing the team up for a serious improvement, and they have a chance to show what they can do against the very best on Saturday.
Hoffenheim’s Munas Dabbur celebrates scoring their first goal during their DFB Cup vs Schalke 04
Israeli striker Munas Dabbur is top scoring with four and he bagged two in Hoffenheim’s DFB Pokal win over Schalke. The 30-year-old made his name at RB Salzburg, scoring 44 goals in 76 games for the Austrian Bundesliga side and he will give the Bayern defence a good test with his strong running, aerial ability, and fierce shot.
Alongside Dabbur, Hoffenheim favourite Andrej Kramaric is still performing well with two goals and three assists, while midfield ace Christoph Baumgarter will try to expose any space he can find in the middle of the park.
History
A relatively young side in the modern era of German football, TSG Hoffenheim only have a Bundesliga 2 runners-up award in the trophy cabinet, picked up during their rapid rise to join the elite in the 21st century.
In contrast, Die Bayern have a trophy room bursting at the seams, boasting 32 Bundesliga titles, 20 DFB Pokals, and six Champions League crowns.
Unsurprisingly, Bayern Munich have had the best of the head-to-head encounters with TSG Hoffenheim, winning 20 of the last 30 meetings, drawing six, and losing just four.
Last term, this fixture ended in a 1-1 draw as Robert Lewandowski scored the equaliser after Baumgarter had volleyed the hosts in front. Bayern missed a host of chances but TSG battled hard for their point.
Recent form favours the Bavarians too with five wins and a draw from the last six games while Hoffenheim have won three, drawn two, and lost one.
TSG are at SBOTOP odds of 5.80 to win, while Bayern are at 1.46 and the draw at 4.26, and the hosts can be backed with a Double Chance Win or Draw at 2.51.
This is a big test for Bayern and I think Hoffenheim will fancy their chances of getting something, so I’m hoping for a high-octane 90 minutes with plenty of goalmouth action at both ends.
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Bundesliga: Bayern Face Mainz with Top Spot in Sight
Bayern Munich vs FSV Mainz 05
It has been a while since Bayern Munich have been at the top of the Bundesliga. But the defending champions can climb ahead of leaders Union Berlin – who play one day later – this weekend if they can beat Mainz at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern have been getting back to their dominant best and are unbeaten in four games since returning from the international break.
However, Mainz are in fine form themselves with back-to-back wins. Moreover, they had their share of success against Bayern in recent years, and they will be keen to defy the Bundesliga 2022 betting odds once again.
Talking Points
Bayern getting back to form
After going through a bit of a rough patch to start the season, Bayern Munich are back to dominating the Bundesliga. They have won three of their four games since the international break, and it would have been four in four had it not been for Borussia Dortmund’s dramatic comeback in Der Klassiker.
Bayern have scored 13 goals over those four games, nine of which have come in two home games. And counting their Champions League games, they have won their last four games at Allianz Arena, with 16 goals scored and none allowed.
Bayern will be without three key players – goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Lucas Hernández, and Leroy Sane – due to injury. But Thomas Muller, who missed their weekend win at Hoffenheim with a stomach bug, is set to be available again.
But Muller might need to wait to reclaim a starting spot since Eric Choupo-Moting is on fire. The veteran Cameroonian striker has started each of the last three games at centre-forward, and he has capitalised on this rare chance to play as he’s scored four goals in those three games. With that fine form, he has likely earned another start at the Camp Nou.
Mainz continue to move up
Mainz’s rise under Bo Svensson continues. After leading the 05ers to an eighth-place finish – their highest Bundesliga finish since 2016 – following his arrival in January of last year, Svensson has his side up in sixth through 11 Bundesliga matches this season.
Mainz are currently on a two-game winning streak in the league. After beating Werder Bremen 2-0, they crushed 10-man Koln 5-0 last weekend.
Mainz head coach Bo Svensson instructs from the sideline during Bundesliga match against Borussia Dortmund
Striker Marcus Ingvartsen has suddenly hit a purple patch, scoring four goals in each of his last four games. Strike partner Karim Onisiwo also ended his extended scoring drought as he scored his first goal since late August.
Jonathan Burkardt, last season’s top scorer with 11 goals, is off to a slow start with no goals in seven appearances. But the 22-year-old is finally delivering some Bundesliga 2022 highlights and has supplied two assists in the last three games.
Mainz’s win over Koln was their first at home this season. Their other four wins had all come away from home, and they currently have the best away record in the division. They were thrashed 4-1 by Hoffenheim – one of their heaviest defeats of the season to date – although it should be noted that they were down to 10 men for over half of that match.
History
Bayern Munich have gotten the better of Mainz in recent years. They have an 18-6 advantage in wins, with just two draws.
However, Mainz have had some surprising success against Bayern lately. In fact, they have claimed two wins over the champions over their last three meetings.
Mainz beat Bayern 3-1 in their most recent matchup back in April. Jonathan Burkardt scored as he continued his terrific record against Bayern with three goals in five appearances.
Unsurprisingly, the SBOTOP odds are tilted heavily in Bayern’s favour. The Bavarians are installed as massive 1.23 favourites to beat Mainz, who are priced at 10.00 to pull off an upset at the Allianz Arena. A draw is 6.40.
Bayern have been scoring goals for fun of late, but Mainz will not be a walk in the park. Expect the 05ers to put up a decent fight against the Bavarians, who may not be quite as up for this match following their big midweek battle against Barcelona.
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Bundesliga: Dortmund’s Sights are Set on the Eagles
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Borussia Dortmund
All roads lead to Frankfurt for the Bundesliga clash of the weekend as fourth meets fifth in a tantalising match, as Eintracht welcome Borussia Dortmund to the Commerzbank Arena.
The German league is the tightest in Europe in the early stages with just seven points separating Union Berlin in top spot from Cologne in 10th.
Between these two clubs sit the likes of Bayern Munich, TSG Hoffenheim, and slow starters RB Leipzig. And then Die Adler and Die Scwharzgelben are poised just four and three points behind the leaders.
Dortmund handed out a 5-0 thrashing to Stuttgart last week while Eintracht come into the game with back-to-back wins in the Bundesliga and it all adds up to a mouthwatering prospect with plenty at stake.
Eintracht’s aim is to secure a Champions League place, while BVB have their sights set a little higher and this is a game they must win if they are to keep pace with hot favourites Bayern who are currently second.
Talking Points
Kamada and Lindstrom are flying for Eagles
The Eagles’ Bundesliga 2022 results have certainly taken a turn for the better over the past week of so as head coach Oliver Glasner works to iron out early season inconsistencies. And the boss has two creative midfielders regularly doing the business for him.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Daichi Kamada and teammates applaud fans after the match vs Bayer Leverkusen
But the visitors were clinical in attack and went into a three-goal lead as Jesper Lundstrom scored a brace and young midfielder Eric Edimbe, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, added a third.
The Eagles eventually won that game 3-1 and in their previous outcome – a 5-1 thrashing of Bayer Leverkusen in Frankfurt – Japanese attacking midfielder Daichi Kamada scored twice to take his tally to six goals for the campaign alongside Danish star Lundstrom, and Kamada has also made four assists.
BVB’s young guns are firing
Dortmund are at SBOTOP odds of14.00to win the 2022/23 Bundesliga and that puts them in second place and the most likely club to challenge the dominance of Bayern Munich. It’s a big responsibility which rests on a number of young shoulders, particularly in the absence of the injured Marco Reus.
In the rout against Stuttgart, young England star Jude Belllingham scored twice with a beautiful curled shot to complete his brace.
Bellingham is a real talent as a box-to-box midfielder and his creative instinct has been a big help for Dortmund’s latest wunderkind, 17-year-old striker Youssoufa Moukoko, who also scored against Stuttgart.
Moukoko already has four goals and three assists to his name and head coach Edin Terzic has also welcomed back 19-year-old Gio Reyna – who missed much of last season with injury.
With such a rich supply of young talent, it’s amazing to think of the players who have left Dortmund in recent years such as Christian Pulisic and Jadon Sancho. And
The Sky Blues missed a penalty, but Moukoko had a huge chance to make score in the first half as both teams qualified for the knockout phase following a 0-0 draw.
History
Dortmund have had the better of the head-to-heads, winning 28 of the 52 encounters with Frankfurt, while there have been 13 draws and 11 wins for the Eagles.
Last season, Die Schwarzgelben did a spectacular double over Eintracht with a 5-2 win in Dortmund and a 3-2 victory in Frankfurt as Bellingham scored a late headed equaliser and midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud bagged an injury-time winner.
In terms of recent form, there is little choose between the two teams. Eintracht have won three, drawn one, and lost two of the last six, while BVB have won two, drawn three, and lost one, though the Eagles have a Champions League clash against Marseilles on Wednesday night.
Eintracht are at a price 2.89 to win this top-five battle, while the draw is at 3.21 and BVB are favourites at 2.28. The Bundesliga 2022 betting odds are backing Dortmund to give Bayern a run for their money this season. And while Terzic has a young team, they are playing without fear and the extra day to prepare gives them a useful edge over the Eagles.
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Bundesliga: Union Berlin Must Win at Home to Preserve Top Berth
Union Berlin vs Borussia Monchengladbach
Union Berlin’s top spot in the Bundesliga is in peril as several rivals are hot on their heels. They’re coming off a shocking defeat in the last time out, so they must regain their bearings fast when Die Fohlen visit town on Sunday.
Die Eisernen are clinging on to their one-point lead over Die Bayern, who have an important date with Mainz this weekend.
So this Sunday clash is a must-win for the hosts since the pre-match SBOTOP betting odds are backing the defending champions to win their own game despite the fact that the 05ers have proven to be competitive against them in recent encounters.
Gladbach are out for valuable points too since they have plans on making it back to Europe next season, and beating the pacesetters is a step in the right direction.
Talking Points
Union Berlin duo must rediscover shooting touch
Die Eisernen have been the surprise package in the German top-flight this season, thanks to Urs Fischer’s tactical nous. They boast the best defence in the league with only eight goals conceded – which is currently tied with the reigning champions Bayern Munich.
But two of those came against VfL Bochum during their 2-1 loss on Sunday. It should’ve been a 2-0 clean sheet for the relegation-threatened Der Blau if it weren’t for Milos Pantovic’s added-time consolation goal.
