German Bundesliga Round 29 continues this weekend with some very interesting match-ups and it’s time to get some juice to our Piggy bank again. Here, we will take a closer look at two match-ups, the one in Mainz against the home team and Hertha BSC and one at the Signal Iduna Park between Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt. Some very bad things happened in Dortmund on Tuesday prior to the start of the Champions League match-up between the home team and Monaco AS, as a handmade explosive device blew off near the BVB buss on their way to the game, injuring several policemen and Marc Bartra.
1.FSV MAINZ 05 vs. HERTHA BSC
3-Way: 1: FSV Mainz +135; X: +240 Draw; 2: Hertha BSC +265
Spread -0.5: Mainz +129; Hertha -135
Total +2: Over -128; Under +125
1.FSV MAINZ 05
The FSV Mainz has lost their last five consecutive matches and with this nefarious streak they got themselves in the position to fight for the survival in the top German League. They are without a win since February 25th, and they also haven’t won a game at home since February 10th (2:0 win over FC Augsburg). They currently rank 15th in the league and they are just above the relegation line with the same number of points as the FC Augsburg that is below the line with 29 points in 28 games. They hope things will get back on the right path when they host the Hertha BSC in the Bundesliga Round 29.
Mainz is 1-1-6 in the last eight games and they are 0-1-3 in the last four home matches. Their record at home is 5-4-5 with 24-22 goal difference (36-47 overall) and they’ve conceded at least one goal in 79% of their home games. In the home league table they rank 13th with 19 of 42 possible points earned.
Top scorer this season is Yunus Malli with six goals in 27 matches while Levin Oztunali scored five times so far. Malli and Ozuntali top the team in assists also with eight and five in their accounts. Leaders in passing are defenders Giulio Donati and Stefan Bell with 909 and 753 total passes. Goalkeeper Jonas Lossl started in 27 games so far and he collected 86 saves while keeping his sheet clean in five games.
Jean-Philippe Gbamin is suspended for the next match. Jonas Lossl (Knee injury), Robin Quaison (Knee injury) and Marin Sverko (Muscle injury) are doubtful for Bundesliga Round 29 while Emil Berggreen (Cruciate ligament injury) is back in training. Gaetan Bussman (Groin injury) and Florian Muller (Groin injury) are day to day.
HERTHA BSC
The Hertha BSC is one of the worst road teams in Germany this season. Currently, they rank fifth in the league with 43 points in 28 games and the reason for that is their play at home. Hertha is 2-3-9 on the road this year and they’ve lost their last seven away games. Last time the club from Berlin won on the road was on December 3rd, last year in Wolfsburg.
Their goal difference on the road is 13-25 (37-34 overall) and they rank 16th in the road league table with only 9 of 42 possible points earned. They are 3-1-4 in the last eight games with a most recent win over FC Augsburg in the last round that snapped three-games losing streak. 57% of Hertha’s away matches are under 2.5 goals while 71% of their road games are under 3.5 goals in total.
The Bosnian striker Vedad Ibisevic tops the team in scoring this season with 11 goals while Salomon Kalou has six so far. These two along with Mitchell Weiser lead the team in assists with four each. Top passers are defenders Sebastian Langkamp and Niklas Stark with 1022 and 999 total passes. Goalie Rune Jarstein started in every league game for Hertha this season and he collected 72 saves and has nine games with clean sheets.
Vladimir Darida is suspended for the next match while Julian Schrebier (Thigh injury) is out for the season. Mitchel Weiser (Thigh injury), Valentin Stocker (Muscle injury), Sinan Kurt (Ankle injury) and Fabian Lusteberger (Groin injury) are all doubtfull for Saturdays game while Ondrej Duda (Thigh injury) and Arne Maier (Knee injury) are back in training.
FSV Mainz needs this one more but I have to respect the visitors high rankings, despite their poor road record. Under 2.5 goals and a draw is something that I am picking in this one.
