The first day of the weekend is the time when the bulk of the German Bundesliga matchups occur and in order to cover everything, sometimes we’ll conjoin a couple of games in one article like in this case. Three-match combo consists of duels that will take place at BayArena, Commerzbank-Arena and WWK Arena.
These six teams scored only three goals combined in the first round while conceding seven and it’s time for some of them to shake out the summer drowsiness and start performing. Our job will be to try to exploit that in order to get some more money into your piggy bank by selecting some easy picks so let’s take a closer look.
Bayer Leverkusen vs. TSG Hoffenheim 1899
Three-Way: 1: Bayer Leverkusen +120; X: +275 Draw; TSG Hoffenheim 1899 +270
Spread -0.5: Bayer Leverkusen +135; TSG Hoffenheim 1899 -141
Total +2.5: Over +125; Under -132
BAYER LEVERKUSEN
Bayer Leverkusen team had probably the most difficult assignment of all teams in German Bundesliga in the Round 1 as they were the visitors at Allianz Arena, facing the defending champions Bayern Munich. They lost the game 3:1 with the only score for the team coming from A. Mehmedi in the 65th minute of the match. This was also the only goal scored by a visiting team in the Round 1 which is pretty fascinating. Still, Leverkusen’s players showed some grit and I doubt that they’ll be as bad like they were last season which was one of the team’s worst campaigns in the top tier of German soccer.
In week 2 of Bundesliga, they will have the chance to pick up the first points on the board as they face another formidable opponent, TSG Hoffenheim. New signings, Sven Bender and Dominik Kohr were in the starting eleven on Friday showing solid performances. Club’s bank account is still full and newly appointed manager Heiko Herrlich might not have said the final word when it comes to signing new guys as transfer window remains open until September 1st.
Stefan Kiessling (knee), Lars Bender (ankle) and Kai Havertz (thigh, knee) are listed as day to day while Sven Bender (rib) is back in training. The only scorer in the game against Bayern, Admir Mehmedi is listed as probable for Saturday (thigh).
TSG HOFFENHEIM 1899
The Blues from Sinsheim are out of the UEFA Champions league competition after being eliminated on Wednesday against English side Liverpool (6:2 in aggregate) as part of the competition’s playoff round. They will continue their Euro trip in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League. On the other side, week 1 in German Bundesliga went well as they recorded a 1:0 home win against Werder Bremen (Andrej Kramaric, 84th minute). Now they face a tough visit in Leverkusen but I’m sure that the fans and the players are optimistic about this game.
Departure their last season’s best player, youngster Niklas Sule who went to Bayern for a fee of 20.00 Mill. Euros didn’t leave a visible effect on the squad so far. Only additions that tasted some game time were Havard Nordtveit who started the game and Serge Gnabry who entered the game as a substitute in the 67th minute of the game. Both showed solid performances in their debuts for the team.
Florian Grillitsch (foot) is listed as day to day while Kerem Demirbay’s (foot) and Serge Gnabry’s (ankle) status is unknown.
Bayer Leverkusen vs. TSG Hoffenheim 1899 – Match Prediction
Under 2.5 total goals per game makes the most sense in German Bundesliga this year and there is no reason to deviate from that. Also, I think that Leverkusen has enough juice to take down the guests from Sinsheim. Still, fewer goals is a safer bet.
My pick: Under 2.5 goals (-132)
Additional pick: Bayer Leverkusen win (+120)
Eintracht Frankfurt vs. VfL Wolfsburg
Three-Way: 1: Eintracht Frankfurt +142; X: +245 Draw; VfL Wolfsburg +241
Spread -0.5: Eintracht Frankfurt +110; VfL Wolfsburg -118
Total +3: Over +108; Under -115
EINTRACHT FRANKFURT
Last year’s season opening when they recorded only two defeats in first 14 rounds snatching seven wins during that period is a possible mission to achieve as Eagles managed to get back undefeated from Freiburg in the week 1 (0:0). Hopefully, they’ll be able to avoid long drought periods if they want to record a good position in the Bundesliga league table and secure one of the European competitions next year. It’s very early to make that sort of predictions but one step towards this might happen on Saturday when they’ll meet the Wolves as part of the round 2.
Players who came into the club during the offseason got the chance to play in the round 1. Strikers Sebastian Haller and Daichi Kamada started as an attacking duo but Kamada got substituted by K. Boateng in the 67th minute of the game. Centre-Back Simon Falette who came from FC Metz also started the game but was replaced by another summer signing Danny da Costa who came from Bayer Leverkusen.