Union Berlin, though, got back on the winning track by beating Braga yesterday thanks to Robin Knoche’s penalty at the 68th minute to put them second in Group D of the Europa League behind leaders Union Saint-Gilloise – who they’ll take on next in the penultimate matchday.
It’s not going to get easier for Union Berlin in these next few weeks, which is why it’s important that they’re sharp in the final third.
Sheraldo Becker and Theoson Siebatcheu haven’t scored since last month, which is a concern for Urs Fischer. The two of them have combined for 10 goals and six assists so far this term, and those totals would have to go up if they’ll be able to achieve their objectives this season.
Marcus Thuram can’t do it all for Gladbach
Marcus Thuram should be more clinical in front of goal when Gladbach travel to Union Berlin
Marcus Thuram is playing his best ball under Daniel Farke, but he is going to need more from his other teammates. The Frenchman currently tops their scoring charts with eight goals and two assists, and the one behind him is wantaway full-back Ramy Bensebaini with four goals.
It doesn’t help that Gladbach have a growing injury list, which includes Yann Sommer, Jonas Hofmann, Torben Musel, Ko Itakura, Stefan Lainer, and Florian Neuhaus. On the other hand, Kouadio Kone is suspended for this upcoming matchup.
Alassane Plea has recorded an assist in each of the last three games, but he hasn’t found the back of the net since August against Hertha Berlin. Lars Stindl, an experienced all-rounder for the Foals meanwhile, has yet to find his rhythm this term.
Gladbach are currently ninth in the standings with 16 points, but a victory here could push them up to as high as fifth place.
History
Union Berlin hold the slim advantage in their head-to-heads against Gladbach. In the eight games prior to Sunday, Die Eisernen have won in three, while Die Fohlen won twice along with three draws.
November 2019 was the last time that there was a clean sheet in this fixture, with Union Berlin beating Gladbach 2-0 at home in their first season back in the German top-flight. Since then, Union Berlin and Gladbach had multiple games where both of them scored at least once.
Their last meeting took place in January as Max Kruse bailed out Union Berlin with his brace – including his late goal when it looked like it was going to be another draw following Kouadio Kone’s equaliser around the 40-minute mark.
Because they’re on top of the Bundesliga, Union Berlin are favoured by the Bundesliga 2022 odds to win this weekend. Die Eisernen are installed at 2.06, while Gladbach are pegged at 3.40 and a draw is at 3.45 in the 1X2 market.
We expect a cagey affair at Alte Forsterei and football fans can expect some Bundesliga 2022 highlights from these two sides. We’re inclined to think that Union Berlin will edge Gladbach on this one with a Correct Score of 2-1 at 7.40 – which is a great payout if you’re swinging for the fences. The safer bet, though, is Total Goal 2-3 @ 1.91 especially if you’re taking into account a possible win or draw for the visitors.
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Bundesliga: Bayern Can Send Hertha Down to the Drop Zone
Hertha Berlin vs Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich’s relentless pursuit of the German top-flight’s top spot continues in Berlin as they’ll take on Hertha at the Olympia stadion this Saturday.
Following their impressive victories against Mainz and Inter Milan in the Champions League recently, Bayern Munich are in great position to return on top of the Bundesliga since they’ve had Hertha’s number for a while now.
Hertha Berlin are currently 14th with 11 points, which is one foot near the relegation mire. They’ve had inconsistent Bundesliga 2022 results, and that has to change if they want to avoid the predicament they were in at the end of last term.
The pre-match SBOTOP betting odds are backing the defending Bundesliga champions to win easily, so that should give the hosts motivation to be at their best at home.
Talking Points
Dodi Lukebakio shining at Hertha Berlin
Dodi Lukebakio has been the bright spot for Hertha Berlin this season. The 25-year-old winger leads Die Alte Dame in scoring with five goals and one assist, and he also has one goal and one assist in the DFB Pokal.
The Belgium international has been with eight teams already in his young career since he’s always been loaned out, but now it seems that he has finally found a home in Berlin.
His performances this season didn’t go unnoticed since it has earned him five caps for the Belgium national team. Although he has yet to score for the Red Devils, Lukebakio is likely going to get another call-up for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.
Lukebakio has already scored five times against Bayern Munich in his career, which is second behind Marco Reus (8) among active Bundesliga players.
He will be joined up front by Stevan Jovetic or Wilfried Kanga – who netted against Schalke two matches ago. Suat Serdar, Marco Richter, and Lucas Tousart are considered threats as well to Bayern Munich’s backline since they’ve combined for seven goals thus far.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting on target for Bayern Munich
Forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting will try to score goals and defeat Hertha Berlin on November 5 in Bundesliga.
Perhaps Bayern Munich found their new guy to take over the No. 9 position since Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting can’t stop scoring. The veteran striker netted once again versus Inter Milan yesterday just when you thought that he was in for a quiet night.
The former Robert Lewandowski backup now has six goals this season, and he’s on his way to surpass his totals in each of the previous two campaigns (9).
Having an in-form Choupo-Moting gives Julian Nagelsmann another guy to rely on, which certainly comes in handy as the season rolls on with games coming in thick and fast.
It looks like Choupo-Moting has gained a new fan in Erik ten Hag as Manchester United are reportedly eyeing him as a possible replacement for the wantaway Cristiano Ronaldo – who could leave Old Trafford as soon as January.
Choupo-Moting’s contract runs until the end of this season which could open an opportunity for Manchester United to sign him for free, although Bayern Munich are expected to offer the 33-year-old a new deal soon.
History
Bayern Munich have been a thorn on Hertha Berlin’s side since they’ve won each of their last five Bundesliga encounters after having won just one of their last six (D4, L1).
The Bavarians’ 6-2 win over the 05ers last week means that they have also scored at least six goals in a game three times already this season – with the other sides in the league only managing to do this once.
So far, they have netted 38 times, which is their third-highest goal total in their first 12 games of the season (39 in 1976/77 and 41 in 2021/22).
24 of those came in the first half, which is a league-high and a new Bundesliga record across the first 12 matches. In contrast, Hertha Berlin have scored just four times before the halftime break – the lowest in the league.
The Bundesliga 2022 odds are backing Bayern Munich for this contest. They are priced at 1.26 to win, while Hertha Berlin are huge underdogs at 9.00 and a draw is pegged at 6.20 in the 1×2 market.
A Bayern Munich win seems to be a foregone conclusion, so going for Over 3.75 @ 1.90 is not a bad idea given the trend of their meetings last season where they outscored Hertha Berlin via a 9-1 aggregate margin.
Overall, the Bavarians should be reasonably comfortable for the whole 90 minutes and you can also bet for First Asian Handicap -0.50 @ 1.65 in their favour too.
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Bundesliga: Farke’s Fading Foals Desperate to Beat Dortmund
Borussia Monchengladbach vs Borussia Dortmund
The Battle of the Borussias is set to begin the last weekend before the Bundesliga‘s World Cup break. Both clubs are coming off losses, with Dortmund suffering a defeat to Wolfsburg and Gladbach going down to relegation strugglers Bochum.
Daniel Farke’s Foals are in the midst of a rough patch, one they will be hoping to snap with a big win against BVB.
However, the Bundesliga 2022 betting odds will still fancy Dortmund despite their recent struggles in attack.
Talking Points
Farke’s Foals faltering
It’s not going well for Daniel Farke at Borussia Monchengladbach at the moment. The Foals are mired in midtable mediocrity – ninth place – after some poor Bundesliga 2022 results. They have won just one of their last five games, with three defeats. That includes a disappointing 2-1 loss to second-from-bottom Bochum in midweek.
Their current slide has coincided with star goalkeeper Yann Sommer being sidelined with an ankle injury he picked up in their DFL Cup tie.
Veteran Tobias Sippel, who was unconvincing in their losses to Frankfurt and Union Berlin, didn’t play against Bochum due to injury, so 20-year-old Jan Olschowsky was thrown in for his professional debut.
Borussia Monchengladbach’s Alassane Plea in action against Darmstadt 98’s Braydon Manu during DFB Cup
But there is hope that Sommer will be back in time for the big game against Dortmund, which would be a huge boost for Gladbach and their middling defence.
The Foals are faring much better up front, though. They have scored 24 goals in 14 games, which is tied for the fourth-most in the Bundesliga.
Marcus Thuram is having a terrific bounce-back season with nine goals – tied for third in the league – and three assists. And fellow French forward Alassane Plea has been producing his share of Bundesliga 2022 highlights with two goals and seven assists.
Dortmund attack disappointing
Borussia Dortmund missed a great opportunity to move back to second in the Bundesliga as they lost 2-0 to Wolfsburg this midweek. That’s already Dortmund’s fifth defeat in 14 games this season and it snapped their three-game winning streak.
Dortmund dominated possession (63 per cent to 37) and had a 21-17 edge in shots, but they were unable to find a way through Wolfsburg’s attack.
Despite their recent win streak, Dortmund’s attack remains inconsistent. Donyell Malen and Karim Adeyemi, who both started out wide, have yet to score a goal this season.
Meanwhile, 17-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko appears to be the first-choice centre-forward, supplanting veteran Anthony Modeste, who has also been a disappointment despite his Der Klassiker heroics.
There was hope that Marco Reus would be ready to return, but the Dortmund skipper has suffered a setback on his recovery from an ankle injury and will likely miss out again as he faces a race to be fit in time for the World Cup.
Dortmund would have surely been delighted to have Reus back in the lineup as he loves playing against his old club Gladbach. He has scored 11 goals and provided 10 assists in 16 games against the Foals. Moreover, Reus has won 13 of 16 games he’s played against Gladbach, with just two defeats.
History
Dortmund have dominated the Battle of the Borussias over the years. They have a 19-6 advantage over Gladbach in wins, with three draws over their last 29 Bundesliga matches.
Dortmund had won 11 games in a row over Gladbach, but the Foals finally got two over on BVB with back-to-back wins in 2021.
However, Dortmund got their revenge as they thrashed Gladbach 6-0 in their most recent meeting at Signal Iduna Park. Marco Reus, who loves playing against his old team, had another brilliant match with a brace and three assists.
SBOTOP odds have Borussia Dortmund installed as 2.14 favourites to beat Borussia Monchengladbach, who are priced at 3.15 at home. A draw is 3.50.
While things are looking gloomy for Gladbach at the moment, it is undeniable that the quality is still there. The front two of Thuram and Plea is still as good as any in the Bundesliga, and they are arguably more dangerous than any forward Dortmund can field at the moment.