MY PICK: Draw X (+240)
Additional Pick: Under 2.5 goals (+125)
BORUSSIA DORTMUND vs. EINTRACHT FRANKFURT
3-Way: 1: Borussia Dortmund -208 ; X: +384 Draw; 2: Eintracht Frankfurt +800
Spread -1.5: Dortmund +135 ; Frankfurt -128
Total +2.5: Over -141; Under +134
BORUSSIA DORTMUND for a win in the Bundesliga Round 29
The Borussia Dortmund team is going through some rough times off the field and it obviously transferred on the field as they lost the Champions League game on Wednesday at home against Monaco, 1:3. In the Bundesliga, they currently rank fourth with 50 points in 28 games and they will have to battle for the Champions League spot with Hoffenheim. In the Bundesliga Round 29 they will host the Eintracht Frankfurt in hope to win three points.
They are undefeated at home this season with 10-3-0 record and 32-7 goal difference (59-32 overall). They rank fourth in the home league table with 33 of 39 possible points earned. Dortmund is 5-1-2 in the last eight games in the league and they are coming off from a Saturdays 1:4 loss in Munich against Bayern. At home, they are 4-0-0 in the last four games and they have scored in 92% of their home matches including at least one goal in each of their last 19 matches.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang tops the team in scoring this season with 25 goals in 26 games (2nd in the league). Ousmane Dembele tops the assists segment in the team with nine while Christian Pulisic collected five assists. Top passers are Julian Weigl and Matthias Ginter with 1531 and 1510 total passes. Roman Burki has 56 saves and eight clean sheet games in 21 start this season while Roman Weidenfeller collected 16 saves in seven starts with no clean sheet games.
Mario Goetze (Thigh injury, Illness) and Jacob Larsen (Broken foot) are out for the season. Marco Reus (Thigh injury) and Gonzalo Castro (Groin injury) are doubtful for Bundesliga Round 29 while Andre Schurle (Ankle injury), Eric Durm (Muscle injury), Raphael Guerreiro (Unknown) and Christian Pulisic (Unknown) are all listed with minor injuries with unspecified dates of return. Julain Weigk (Thigh injury) is day to day.
EINTRACHT FRANKFURT
The Eintracht Frankfurt has failed to record a victory in their last nine matches but their good performances from the first part of the season still keep them safe at the No. 9 spot in the league table with 38 points in 28 games. Eintracht is 0-3-5 in the last eight games and 0-0-4 in the last four away matches.
They are 4-2-8 on the road with 9-17 goal difference (28-30 overall) and they rank 12th in the road league table with 14 of 42 possible points earned. 64% of Frankfurt’s road games are under 2.5 goals and 100% of their away matches are under 3.5 goals in total. Most common results on the road are 1:0 loss (occurred four times) and 3:0 loss (occurred three times).
Alexander Meier tops the team in scoring with five goals so far while Marco Fabian and Branimir Hrgota have four goals each in their accounts. Fabian also tops the team with four assists. Top passers are defenders Bastian Oczipka and David Abraham with 1142 and 1006 total passes. Goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky played in 27 games this season and collected 54 saves with 10 clean sheet games. Heinz Linder started in two games and has six saves with one clean sheet game.
Makoto Hasebe (Knee injury) and Yanni Regasel (Hip injury) are out for the season. Guillermo Varela (Ankle injury) is back in training while Soares de Oliveira Anderson (Knee injury) is day to day. Slobodan Medojevic (Knee injury), Anderson Ordonez (Thigh injury), Jesus Vallejo (Calf injury), Omar Mascarell (Achiles tendon injury), Heinz Lindner (Illness) and Talb Tawatha (Ankle injury) are all doubtful for Saturday.
Borussia Dortmund is a clear favorite in their Bundesliga Round 29 match-up but be aware of the off-field effects on the team. Their victory shouldn’t come in question but for me a good bet would be at least one goal scored by Frankfurt, which is why I will pick the over and both teams to score.
MY PICK: Over 2.5 goals (-141)
Additional Pick: Both teams to score YES (-108)