Manager Niko Kovac will not have Omar Mascarell (Achilles tendon) and Alexander Meier (ankle) at his disposal while Carlos Salcedo (shoulder), Marc Stendera (ankle) and Danny Blum (neck) are listed as day to day. Simon Falette’s (thigh) status is unknown while Slobodan Medojevic (knee) and Leon Batge (knee) are back in training.
VFL WOLFSBURG
The team that spent the most money on new signings during the offseason in Germany (51.50 Million Euros transfer expenditure), got outplayed at home in the round 1 of Bundesliga season by Borussia Dortmund 0:3 at home.
This money spending adventure has been enabled after selling three starters, Ricardo Rodriguez (AC Milan), Luiz Gustavo (Marseille) and Jannes Horn (FC Koln) for a combined fee worth 33.00 Million Euros, doesn’t look like a good move right now. Their most expensive addition American national center-back John Anthony Brooks who came from Hertha BSC is out until November, while defensive midfielder Ignacio Camacho and center-forward Nany Landry Dimata didn’t have a very good day on their debut.
Sebastian Jung (thigh) and Marvin Stefaniak (foot) are back in training while Marcel Tisserand’s (knee) and Jakub Blaszczykowski’s (thigh) status is unknown. Jeffrey Bruma (knee) should be back in a few weeks while Adelino Vierinha (ankle) should be available in few days. Christian Trasch (unknown) and Robin Knoche (flu) are days to day while Jeffrey Bruma (knee) and John Anthony Brooks (thigh) are unavailable for Saturday.
Eintracht Frankfurt vs. VfL Wolfsburg – Match Prediction
Another game that looks like under 2.5 goals scored in total. I would even go as far as predicting the result at the half-time (0:0). The first is my general pick and the second is my additional pick.
My pick: Under 2.5 goals (-115)
Additional pick: 0:0 half-time result (+250)
FC Augsburg vs. Borussia Monchengladbach
Three-Way: 1: FC Augsburg +252; X: +245 Draw; Borussia Monchengladbach +139
Spread +0.5: FC Augsburg -137; Borussia Monchengladbach +129
Total +2.5: Over +120; Under -125
FC AUGSBURG
FC Augsburg team also recorded a negative result in the week 1 as they lost a duel against Hamburger SV as visitors. The Bundesliga season didn’t start well and the schedule doesn’t look good as they’ll face Borussia Monchengladbach in the round 2 at home. Starting the season with two defeats would look very bad and the team will have to hit another gear if they want to record a win in front of their own crowd the Foals.
They were not very active during the offseason when it comes to roster strengthening as they addressed only the roster needs that were a must. Most notable acquisition Gregoritsch started the game but was substituted by Cordova in the 67th minute of the match. He managed to record a yellow card for simulating.
Manager Manuel Baum will have most of his players available for Saturday as Caiuby Francisco Da Silva (thigh) Jan Moravek (muscle) and Konstantinos Stafylidis (thigh) are back in training. Gojko Kacar (thigh) and Dong-Won Ji (foot) are days to day while Marvin Friedrich’s (muscle) status is unknown.
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH
One of the most successful German teams during the ninety-seventies and ninety-eighties, Borussia Monchengladbach started their Bundesliga campaign with a 1:0 home win over FC Koln (N. Elvedi in the 49th minute). The path towards the old glory starts with small steps and getting back to the top of the German soccer is definitely the Foals’ objective.
Most notable roster addition, Centre-Back Matthias Ginter who came from Dortmund had a successful debut along with defensive midfielder Denis Zakaria who came from Swiss side BSC Young Boys. Raul Bobadilla also recorded few minutes on the field as he entered the game as a substitute in the 88th minute of the game.
Tobias Strobl (cruciate ligament) will be out until early February next year while Fabian Johnson’s (back) and Vicenzo Grifo’s (knee) status is unknown. Tony Jatschke (muscle) is day-to-day while Mamadou Doucoure (thigh), Josip Drmic (knee) and Thimothee Kolodziejczak (thigh, knee) are all back in training.
FC Augsburg vs. Borussia Monchengladbach – Match Prediction
I hate to repeat myself but my first pick here will be under 2.5 goals in total. Also, if you like to risk a bit more, putting money on Borussia’s road win here might end up as a good move because FC Augsburg team doesn’t look like the squad that will have a big chance of surviving in the top tier of German soccer this season.
My pick: Under +2.5 (-120)
Additional pick: Borussia Monchengladbach to win (+139)