I expect Gladbach to come out with more sense of urgency at home to pick up a positive result before the World Cup break.
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Bundesliga: Freiburg and Union Duel for Second Place
SC Freiburg vs Union Berlin
Only one between SC Freiburg and Union Berlin can get back to winning ways when they face each other at the Europa-Park Stadium this Sunday.
As Bayern Munich reclaimed the top spot in the Bundesliga standings following their wins against Hertha Berlin and Werder Bremen, previous pacesetters Union Berlin and SC Freiburg are left to settle for the second spot following their lacklustre Bundesliga 2022 results this past matchday.
SC Freiburg were pummeled by RB Leipzig 3-1 in the last time out, while Union Berlin dropped points to 14th-placed Augsburg with a 2-2 draw on Wednesday.
There’s a sense of urgency between these two sides to grab points so that Bayern Munich won’t get away from the chasing pack once again.
Read on below as SBOTOP previews this much-awaited fixture between these two up-and-coming sides.
Talking Points
Freiburg put their home unbeaten streak on the line
The Black Forest are aiming to qualify for the Champions League for the first time under Christian Streich and they have a great chance to do so this season since they currently hold the third spot in the table.
Lukas Kubler scores a sensational goal to get Freiburg back in the game against Leipzig
Last week, they were trailing the top seeded Bayern Munich by just one point heading into the midweek round of fixtures, but they couldn’t get over the hump against RB Leipzig on the road.
The Red Bulls had the Black Forest pinned at their own half for the most part. Leipzig took a two-goal lead in the second half when Mohammed Simakan and Christopher Nkunku scored within just two minutes.
Lukas Kubler’s rocket volley halved the deficit, but Leipzig put the game to bed when Emil Forsberg converted a penalty during the 78th minute.
At home, SC Freiburg are undefeated in five Bundesliga games so far this season (W4, D1). They have won each of their last three on home soil, a feat they’ve previously done from December 2020 to January 2021.
13 points after their first six home league games is their joint-best return at this stage of their campaign. They last did this feat in 1999/00 and 2003/04.
They will be led once more by Vincenzo Grifo and Michael Gregoritsch. Both of them have netted eight goals apiece thus far and have dished out five assists combined.
Union Berlin’s backline needs help
It’s been a rough start to the month of November for Union Berlin as their backline has faltered. After giving up five against Bayer Leverkusen, they’ve conceded two against Augsburg yesterday at home.
The hosts looked to control the early play and Sheraldo Becker scored his eighth goal of the season, but Florian Niederlechner replied within seconds of the restart.
14 minutes later, Kevin Behrens headed in Union Berlin’s second goal to restore their lead, but Niederlechner once again came up with a reply with an acrobatic finish off a rebound.
Die Eisernen continue to be without centre-back Danilho Doekhi and first choice shot stopper Frederik Ronnow. These two have been their unsung heroes this season, so Urs Fishcer is hopeful that they’ll be available on Sunday.
History
SC Freiburg have only won one of their last eight meetings against Union Berlin (D2, L5) – which was a 3-1 league victory at home last March 2020. They are currently without a win against Die Eisernen in four consecutive games for the first time ever (D2, L2).
Union Berlin are in a similar funk as they’re without a win in their last two Bundesliga games for the first time since March (D1, L1), although 27 points from 14 matches is their best ever output at this stage of a Bundesliga campaign.
These two clubs previously met in May where Union Berlin outclassed SC Freiburg with a 4-1 scoreline as Grischa Promel, Christopher Trimmel, Sheraldo Becker, and Andras Schafer all netted for Die Eisernen, whereas Lucas Holer scored the consolation for the hosts.
The Bundesliga 2022 odds are favouring the hosts for this one, as SC Freiburg are installed at 2.02, while a victory for Union Berlin is priced at 3.65 and chances for a draw are at 3.30 in the 1X2 market.
With so much on the line, this should be a highly entertaining encounter compared to their previous meetings. The winner for this one is tough to call, but we’re sure that we will see some goals at the Europa-Park Stadium.
So Total Goal 2-3 @ 1.90 is your safest bet, while Over 2.50 @ 2.16 is another betting option that you might need to consider.
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Bundesliga: Who Can Challenge Bayern Munich to the Top?
Bayern Munich have been Bundesliga champions for as long as we can remember.
Earlier this season, they started slow – leading to Union Berlin being a surprise package – but now they’re back on top as they’ve rediscovered their form before the international break.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side is leading by at least four points in the standings. But we still have a long way to go, as a banana peel here or there can open an opportunity for several rival clubs to sneak in.
So who are the teams that can rise to the occasion to possibly dethrone the Bavarian giants? Read on below as SBOTOP lists three clubs who have a realistic chance of pushing the 10-time defending champions.
RB Leipzig
RB Leipzig were on a roll following the appointment of Marco Rose last September. Prior to Rose’s arrival, RB Leipzig struggled mightily to start their 2022-23 campaign, picking up only five points from five league games under Domenico Tedesco.
In his 19 matches at the helm, Marco Rose has won 14, drawn twice, and lost only three times across all competitions – including friendlies. They have yet to lose a game since September 17 against Borussia Monchengladbach.
Because of their stretch of great Bundesliga 2022 results, RB Leipzig have risen to third with 28 points and they’re on pace to outdo their campaign last term where they finished fourth.
Christopher Nkunku gets the majority of the plaudits since he’s topping their scoring charts with 15 goals, but the resurgence of Timo Werner has been fun to watch if you’re an RB Leipzig supporter.
Werner has six goals and two assists and he looks motivated again following a lacklustre stint with Chelsea. It’s in Leipzig where he has made a name for himself, although he won a Champions League trophy during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Andre Silva and Dominik Szoboszlai have been crucial for Die Roten Bullen too. Silva has five goals and two assists, while Szoboszlai has two goals and nine assists.
And Josko Gvardiol is another name to monitor since he has emerged as one of the best defenders in World Cup 2022. The towering Croatian will aim to maintain his superb form when he returns to Red Bull soon, unless another team buys him in the upcoming January transfer window.
Eintracht Frankfurt
If Eintracht Frankfurt are going to make some noise, it would likely be on the back of solid second-half campaigns from their World Cup 2022 participants.
Randal Kolo Muani (France), Daichi Kamada (Japan), Kevin Trapp (Germany), Mario Gotze (Germany), Djibril Sow (Switzerland), Kristijan Jakic (Croatia), and Jesper Lindstrom (Denmark) have all competed in Qatar, so fitness and sharpness aren’t going to be an issue when the Bundesliga matches resume.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Clement Lenglet in action with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Daichi Kamada
Kamada leads the team in scoring with 10 goals and three assists. Kolo Muani and Lindstrom have combined for 14 goals (seven each), and the former has nine assists. Gotze and Sow, on the other hand, have two goals apiece.
But the x-factor for Die Adler is going to be Rafael Santos Borre. The Colombian only has one goal and one assist on his account thus far, and if he can recreate his form last season where he was their top scorer with 11 goals, then they can go even higher in the standings.
Frankfurt have won three of their last five Bundesliga games and they’re through to the Champions League knockouts after finishing behind Spurs in Group D. They’re currently at fourth in the German top-flight table with 27 points.
SC Freiburg
SC Freiburg are punching above their weight since they’re in second place with 30 points. Their Bundesliga 2022 odds of making it back to Europe are realistic, and maybe they can pip Bayern Munich if they get lucky.
The ability to unearth hidden gems is what makes them viable. Besides Vincenzo Grifo and Michael Gregoritsch – who lead them in scoring at 11 and nine goals – they have other threats who can propel them to the top.
Ritsu Doan is fresh from a fruitful World Cup stint for Japan. The “Japanese Messi” has recorded three goals and three assists for the Black Forest this season.
Lukas Kubler has been a pleasant surprise for Freiburg since he has already tallied four goals, while Daniel-Kofi Kyereh has been a worthwhile addition in his first year in German top-flight – notching three goals and one assist.
And they’ve been doing well despite the injuries to Lucas Holer and Roland Sallai. Once the two of them are back, SC Freiburg are going to be a much stronger squad.
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World Cup 2022: Bundesliga’s Young Stars Shine Bright in Qatar
The German national team did not have a great World Cup 2022 as they crashed out in the group stage for the second straight time.
However, a handful of the Bundesliga’s stars – including arguably two of the most exciting midfield prospects in all of Europe – shone bright in Qatar as they showed just how talented the German league is.
So read on below as SBOTOP lists down the Bundesliga’s top five performers at the recently concluded World Cup 2022.
Josko Gvardiol, RB Leipzig/Croatia
Croatia defied the World Cup 2022 odds yet again with another fantastic campaign that saw them finish in third place. And while their excellent midfield and goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic have grabbed most of the headlines, young defender Josko Gvardiol also deserves a lot of plaudits.
The 20-year-old RB Leipzig centre-back showed why he is among the most promising defender prospects in Europe with a fantastic performance in Qatar. He led the tournament by a wide margin in clearances (37) and was tied for second in interceptions (11).
Gvardiol was the only outfield player to play all 690 minutes of Croatia’s World Cup 2022 campaign, and aside from getting turned inside out by Lionel Messi in Argentina’s third goal in the semi-finals, he was an absolute rock at the back.
Gvardiol had already been linked with a big-money move prior to the World Cup, and with his tremendous showing in Qatar, it’s likely not going to be long before he moves on from Leipzig and the Bundesliga.
Dayot Upamecano, Bayern Munich/France
With Presnel Kimpembe out injured, Didier Deschamps turned to Upamecano to partner Raphael Varane at the heart of France’s defence. It was a big step up for Upamecano, who had just seven caps to his name before the start of the World Cup.
But the Bayern Munich defender did a fine job overall to help France return to the World Cup final. He started in five of the team’s seven games and would have started one more had he not fallen ill and missed the semi-final against Morocco.
With both Manuel Neuer and Lucas Hernandez out for the year, Bayern fans will be hoping Upamecano can carry over that good form to the Bundesliga and be a stalwart in their defence.
Niclas Fullkrug, Werder Bremen/Germany
Germany’s Niclas Fullkrug celebrates scoring their fourth goal against Costa Rica
Germany’s striker options for World Cup 2022 were so limited that Hansi Flick had to pick a teenager (Youssoufa Moukoko) as well as 29-year-old Niclas Fullkrug, both of whom hadn’t earned a single cap before their World Cup warm-up against Oman in November.
