The German Bundesliga continues to provide exhilarating entertainment, with round 32 match-ups on offer this weekend, as Hertha BSC Berlin welcome RB Leipzig to the Olympiastadion, Berlin (18:30 CEST/17:30 GMT). The two sides will square off on Saturday (May 6th). The last time these two German teams locked horns, the RB Leipzig claimed all three points on home soil, in what was a comfortable (2:0) victory. This time around, can the RB Leipzig emulate their home success against Saturday’s opponents away from home? Or will the home advantage galvanize the mighty Hertha BSC Berlin, and inspire them to victory? One thing’s for sure, it’s guaranteed to be a thrilling contest.
HERTHA BSC BERLIN vs RED BULL LEIPZIG
3-Way: 1: Hertha BSC Berlin +265; X: +256 Draw; Red Bull Leipzig +129
Spread +0.5: Hertha BSC Berlin -125 ; Red Bull Leipzig +120
Total +2.5 : Over +112; Under -115
HERTHA BSC BERLIN
The Hertha BSC Berlin is currently ranked fifth in the German Bundesliga, and is only one point ahead of their league rivals SV Werder Bremen in the current league standings, as we reach this season’s climax. The Hertha BSC Berlin has got a hefty mountain to climb, if they wish to catch up to the Borussia Dortmund, and claim a Champions League playoff spot.
The side currently lies eleven points behind the team ranked fourth, and if the Hertha BSC Berlin was to drop any more points, the gap would be insurmountable, and their hopes of playing amongst Europe’s elite would be dashed indefinitely. As it stands, the club will play Europa League football next season, but the team needs three points now more than ever, if they are to keep the chasers at bay, and go on to fulfill their Champions League aspirations.
The Hertha BSC Berlin has a healthy home record this season, only the table toppers Bayern Munich FC and the Borussia Dortmund have performed better at home so far in this Bundesliga campaign. The side has claimed victory in twelve of their fifteen home matches, and has only lost two games on home soil, all season. The clubs form away from home paints an altogether different picture, the Hertha BSC Berlin has had a diabolical run of results recently, that has seen the side taste defeat in nine consecutive matches. In addition, the club has only managed to scrape together two wins on their travels, throughout this season.
At home, the clubs defense transforms into an impenetrable fortress, that has only conceded nine goals throughout this campaign, and has kept an impressive sum of eight clean sheets. The side will need to utilize this impassable back four, if they are to prevent RB Leipzig from finding the net this Saturday.
The Bosnian striker Vedad Ibisevic is the clubs current top goal scorer, as the forward has been in excellent form this year, and has found the net on twelve occasions in the German top flight. The striker scored the only goal in their recent (1:0) triumph over the VfL Wolfsburg. The Ivorian International and ex-Chelsea star Salomon Kalou has a total of six goals this season.
The German forward Julian Schieber is out for the rest of the season with a Knee injury, and the talismanic defender Marvin Plattenhardt is also out of action, after pulling a muscle, and is unlikely to return to the starting eleven until early next season. The German right-back Mitchell Weiser and Swiss midfielder Valentin Stocker returned to training this week, and should both be available for selection this Saturday, after the pair were absent due to Thigh related injuries.
RED BULL LEIPZIG
Red Bull Leipzig is enjoying another terrific season, the club is currently ranked 2nd in the German Bundesliga, and has accumulated 63 points from their 31 matches played throughout this campaign. If the RB Leipzig can claim victory in the Capital this Saturday, they can guarantee their place in the UEFA Champions League group stage next season.
Away from home, the RB Leipzig has won seven of their fifteen matches, having lost four, and drawn four. The title chasing side has drawn their last two league games, at home to Ingolstadt (0:0), and away to Schalke 04 (1:1), and is unbeaten in their last six competitive league matches. The side clambered out of a sticky patch back in March, when they suffered successive losses at the hands of league rivals VfL Wolfsburg and SV Werder Bremen, but responded in emphatic style with four wins on the bounce in April, the following month.
The 21 year old German International Timo Werner is the clubs top goalscorer, as the ace forward has been in prolific form for his team, and has scored 17 goals in the Bundesliga this season. In addition, the frontman has bagged a sum of three braces. The Swedish midfielder Emil Forsberg has eight goals to his name, whilst Naby Keita, who was nominated the CAF Most Promising Talent of the Year, has netted eight times for his club this season.
The German defender Lukas Klostermann is sidelined for Saturday’s crunch match, due to a Cruciate ligament injury, whilst the defensive 31 year old veteran Marvin Compper is undergoing treatment for a persistent Thigh injury, and is expected to miss this weekend’s clash.
HERTHA BSC BERLIN vs. RED BULL LEIPZIG PREDICTION
This match is destined to be a highly intense skirmish, between two sides at the top end of the table, and seemingly at the top end of their respective games, each vowing for European admittance in one form or the other. The Hertha BSC Berlin will take strong encouragement from the fact, that 80% of their points this season, have come on home soil, and the side has taken the lead in all but one of their fifteen matches played as the hosts.
On the other hand, every fan around the world loves an underdog, and the RB Leipzig’s astonishing turnaround, as a newly promoted side this season, to title contenders, is truly remarkable. I fancy the RB Leipzig to clinch victory on Saturday, and go on to become only the second club in the German Bundesliga history, to secure automatic qualification for the Champions League as a newly promoted side. We salute you, RB Leipzig!! In addition, I will take the over and both teams to score!
MY PICK: RED BULL LEIPZIG (+129)
TOTAL: Over 2.5 goals (+112)
Additional Pick: Both teams to score YES (-110)