To Fullkrug’s credit, he had earned his call-up after scoring 10 goals with Werder Bremen, tied for second in the Bundesliga. And with Germany needing to find late goals in all three group games, he excelled at his role of super sub. He scored a late equaliser to hold Spain to a 1-1 draw, and he had a goal and an assist in their 4-2 win over Costa Rica, which wasn’t enough to see them through.
Fullkrug’s role in the national team moving forward isn’t likely to progress past impact sub, but that could be a role he could make his own if he continues to be picked.
Jamal Musiala, Bayern Munich/Germany
Without a doubt, one of the bright spots in what was another disappointing World Cup campaign for Germany was the emergence of Jamal Musiala. The 19-year-old Bayern Munich star showed that form that made him arguably the best player in the Bundesliga for the first 15 games of the season on the biggest stage of all.
Granted, Musiala did not score and had just one assist in three games, but he was hands down Germany’s main man in terms of providing World Cup 2022 highlights. He was tied for the team lead with 12 shots, including two that hit the woodwork against Costa Rica. He also had 22 shot-creating actions, which led the team and was fourth in the tournament behind only Mbappe, Messi and Griezmann.
Musiala is a legit superstar in the making and could very well be among the best players in Europe by the time of the next major tournament, Euro 2024, which Germany will be hosting.
Had Argentina not won the World Cup 2022, Jude Bellingham might very well have won the FIFA Young Player Award over eventual winner Enzo Fernandez. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder was absolutely brilliant in his first major international tournament for England as he contributed in just about every aspect of the game.
He played multiple positions, helped progress the ball, got forward and had shots, created opportunities for teammates, and did more than his fair share of work defensively. Had Jordan Pickford been sent off or injured, Bellingham likely would’ve done well deputising in goal as well.
But this shouldn’t be surprising for anyone who has watched Bellingham play for Borussia Dortmund this season. At just 19 years old, not only has he developed into a tremendous all-around player, but he has also quickly matured into one of the leaders of the BVB, even captaining the side in the absence of Marco Reus.
It seems like just a matter of time before Bellingham returns to England and plays for one of the Premier League giants, but for the time being, the Bundesliga can still boast having one of the breakout stars of World Cup 2022.
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The Bundesliga campaign gets underway again in three weeks’ time when RB Leipzig entertain FC Bayern on Friday 20th January. It’s a game we’ll be watching here at SBOTOP and one which will give a strong indication of whether or not Die Bayern can be stopped.
Julian Nagelsmann’s team is four points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with SC Freiburg and Red Bull in pursuit, while Borussia Dortmund are back in sixth place and nine points adrift.
And with the January transfer window fast approaching, the high-flyers will be working hard to keep hold of their best players while trying to strengthen if the price is right.
The champions and league leaders are keen to extend the stays of some of their brightest young players with the German press saying the club is eager to tie down Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies, and particularly France wing-back Lucas Hernandez, who suffered an ACL injury in Qatar but whose contract expires in 2024.
Some of the Bundesliga’s brightest young stars excelled at the World Cup. Bayern’s Musiala was a bright spark in Germany’s poor campaign, while BVB sensation Jude Bellingham was one of the standout performers of the competition in England’s journey to the quarter-finals.
Bellingham was at Turf Moor on Tuesday to watch his kid brother Jobe play for Birmingham City against Burnley in the Championship and the UK press has been awash with speculation as to the BVB man’s future as Europe’s top clubs continue to watch his progress.
His value increased during the World Cup and German newspaper the Bild says Dortmund have slapped a €150-M price tag on Bellingham’s head.
Liverpool, Manchester City, and Real Madrid are all reported to be interested in the player who is fast becoming one of the most sought-after box-to-box midfielders in world football.
He is contracted until 2026 and Bellingham’s representatives are in constant contact with the club, but BVB will do well to hold on to their fastest rising star in the summer.
Coaches are often, rightly, reticent when talking about players of other clubs but Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp expressed his admiration over Bellingham.
“Everybody knows Jude is an exceptional player. The things he can do already are difficult to learn. The things he has to improve on are easy to learn. He is a really good player. Jude plays so mature like a 28-year-old,” said Klopp.
“Everybody already knew his skills, but I have no idea what that means for the money side of it,” he added.
Foals working on a Sommer deal
Goalkeeper Yann Sommer of Switzerland in action in the Round of 16 match against Portugal at World Cup 2022
In other Bundesliga 2022 news, the future of Borussia Monchengladbach keeper Yann Sommer has been under the spotlight as the Swiss number one has been linked with Bayern Munich as a long-term replacement for Manuel Neuer.
Sommer has said that discussions are ongoing with Die Fohlen over an extended contract and the club, currently eighth in the Bundesliga table, and his current club would dearly love to keep their number one as they push for a European place.
The 34-year-old is Monchengladbach through and through, signing for the club in 2014 and making 272 appearances as well as picking up 80 caps for Switzerland. He has another few seasons at the very top of the game, and Die Fohlen will do all they can to keep Sommer at the club.
Meanwhile, a former Schalke 04 star could be on his way to Borussia Dortmund if Italian outlet Calciomercato has it right.
Juventus are said to be happy to offload American midfielder Weston McKennie and he is on BVB’s radar as they look to strengthen in 2023. The Old Lady will be happy to listen to offers as she has a surplus of midfield operators in Turin.
News has also emerged that TSG Hoffenheim have reached an agreement to sign Denmark striker Kasper Dolberg. The Nice star has been on loan at Sevilla, but has been underused at the La Liga outfit and TSG are set to sign him on loan with an option to buy.
Dolberg is due to join Hoffenheim on 3rd January and he could slot in nicely to a team which has suffered injuries to key forwards, Munas Dabbur and Ihlas Bebou.
With 11 goals in 40 appearances for Denmark, many from the bench, Dolberg could be a big asset to Hoffenheim who find themselves down in 11th position.
So, with just three weeks to wait before the action begins we are sure to see some incomings and outgoings. But who can challenge Bayern in 2023? Well, the latest Bundesliga 2022 betting odds suggest, if anyone, it will be RB Leipzig or Borussia Dortmund. If Die Roten Bullen can pull off a big win on 20th January, then they will close the gap at the top to three points and then it’s game on.
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Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich are in the hunt for a new goalkeeper in this transfer window, with No 1 Manuel Neuer out for the season after breaking his leg. The hunt for Neuer’s replacement is hotting up, with some big names being linked with a move to Bayern.
Elsewhere, the speculation surrounding Marcus Thuram’s future is also ongoing, with several big clubs circling the Borussia Monchengladbach striker, while Borussia Dortmund may have found their replacement for Jude Bellingham should he depart in the near future.
So read on below to catch all the latest transfer news and updates from the Bundesliga.
Bayern’s keeper search still ongoing
Bayern Munich are still yet to sign a new goalkeeper to replace the injured Manuel Neuer. The club has reportedly set an internal deadline of January 6 – the date when they are set to leave for Doha to hold their training camp – to find said replacement, and that deadline is now just a few days away.
Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer is reportedly a top candidate, not only because he is a terrific goalkeeper – he set a new Bundesliga record with 19 saves against Bayern earlier this season – but also because his contract is set to expire and would not be all that expensive to sign.
Sommer has also reportedly requested to join Bayern, with Australian keeper Mathew Ryan of FC Copenhagen possibly coming in to replace Sommer at Gladbach.
But Bayern have also reportedly opened talks with Sevilla for Yassine Bounou. Bayern face competition from Manchester United for the Moroccan, whose reputation has risen significantly after he starred for his country at the World Cup.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Kevin Trapp and Alexander Nubel, who is on loan to Monaco from Bayern, have also been touted as potential options for the German giants.
But whether Bayern sign Bounou or Sommer, or even if they decide to stick with veteran Sven Ulreich, the Bundesliga 2023 odds will still have them as significant favourites to win their 11th straight title.
Big clubs circling Marcus Thuram
Aside from Yann Sommer, Marcus Thuram is another big-name Borussia Monchengladbach player who is being linked with a move to Bayern this winter.
Marcus Thuram celebrates as France win their World Cup semi-final match vs England
After a down season in 2021-22 in part due to injuries, the 25-year-old Thuram back to producing Bundesliga 2023 highlights this season. He is tied for second in the Bundesliga goalscoring charts with 10 goals – already tied for the most goals he’s scored in a season – and he also has three assists.
Thuram is not the most prolific of strikers, but he possesses the pace and versatility that would make him quite a useful squad player in any of those big clubs.
While losing their top scorer will be a huge blow to their season, Gladbach would be wise to sell Thuram now as he will likely just walk away on a free transfer in the summer.
BVB eye Alexis Mac Allister as possible Bellingham replacement
If – or perhaps, when – Bellingham leaves Dortmund (most likely in the summer), BVB could bring in Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister to replace him.
Mac Allister has starred for the Seagulls in the Premier League this season; he is tied for second on the team with five goals scored. He also emerged as an unlikely key contributor to Argentina’s World Cup-winning campaign, which significantly raised his profile around Europe.
While not quite the all-round midfielder that Bellingham has become, Mac Allister does contribute on both ends of the pitch and appears to be developing a more keen eye for goal.
But BVB face stiff competition for the promising 24-year-old, who has also been linked with some of the biggest sides in Europe such as Premier League leaders Arsenal, Chelsea, Juventus, Inter Milan, and Atletico Madrid.
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Bundesliga: Leipzig Can Do Everyone a Favour by Beating Bayern
January is normally the time when Bayern Munich break away from the pack to win yet another Bundesliga championship, so time is of the essence for the rest of the pack.
For a while, it looked like Bayern Munich were about to be dethroned as Union Berlin were surprisingly on top because of their hot start. But the law of averages has kicked in, and now the Bavarians are back at the summit.
Bayern Munich have 34 points, which is at least four points above the others. SC Freiburg, RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Union Berlin round out the top five with 30, 28, 27, and 27, respectively.
Needless to say, the 16th matchday of the Bundesliga is going to be a pivotal one. So, read on below as SBOTOP examines the top three games to look forward to this weekend.
RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich are going to face another Red Bull outfit on Sunday night, and it counts this time. They are fresh from a 4-4 draw against RB Salzburg in club friendlies – their first competitive match since before the World Cup break.
Julian Nagelsmann mixed it up against Salzburg, fielding regular starters and a couple of youngsters. They could’ve gotten the win, but they couldn’t stop Noah Okafor from scoring the equaliser in the 89th minute.
Sadio Mane is still out with a leg injury, but he’s making progress. Nagelsmann has been using either Thomas Muller or Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as their main striker as a result.
But the key man to look out for is Jamal Musiala, as the 19-year-old has emerged as a star for Bayern Munich this season with nine goals and eight assists.
As for RB Leipzig, they are going to be led once more by Christopher Nkunku and Timo Werner, who have generated 21 goals and three assists so far this season, while World Cup stars Dani Olmo and Josko Gvardiol are also going to give Bayern Munich problems.
The Bavarians have dominated the Red Bulls in their head-to-heads, including a league double last season. In terms of recent form, both teams enter this year still unbeaten.
A victory for Bayern Munich would extend their table lead to at least seven points, while the same outcome for RB Leipzig would pull them closer within three points and overtake SC Freiburg in the process.
The next one is the battle between the second-and seventh-seeded teams. Both clubs head into this game in imperious form, as they’ve won four of their last five league matches.
SC Freiburg are one of the surprise packages this season. They’re the third-best backline in the Bundesliga with only 21 goals conceded thus far.
Matthias Ginter and Christian Gunter are the main reasons why they’re great at the back. Meanwhile, Vincenzo Grifo, Michael Gregoritsch, and Ritsu Doan are capable of producing Bundesliga 2023 highlights.
VfL Wolfsburg are thriving under Niko Kovac. They enter 2023 high in confidence, especially after ending 2022 with four consecutive wins by an aggregate score of 11-1.
Maximilian Arnold has been at the forefront of the Wolves’ revival, as he has started every game so far this season, generating three goals and two assists. Lukas Nmecha, Ridle Baku, and Yannick Gerhardt can light up the scoreboard too.
SC Freiburg achieved a league double over VfL Wolfsburg last season, but their head-to-heads indicate that they’re evenly matched since in their last 36 meetings, both have won 14 times as well as eight draws.
Union Berlin vs Hoffenheim
Union Berlin moved to the top of the Bundesliga for the first time in their history after beating Koln on matchday 6 and they held that position until matchday 13.
However, a three-game winless streak at the end of 2022 – combined with Bayern Munich’s run – has knocked them out of the top four, so they’ll look to prove that their early-season efforts were not a fluke by defying the Bundesliga 2023 odds.
Union Berlin forward Sheraldo Becker reacts during the UEFA Europa League against SC Braga
For them to get back on the winning track, Sheraldo Becker must find the back of the net once more. The 27-year-old winger is their best attacker this term, with eight goals and four assists.
Like Union Berlin, Hoffenheim are also in a rut. They’ve lost three straight to end 2022, and they’re now only four points adrift from the relegation zone.
The addition of Kasper Dolberg via loan could help Hoffenheim since he adds to their attacking corps. After playing sporadically at Sevilla earlier this season, the Danish forward has a chip on his shoulder and is ready to prove his worth at Sinsheim.
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Sebastien Haller’s summer switch to Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund was cruelly derailed when the striker diagnosed with cancer, but there was a sight for sore eyes when he took the pitch last week and scored a rapid-fire hat-trick.
Haller joined Die Schwarzgelben in July in a 31m Euros move from Ajax, where he scored 32 goals in 50 games, top scoring in the Dutch League and becoming the fastest player in history to score ten goals in the Champions League. And, after such a worrying start to his career in Germany, Dortmund fans were delighted to see that Haller has finished his treatment and that he was able to join his team-mates at their training camp in Marbella. His seven minute hat-trick against Basel showed that the 28 year old has lost none of his sharpness.
Haller came on as a second half substitute when Dortmund were 3-0 up and, single handed, he doubled the score. He opened his account with a clinically dispatched penalty on 81 minutes and had a tap-in on 86. His third was the best of the lot as he met a corner with a clever flick which deceived the Basel Keeper and rounded off a successful afternoon.
Fans worldwide will be watching Haller’s progress over the next few weeks as he will, hopefully, be writing some more Bundesliga 2023 news headlines with his exploits on the pitch; but who else should we look out for?
FC Bayern’s title challenge is nicely on track as they sit top of the pile on 34 points, four ahead of second placed SC Freiburg and, crucially, nine ahead of Borussia Dortmund. And, having waved goodbye to Robert Lewandowski in the summer, the Bavarians have seen a new world beater emerge in the form of Musiala. Yet to reach the grand old age of 20 he has scored 20 goals in 71 games for Die Bayern and has already earned 20 international caps.
Musiala was one of Germany’s shining stars in a difficult World Cup campaign and he is starting to stand out in the Bundesliga. Since transferring from Chelsea in 2019 he has grown year on year and he has the versatility in his play to delight any head coach. Able to play on either wing, in midfield or in a pocket just behind the striker he can be unplayable on his day, making intelligent runs with an electric turn of pace and mesmerising ball control. Musiala has the potential to dominate in Europe for years to come and Bayern will do all they can to keep hold of their newest prize asset.
The Bundesliga 2023 betting odds have Die Bayern nailed on to win the title and they start the second half of their campaign with a trip to Red Bull Leipzig on Friday. Their hosts are in third place and will hope to open up the race but they will have to somehow subdue Musiala to give themselves the best chance.
Randal Kolo Muani: Eintracht Frankfurt
With five league goals and nine assists in the first half of the campaign, Frankfurt’s 6ft 2in striker Randal Kolo Muani has won admiration throughout Germany and beyond. He impressed Didier Deschamps enough for the France head coach to call him up when Christopher Nkunku pulled out through injury, and he scored within 44 seconds when he came on the pitch during Les Bleus’ semi-final win over Morocco. He also played in the World Cup final against Argentina, winning a penalty and then converting his own spot-kick in the shootout.
Randal Kolo Muani playing for France against Argentina during World Cup finals
He’s a strong unit, a handful for any defence to cope with and a great team player, and Kolo Muani set a new Bundesliga record by making nine assists in his first 13 games with Eintracht. He has also scored eight goals in all competitions and, when Frankfurt line up against bottom club Schalke on Saturday, I expect Kolo Muani to have quite an impact.
Vincenzo Grifo: SC Freiburg
The surprise package of this Bundesliga season, SC Freiburg are aiming to improve on last season’s sixth placed finish and, currently in second place, they are well on track. Head coach Christian Streich has put together a highly effective unit without a host of big name stars, but one player with a distinct swagger is 29 year old attacking midfielder Vincenzo Grifo. The Italian international scored a 20 minute hat-trick in Freiburg’s 4-1 destruction of top five rivals Union Berlin in their last game before the break, to make in nine for the season which puts him level with Musiala as fourth highest scorer in the league.
Freiburg open up with an away game to seventh placed Wolfsburg and, at SBOTOP odds of 2.67 to win, if they can pick up all three points with Grifo’s help then they will tighten their grip on second place.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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Bayern’s dominance will be put to the test as they will begin life without key members of their defence, Manuel Neuer and Lucas Hernandez, who are both ruled out for the rest of the season due to injury.
As for Leipzig, star striker Christopher Nkunku has finally returned to training after missing several weeks with a knee injury, but he now faces a race against time to be fully fit for this top-of-the-table clash.
For the second straight season, RB Leipzig have recovered from a terrible start after making a managerial change. This time, it’s Marco Rose’s arrival that’s brought the Red Bulls back on the right track.
Since losing two of his first three games in charge, Rose’s Red Bulls have gone unbeaten in their last 13 games in all competitions, including eight in the Bundesliga (6 wins, 2 draws).
Christopher Nkunku was a major part of that revival. The French forward is having another fantastic season with 12 goals, which leads the Bundesliga. Unfortunately, Nkunku suffered a knee injury that saw him miss the World Cup. He has only just returned to training and it remains to be seen whether he will be fit enough to play against Bayern.
In case Nkunku can’t go, Andre Silva will have the responsibility of leading the Leipzig attack against Bayern. The Portuguese has scored just two goals in 15 Bundesliga appearances this season, but he did bag a goal and an assist in RB Leipzig’s 2-1 win over Werder Bremen in their last game before the break.
Timo Werner, who also missed the World Cup with injury, is also back fit and is ready to help Andre Silva create some Bundesliga 2023 highlights.
Dominant Bayern have defensive issues
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting looking to lead the attack for Bayern Munich
After a bit of a rocky start to their campaign, Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga 2023 odds of winning their 11th consecutive title are looking good. They entered the break with a four-point lead at the top as they won six league games on the trot.
Eric Choupo-Moting was the unlikely catalyst of Bayern’s return to dominance. The 33-year-old Cameroonian striker came into the starting lineup and went on a torrid run of 9 goals in 9 games in all competitions, five of which coming in the Bundesliga. Bayern won all nine games Choupo-Moting has started.
With Sadio Mane still out due to injury, Choupo-Moting is set to continue leading the attack alongside teenager Jamal Musiala, who already has 9 goals and 6 assists through 14 games, as well as Thomas Muller, Serge Gnabry, and Kingsley Coman. Leroy Sane is a slight doubt with an illness.
Meanwhile, Bayern have some pressing injury concerns on the other end of the pitch. Captain Manuel Neuer and Lucas Hernandez are both out for the remainder of the season after picking up injuries, while Moroccan full-back Noussair Mazraoui is missing after suffering a severe Covid infection.
Despite RB Leipzig’s rise as one of the Bundesliga’s top teams, they have been dominated by Bayern in recent years. The Bavarians have won 7 of their last 12 meetings in the Bundesliga, with 4 draws and just one defeat. That lone Leipzig win came at home back in 2018.
Bayern did the double over Leipzig last season for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign. Bayern won 4-1 at Red Bull Arena and 3-2 at the Allianz. And this season, they beat the Red Bulls again 5-3 in the German Super Cup.
SBOTOP odds have Bayern Munich as 1.85 favourites to beat RB Leipzig, who are priced at 3.65 at home. A draw is 3.90.
Both clubs were in fantastic form heading into the break, but with key players out as they return to action, it’s tough to see which side will adjust better.
Bayern certainly have the weapons to hurt Leipzig, who will be severely limited by the potential absence of Nkunku. Still, they will be at home, and Bayern’s defence could be a bit vulnerable without Neuer.
Don’t be surprised if the Red Bulls manage to hold the champions to a hard-fought draw in their first game back.
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Bundesliga: Dortmund and Augsburg Need a Turnaround Fast
Borussia Dortmund vs Augsburg
The 2022-23 campaign hasn’t exactly gone according to plan for both Borussia Dortmund and Augsburg.
Borussia Dortmund are far from the title contenders that they were last season. They are coming off two consecutive league losses, so they’ve fallen to sixth in the Bundesliga table with 25 points.
Augsburg also haven’t won in a while, and they’re only one point adrift from the relegation scrap since they’re in 14th place with 15 points.
The good news for these two sides is that one of them has a chance of breaking their winless drought on Sunday when they face off anew at Signal Iduna Park.
Talking Points
Haller might provide the spark Borussia Dortmund need
Sebastien Haller finally made his long-awaited debut for Borussia Dortmund earlier this week. He came in as a second-half substitute in a friendly against Dusseldorf, where they won 5-1, and then he had a coming-out party in their 6-0 victory against Basel.
BVB were up 3-0 against Basel when Haller was subbed in, and the former Ajax hitman singlehandedly doubled their lead with a couple of clinical finishes at their midseason training camp in Marbella.
Sebastien Haller warms up during his return to training in Borussia Dortmund camp
Haller converted a penalty on 81 minutes, and five minutes later he had a tap-in from Julian Brandt’s dime before capping the afternoon with another cool corner finish.
Seeing Haller back on the pitch was a welcome sight for Borussia Dortmund after he underwent surgery to treat his testicular cancer in November.
Although he’s not on the same level as Erling Haaland, Haller gives Borussia Dortmund another viable striker in the final third alongside Anthony Modeste and Donyell Malen, as he will complement the likes of Jude Bellingham, Youssoufa Moukoko, Julian Brandt, and Marco Reus.
In other Bundesliga 2023 news for Borussia Dortmund, they’ve managed to strengthen their defencive depth with the addition of Julian Ryerson from Union Berlin.
The 25-year-old full-back might make his Bundesliga debut alongside Haller this weekend since Thomas Meunier is currently sidelined with a calf injury.
Augsburg have shown glimpses of what they’re capable of under Maaßen. After losing four of their first five Bundesliga matches, they went on a four-game unbeaten run between September and October, which is what’s keeping them above the breadline.
But since their undefeated streak, Augsburg have lost three of their last four league matches prior to the World Cup break.
Their lack of goals is the main reason for their struggles, as only Schalke and VfL Bochum have scored fewer than Augsburg’s 18. Ermedin Demirovic and Florian Niederlechner are their top contributors with nine goals combined.
Because of this, they went out to sign Dion Beljo and Kelvin Yeboah (via loan). Beljo and Yeboah have played sporadically so far this season, so they will look to make the most of their opportunity in Augsburg.
Augsburg have lost all of their last four Bundesliga away games against Borussia Dortmund. Their last road win was in February 2015, when they beat BVB 1-0.
However, Augsburg have scored in each of their last 17 Bundesliga matches against Borussia Dortmund, their longest streak against one side in the German top-flight.
Borussia Dortmund have lost back-to-back matches before the World Cup break, but that won’t matter much since they have yet to lose a game to start the calendar year since a 1-0 defeat to Schalke in 2004 (W13, D5), which is the longest such streak in Bundesliga history.
Augsburg are winless in their last seven league games (D3, L4), which is longer than any other Bundesliga side currently. This is their longest drought since 2019 (also seven from April to September).
The SBOTOP Bundesliga 2023 odds favour Borussia Dortmund to win by a large margin, as they’re installed at 1.31, while Augsburg are priced at 8.00, and a draw is at 5.40 in the 1X2 market.
Because this fixture hasn’t produced a clean sheet since September 2020, Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.29 and Over 3.00 @ 1.61 are also on offer.
BVB are eager to put on a show in front of a packed Signal Iduna Park, and they should make a fast start against an Augsburg squad that will be on the defencive for the most part since they don’t have much firepower compared to their hosts.
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Bundesliga: Streaky Leverkusen Will Challenge Gladbach at Borussia Park
Borussia Monchengladbach vs Bayer Leverkusen
It’s going to be a fun battle at Borussia-Park as Borussia Monchengladbach entertain Bayer Leverkusen for their 16th match of the 2022-23 campaign this Sunday evening.
This Bundesliga match pits together two teams that are looking to secure a European spot. And both Gladbach and Leverkusen still have ground to make up if they are going to get there.
Gladbach are ahead for now since they’re in eighth place with 22 points, while Leverkusen are in 12th with 18 points, although they can enter the top half of the standings should they win this match.
The pre-match SBOTOP betting odds predict a tight affair, and hopefully, we’re going to see several Bundesliga 2023 highlights from these two sides.
With Sommer no longer with the club, Jonas Omlin is expected to take his place, but he is still unproven at this level compared to his fellow Swiss.
The Foals haven’t kept a clean sheet since mid-September, and the loss of Sommer is going to exacerbate their defencive issues.
Daniel Farke is also concerned about the fitness of his top scorer, Marcus Thuram, who has 10 goals so far – tying his personal best single-season goal haul from 2019-20.
Thuram was rediscovering his form late last year, but his knees have flared up again, so Alassane Plea might replace him up top if he’s not available. Plea has been one of their best wide playmakers this season, with two goals and seven assists.
Jonas Hofmann is also going to shoulder the heavy load for Gladbach if Thuram does not play. The Foals are fortunate to have the youngster on form, as no German player contributed to more Bundesliga goals than him (19) in the 2022 calendar year.
Wirtz might be the missing link for Leverkusen
Die Werkself are determined to move up to the top half of the table, and they’ll need all hands on deck.
Moussa Diaby, Jeremie Frimpong, and Kerem Demirbay have been key cogs for Xabi Alonso, as they’ve accounted for 16 goals and 10 assists this term. All of them should start on Sunday.
But things are going to get even better for Leverkusen as Florian Wirtz is now 100-per cent fit. He missed almost a year because of a torn ACL, and he might come off the bench for this contest.
Bayer Leverkusen forward Florian Wirtz in action during the Bundesliga match against Stuttgart
Xabi Alonso is understandably hyped to have Wirtz back, as the 19-year-old impressed in their mid-season friendlies. The Spanish gaffer even likened his wunderkind to Lionel Messi.
Wirtz was considered as one of the most promising players in Europe after he was named newcomer of the 2021-22 Bundesliga season. He has tallied 10 goals in 31 appearances across all competitions last term.
History
Leverkusen certainly like this matchup since they’ve won their last five league meetings against Gladbach – their longest winning streak against any Bundesliga side currently.
Die Werkself have also scored more Bundesliga goals versus the Foals than against any other club (152). Since getting promoted to the German top-flight in 1979, Gladbach have given up more league goals versus Leverkusen than against any other side.
But the Foals have been superb at Borussia-Park this term, winning 82-per cent of their points at home so far (18 out of 22). Only RB Leipzig (19) have gained more points at home this Bundesliga season.
Xabi Alonso’s side has won three consecutive Bundesliga games, which is more than they had managed in the first 12 games of this season (2). During the said stretch, Die Werkself tacked on as many points as they had in the first 12 matchdays combined (9).
Leverkusen and Gladbach are not far off from each other in the Bundesliga 2023 odds. Given their recent success, the visitors were priced higher at 2.40, while hosts Gladbach are installed at 2.66 in the 1X2 market.
It’s tough to separate these two sides since they look evenly matched on paper, so we’re inclined to recommend a draw at 3.60. Nonetheless, we expect to see goals from both clubs considering their defencive deficiencies.
As alternatives, Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.07 is another safe betting option, while going for Over 2.75 @ 1.71 is also not a bad idea.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR () BETS ARE WORTH:
= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
= €10 (CONFIDENT)
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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Bundesliga: Neither Freiburg and Frankfurt Will Give Up Ground in Bruhl
SC Freiburg vs Eintracht Frankfurt
It’s a three-way race for the second spot in the Bundesliga following a busy matchday 16.
Eintracht Frankfurt and Union Berlin have tacked on three points each after taking care of business last weekend. Meanwhile, SC Freiburg suffered one of their worst losses ever in their team’s history.
Following these Bundesliga 2023 results, these three teams now have 30 points each, with Eintracht Frankfurt in second, Union Berlin in third, and SC Freiburg in fourth due to goal difference.
This Wednesday, SC Freiburg are going to host Eintracht Frankfurt at the Europa-Park Stadion, hoping to get back on the winning track and maybe claim solo second place.
Without further ado, continue to read on below as SBOTOP gives a preview of this exciting midweek contest.
Talking Points
SC Freiburg need to respond
SC Freiburg slipped from second to fourth after losing 6-0 to VfL Wolfsburg in their last outing. It was their largest loss in 11 years with Christian Streich as their manager.
The Black Forest gave up a goal to Patrick Wimmer 60 seconds after the opening whistle. They did have a chance to equalise, but Ritsu Doan’s shot drifted over the edge of the box, and things got worse from there.
Any hopes for a SC Freiburg comeback were soon dashed when Jonas Wind tallied a brace before the end of the first half. And then Yannick Gerhardt, Ridle Baku, and Luca Waldschmidt all scored one apiece in the second half to complete the rout.
SC Freiburg midfielder Vincenzo Grifo celebrates scoring their first goal in the Europa League against Qarabag
The absence of Vincenzo Grifo was glaring for SC Freiburg since he’s their top scorer so far this season with 11 goals and three assists. The Italian winger was sidelined due to a non-COVID illness, and Streich is hoping to have him back in the lineup as soon as possible.
Roland Sallai is still out due to a muscular injury, so Michael Gregoritsch and Ritsu Doan will be on the wings once again for the Black Forest. Gregoritsch and Doan have accounted for 12 goals and six assists this term.
Eintracht Frankfurt solid on the road
Eintracht Frankfurt are in second place for the first time since matchday 8 of the 2012-13 season. This year, they are the second best road team (behind Bayern Munich), with 14 points from a possible 21.
They are fresh from a comfortable win against Schalke, as Jesper Lindstrom, Rafael Santos Borre, and Aurelio Buta all found the back of the net.
Although he didn’t get on the scoresheet, Randal Kolo Muani remains impactful for Eintracht Frankfurt. The Les Bleus star registered his 10th assist of the campaign when he dished it to Jesper Lindstrom for their opening goal, which paved the way to their eventual 3-0 victory.
And let’s not forget about Daichi Kamada, who is their top scorer with 10 goals and three assists. The 24-year-old forward is fast and opportunistic, especially in transition, as he showed in the World Cup while playing for Japan, so he’ll give SC Freiburg’s defence plenty to think about.
Eintracht Frankfurt have 15 top-flight wins (from 36 matches) against SC Freiburg since the latter’s first promotion to the Bundesliga in 1993 (D7, L14), which is second only to 16 against Bayer Leverkusen during that time period.
Die Adler have won two of their last four Bundesliga away matches against the Black Forest (D1, L1), which is as many wins as they had in their previous 13 visits there (D4, L7). The Black Forest have only won one of their last five top-flight matches against Die Adler (D2, L2) – a 1-0 result in November 2019.
Oliver Glasner’s men are in better form recently than Christian Streich’s, as they have taken 10 of a possible 12 points from their last four Bundesliga matches. 30 points from their first 16 games is their best return at this juncture since 1993-94.
The Bundesliga 2023 odds predict a tight affair between these two top-four hopefuls on Wednesday. SC Freiburg were given the slight edge to win at 2.54, while Eintracht Frankfurt are priced at 2.68 in the 1X2 market.
It’s important to note that SC Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt split their league meetings last season. And given the fact that neither side will want to lose ground on each other in the table, we feel that going for a draw at 3.40 is the likeliest outcome.
This won’t be a barnburner, but there should be goals from both sides, making Total Goal 2-3 @ 1.96 and Under 2.75 @ 2.01 your plausible alternative bets.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR () BETS ARE WORTH:
= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
= €10 (CONFIDENT)
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
●●●
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In just over a month, FC Bayern winger Jamal Musiala will reach the grand old age of 20 and he is already one of the hottest properties in world football.
The Bundesliga star has made 72 senior appearances for Die Bayern, scoring 20 goals and he has been capped by Germany 20 times already. Musiala is a superstar and he is destined to become one of the very best among a group of young guns wowing fans across Europe, including Barcelona’s Gavi and Pedri and Manchester City’s Phil Foden.
In 2022, the Germany fans association DFB Fan Club voted Musiala their Germany Player of the Year as he received 66-per cent of the votes ahead of Chelsea’s Kai Havertz, who had eight-per cent, and Joshua Kimmich who was third with six percent.
Such a resounding acclamation of Musiala’s talent shows what a special player he is and the Bayern man is sure to provide some pretty special Bundesliga 2023 highlights in the second half of the campaign.
With nine goals already in this campaign, he is in fourth position in the race for the Golden Boot, just three goals behind RB Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku, and Musiala has the fourth most assists in the league with six.
In Bayern’s recent clash with Leipzig he had one of his rare off days, picking up a yellow card in the first half and being substituted in the second as Die Bayern played out a 1-1 draw. And that merely shows that Musiala is human, but he delivers 90-per cent of the time and, like all young players, his consistency will improve as he ages.
Musiala is just going to get better and better.
And he’s a crowd pleaser with his brilliant dribbling skills and electric turn of pace, saying: “I just try to have fun on the pitch and to be happy as free as possible. I go into dribbles and do whatever I can to help the team win.”
Growing up, the young player watched videos of his heroes Lionel Messi and Neymar: “It always amazed me how they went into dribbles and it was always entertaining to watch them play,” said Musiala.
Well, pretty soon Musiala will come face-to-face with his idols when FC Bayern meet Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League Round of 16, not to mention World Cup Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappe.
It’s a tough draw for the Germans but Messi and co. will have as much respect for Musiala as he has for them.
Bundesliga: Lionel Messi reacts in their recent defeat against Rennes in Ligue 1
In the domestic league, Bayern are five points clear of the chasing pack and the current Bundesliga 2023 betting oddsare backing the Bavarians to make it a record 11th title on the run and that, incredibly, could be Musiala’s fourth title winner medal by the age of 20.
Head coach Julian Nagelsmann is blessed with attacking talent in his team, with Musiala and Sadio Mane providing the ammunition for Eric Maxim Choupo-Mouting, while Serge Gnabry is also in the form of his life. This is an environment in which Musiala can thrive but he has plenty of suitors among Europe’s other top clubs.
Our SBOTOPteam picked Musiala out as one of the Bundesliga’s brightest stars at the World Cup in Qatar despite Germany’s disappointing campaign. He became the second youngest player to score for Germany when he notched against North Macedonia in qualification and, in Qatar, he became the first teenager to represent Germany at a finals tournament since 1958 when he started the group match against Japan.
And on the 1st of December, Musiala recorded 13 dribbles in Germany’s 4-2 win over Costa Rica, a figure only bettered by Nigeria midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha’s record of 15 set in 1994.
He is, very nearly, the perfect attacking player, able to operate on either wing just behind the main striker or in a flexible role across the pitch. He’s one of few players, alongside the likes of Gavi and Foden, who can switch so quickly and he is a nightmare to defend against.
Musiala could well become a Bayern legend, though life could have been very different for the young man born to a Nigerian father and a German mother but raised in England from the age of seven.
He represented both England and Germany at youth level and pledged his allegiance to Germany from 2021 and he is now established as one of the first names on the national side’s team sheet.
But Musiala was in the Chelsea Academy between 2011 and 2019 before he moved to Munich at the age of 16. What the Blues would give to turn the clock back on that moment.
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Bundesliga: Bayern Aim to Shoot Down the Eagles for a First 2023 Victory
Bayern Munich vs Eintracht Frankfurt
Following two draws since their return to domestic football FC Bayern are in search of a first win of the New Year and, on Saturday, they face another stiff task at the Allianz Arena.
Bundesliga: FC Bayern vs Eintracht Frankfurt brings together first and fourth in the German league and while the Bavarians are hot favourites to win the title they still have plenty of work to do. Meanwhile the race for a top four place is very, very competitive and Eintracht can ill afford to pass up any opportunity for points. Both teams come into the game on the back of a midweek draw, Die Bayern playing out a 1-1 draw at home to Cologne, while Eintracht held top four rivals SC Freiburg with the same score-line.
The pre-match FC Bayern vs Eintracht Frankfurt betting oddsreckon this is a home win but the Eagles, who are in the last 16 of the Champions League, will be in no mood to roll over, with just one defeat in eight. And Oliver Glasner’s team have a revenge mission in mind, after they were thrashed 6-1 by Bayern on the opening day of this season, and the hosts know they will not have it so easy this time.
Talking Points
Bayern eager to break the drawing habit
On the return of domestic football, a trip to Leipzig was never going to be easy for Julian Nagelsmann’s league leaders and they had to settle for a 1-1 draw as Red Bull fought back from a first half deficit to share the spoils. That result followed a 4-4 friendly with Red Bull Salzburg and preceded this week’s stalemate at home to Cologne, when Bayern needed a 90th minute strike from Joshua Kimmich to avoid losing to the mid table side, having trailed for 85 minutes when Ellyes Skhiri gave Cologne a lead in the fifth.
Yann Sommer, signed last week from Borussia Monchengladbach, was in the goal to replace Manuel Neuer who broke his leg in a skiing accident in December and Nagelsmann has other off field problems. His inconsistent striker Serge Gnabry flew to Paris on a day off on Sunday, and was pictured on social media showing him wearing several fashion brands. It’s not the kind of image Bayern want to portray and the striker had another off day against Cologne before being hooked off at half time.
One player the boss can rely on is his young star Jamal Musiala, who has contributed nine goals and seven assists and is always a potential match-winner.
Frankfurt’s star quality
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani celebrates scoring their first goal vs Freiburg
Eintracht’s midweek date with Freiburg was a good test of their top four credentials; which they pretty much passed as France international Randal Kolo Muani gave them a first half lead, though Matthias Ginter equalised for the hosts two minutes after the break. Kolo Muani has had a real breakout season as an attacking midfielder, making an impressive ten assists and he won the penalty in the World Cup final which Kylian Mbappe converted to drag France back into the game. The 24-year-old star has some talented individuals around him too. Japanese hit man Daichi Kamada has scored seven goals and made five assists from 15 games, while 22-year-old Jesper Lindstrom has a good claim to be the brightest of them all, on recent form. The midfielder has scored eight goals so far this season and he too starred at the World Cup finals in Qatar, starting twice for Denmark.
Lindstrom has been tracked by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, but he has plenty more opportunity to come this season with Eintracht, not least in the Champions League.
At the back, 6ft 4in centre back Evan Ndicka is an imposing player, strong in the tackle and with good positional sense. He’s also a threat at set pieces, scoring nine times for the Eagles and he too will be one to watch in Munich on Saturday.
History
With 35 wins to ten the Bavarians have had much the better of the head-to-head FC Bayern vs Eintracht Frankfurt results over the past three decades, and the memory of the opening day 6-1 mauling will be at the forefront of the visitors’ minds.
Frankfurt are unbeaten in five while Die Bayern are unbeaten at home in the league, with five wins and two draws at the Allianz Arena; and recent form is comparable, FC Bayern with three wins and three draws from the last six, while Frankfurt have four wins, one draw and one loss.
This is all set up to be a cracking contest which is not a foregone conclusion by any means.
Bundesliga: Leverkusen Put Their Winning Streak on the Line Against BVB
Bayer Leverkusen vs Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund are keen on getting back into the top four, but they’re in for a tough test against Bayer Leverkusen when they pay a visit to the BayArena on Sunday.
After losing two straight Bundesliga matches prior to the start of 2023, Edin Terzic’s men have now won back-to-back, so they’re currently in fifth place with 31 points, and they can go as high as third with a victory here.
Bayer Leverkusen continue to fly under Xabi Alonso, but they still have to make up some ground. They have now won five consecutive league games, and they have yet to lose at home under his guidance.
Read on below as SBOTOP offers a preview for this much-awaited matchup.
With five league wins on the bounce, Bayer Leverkusen are now eighth in the table, which is their highest position so far in 2022-23 and they have Xabi Alonso to thank for that.
Everyone is clicking under Xabi Alonso since 15 different Leverkusen players have already found the back of the net this season. Moussa Diaby and Jeremie Frimpong have benefited from Xabi Alonso’s new ideas, as they lead the team in scoring with eight and five goals, respectively.
And the return of Florian Wirtz has been a boon for Die Werkself, picking up where he left off by teeing up Adam Hlozek for their second goal in their 2-0 victory over VfL Bochum on Thursday.
Centre-back Edmond Tapsoba was the other Leverkusen goalscorer in the said match, as he converted the penalty during the eighth minute.
Xabi Alonso should also be commended for revitalising Bayer Leverkusen’s defence. He has drawn out the best out of the Edmond Tapsoba-Jonathan Tah centre-half partnership, as they’ve secured clean sheets during their undefeated streak at home (4 of their last 5).
Edmond Tapsoba celebrates after Bayer Leverkusen secured an equaliser during the Bundesliga match against Augsburg
Reyna could be the difference for Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund have turned around their fortunes this past week with huge wins against Augsburg and Mainz, although they needed the late heroics of Gio Reyna.
The American winger came off the bench in both of those games, and he delivered the important goals to help them claim six valuable points.
The strong start to 2023 will definitely help Reyna’s confidence, especially after a difficult few weeks during the winter break, as he was frozen on Team USA’s bench during the World Cup due to lack of effort.
Reyna now has four goals and two assists – an impressive return considering he has played sporadically so far this term.
There’s more good news for BVB this weekend, as their talisman Jude Bellingham is going to be available following his one-match ban. He will reunite with Julian Brandt in the midfield, while Emre Can is going to be back on the bench as a result.
History
Borussia Dortmund defeated Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 in their reverse fixture earlier this season, as Marco Reus scored after 10 minutes. What made it worse for Leverkusen at the time was that they were reduced to 10 men when Lucas Hradecky was sent off late.
Should BVB win again, it would be their first league double against Die Werkself since 2018-19, as both sides have notched a win apiece in each of the three seasons since.
They haven’t had a draw in their last 10 league matchups, with BVB winning seven times and Die Werkself winning three.
Their last meeting at the BayArena ended in a 4-3 win for Borussia Dortmund, but they’ve never recorded consecutive league away wins over Bayer Leverkusen since 1991.
Xabi Alonso is the first Bayer Leverkusen manager to be unbeaten in his team’s first five league home matches since Heiko Herrlich in 2017 (8 at the time).
The Bundesliga 2023 odds expect a tight contest filled with Bundesliga 2023 highlights on Sunday. Hosts Bayer Leverkusen were given the slight edge to win at 2.44, while visitors Borussia Dortmund aren’t far behind at 2.76, and a draw is priced at 3.35 in the 1X2 market.
We can expect goals from this fixture, which has been the case throughout the years except in their previous league encounter last August.
So, Over 2.75 @ 1.70 is the likeliest possibility for this one, while Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.15 or 4-6 @ 2.47 are viable betting alternatives as well.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR () BETS ARE WORTH:
= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
= €10 (CONFIDENT)
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Union Berlin moved up to second place in the Bundesliga table, just a single point behind leaders Bayern, thanks to a convincing derby victory over Hertha Berlin on Saturday.
Die Eisermen outplayed their city rivals in an entertaining clash, in front of 75,000 passionate fans at the Olympiastadion, as they notched up a third consecutive victory to make it 36 points from 18 games. If they carry on at a ratio of two points a game then Urs Fischer’s side are a good bet for a Champions League place, and that would be a phenomenal achievement in their fourth Bundesliga campaign since arriving in 2019.
The visitors nudged ahead at the end of a tight opening half when Dutch defender Danilho Doekhi rose above the Hertha defence to head home the opener, and that changed the half-time team talks in both dressing rooms. Hertha pushed for an equaliser but a clinical counterattack, midway through the second half, confirmed the points for Union as Paul Seguin prodded the ball home. Hertha played their part in the game as Union keeper Frederik Ronnow earned his pay with two brilliant saves late on.
The win took Union up to second place while Hertha are in serious trouble in 17th with 14 points from 18 games. This is a great derby to have in the Bundesliga top flight but Hertha head coach Sandro Schwarz has a lot of work to do to preserve his team’s elite status. They finished 16th last season and escaped relegation with a play-off win over Hamburg, but Hertha are sailing dangerously close to the wind again after a third consecutive defeat.
Bayern draw again as Eagles excel
Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane in action during their Bundesliga game against Frankfurt
Die Bayern can neither win nor lose it seems and they were looking for a first league win of 2023 when they faced Eintracht Frankfurt in the late game on Saturday. The latest Bundesliga 2023 betting oddsstill rate Julian Nagelsmann’s side as hot favourites to win the title but, having already been held by Red Bull Leipzig and Cologne since the restart, the champions had to settle for another point and that has allowed the chasing pack, led by Union Berlin, to close in.
Leroy Sane gave Bayer a first-half lead, converting a cross from the evergreen Thomas Muller, but the hosts failed to put distance between them and their visitors. Here at SBOTOPwe backed Eintracht to win with a 1.50 goals advantage; the Eagles have some talented players in fine form and they battled hard throughout in the face of a loud 75,000 crowd at the Allianz Arena. And their reward came when Randal Kolo Muani scored a 69th-minute leveller when he got on the end of a pass from Daichi Kamada, held off a challenge from Dayot Upamecano and fired home.
This is the first time Die Bayern have failed to win their opening three games in a calendar year since 2007, while the point kept Eintracht in fifth place and five points behind the leaders. With Bayer Leverkusen set to meet Borussia Dortmund on Sunday night there is a possibility that BVB could nudge them down to sixth with a victory, but this was another good weekend for the top-four chasing Eagles.
RB Leipzig moved into third place and just two points behind the leaders thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 win over Stuttgart and a well-taken brace from Hungarian ace Dominik Szoboszlai. He scored in either half, the first a brilliantly taken free kick on 25 minutes and the second a cool finish in the bottom left corner after latching on to a header from Andre Silva.
Red Bull could have been out of sight as Silva and Dani Olmo both came close, but Stuttgart fought back and halved the deficit, midway through the second half, when Chris Fuhrich slotted home a penalty after Josko Gvardial had handled.
Leipzig are piling the pressure on misfiring Bayern. Meanwhile Stuttgart have a battle on their hands, in 15th place and out of the bottom three on goal difference alone.
Freiburg show some steel
After an outstanding set of Bundesliga 2023 resultsduring the first half of the campaign, SC Freiburg have found themselves in contention for a European place as a 3-1 home win over Augsburg moved them up to fourth and just three points behind the leaders. Michael Gregoritsch put Freiburg on course for a tenth win of the campaign with an early strike; and after Mergim Berisha levelled from the penalty spot on 29, the hosts hit back immediately through Lucas Holer.
While the visitors edged the shot count and possession, Freiburg had ten shots on target to Augsburg’s four, and that was the telling statistic in the end as Philipp Lienhart made it 3-1 late in the game.
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Bundesliga: Bayern Make Big Loan Moves on Deadline Day
It was a relatively quiet transfer deadline day in the Bundesliga, with few notable deals going down. But Bayern Munich made some noise as they were in the middle of the two biggest moves of the day.
First, they captured Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo on loan then loaned out midfielder Marcel Sabitzer to Manchester United in their bid to shake out of a midseason slump.
Meanwhile, second-place Union Berlin seemingly completed a major coup by signing former Real Madrid star Isco on a free transfer, but the deal fell apart in the last minute.
Read on below as SBOTOP recaps all of the key deals that went down on deadline day in the Bundesliga.
Aside from having Cancelo available for the remainder of the season, Bayern will also have an option to make the transfer permanent in the summer for €70 million.
Bayern made the move to acquire Cancelo amid injuries to defenders Noussair Mazraoui and Lucas Hernandez, as well as the dip in form of Benjamin Pavard, who has now been linked with a move to Barcelona in the summer.
They had also signed Dutch international defender Daley Blind on a free transfer for additional cover earlier in the winter and signed goalkeeper Yann Sommer amid Manuel Neuer’s season-ending leg injury.
Cancelo, who had been among the best full-backs in the Premier League over the last few seasons, had seen his playing time reduced in recent weeks, and Pep Guardiola was reportedly displeased with Cancelo’s attitude toward that change.
Guardiola has turned to teenager Rico Lewis, who has started each of the last three matches, with Nathan Ake playing at left-back or left-sided centre-back.
With his creativity, versatility, and impressive range of passing, Cancelo can bring a new dimension to a Bayern side that has seen their Bundesliga lead shrink to just a single point after three straight draws.
Marcel Sabitzer loaned out to Manchester United
After acquiring Cancelo on loan from Manchester City, Bayern Munich then loaned out midfielder Marcel Sabitzer to Manchester United after the injury to Christian Eriksen.
Sabitzer, who followed old RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann to Bayern in the 2021-22 season, has made 15 appearances this season with seven starts as he has been behind Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka in the midfield pecking order.
Sabitzer’s departure now leaves Bayern a bit light in midfield, with wunderkind Jamal Musiala, Ryan Gravenberch and 17-year-old Paul Wanner remaining as the midfield options behind Kimmich and Goretzka.
Isco to Union Berlin deal breaks down late
Union Berlin boss Urs Fischer during a Bundesliga match against VfL Wolfsburg
High-flying Union Berlin thought they had scored a massive coup by signing former Real Madrid and Spanish international midfielder Isco on a free transfer.
However, the deal suddenly collapsed at the last minute after Isco passed his medical with the club.
Isco’s team sent out a statement on the situation, stating: “During the talks, we had to realise that our negotiating partner was no longer willing to move within the framework originally discussed.”
The 30-year-old Isco became a free agent after leaving Sevilla in December after falling out with sporting director Monchi. He made just 12 appearances for the Rojiblancos, with no goals and two assists.
After starring for Real Madrid in the mid-2010s, Isco’s career has been in a steady decline in recent years. He made just 37 starts in his last four seasons for Los Blancos, scoring just five goals with six assists.
While they missed out on Isco, Urs Fischer’s side did land full-back Josip Juranovic, who impressed at World Cup 2023 with Croatia as they attempt to bolster their Bundesliga 2023 odds of claiming a Champions League spot.
Dortumd loan out Thorgan Hazard to PSV
Borussia Dortmund did not make any new signings on deadline day as their winter business concluded with the signing of right-back Julian Ryerson from Union Berlin and Belgian teenager Julien Duranville.
However, Dortmund did make one deal, sending winger Thorgan Hazard out on loan to Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.
The 29-year-old has been a fringe player in Edin Terzic’s side this season. He’s made 14 appearances in the Bundesliga, with just two starts, and has hardly created any Bundesliga 2023 highlights with no goals or assists.
Despite Hazard’s departure, Dortmund still have a wealth of options on the wing, with Julian Brandt, Karim Adeyemi, Gio Reyna, Donyell Malen, and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens all capable of playing in that role.
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