The Round 15 in German Bundesliga is nearing and here we have prepared for you some must-know information about the upcoming duels. There are couple of very interesting showdowns including the game of the week that will take place at Borussia Park between Monchengladbach and Schalke 04 squad, two teams that are ranked at No. 3 and No. 4 spot on the Bundesliga table.
Also, Dortmund will have a chance to end their winless streak at home against Werder Bremen while FC Koln will try to record the first win of the season against SC Freiburg. Defending Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are traveling to Frankfurt in order to lock horns with Eintracht.
Teams are trying to secure the best possible ranking spot having in mind that there are only three more rounds left before the winter break. Still, there might be some weariness present this weekend in the squads that are playing in the UEFA Europa League and Champions League competitions that were on schedule during the midweek.
VfB Stuttgart vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Three-Way: 1: VfB Stuttgart +240; X: +280 Draw; 2: Bayer Leverkusen +129 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread +0.5: VfB Stuttgart -130; Bayer Leverkusen +127
Total +2.5: Over -137; Under +134
The opening duel of the Bundesliga round 15 that will take place at Mercedes Benz Arena shall feature one of the best hosts in the league, VfB Stuttgart squad that is 5-1-0 at home so far and one of the hottest teams at the moment in Germany, Bayer Leverkusen that is undefeated in last nine games.
The hosts are currently ranked at the No. 13 spot in the Bundesliga table with 17 points earned while Leverkusen ranks at No. 9 spot with 21 total points earned. VfB Stuttgart is coming off from their seventh road loss, this time at Werder Bremen while Leverkusen is coming off from a 1:1 home draw against Borussia Dortmund.
The main attribute of the home team is that they stage very good performances at home, meaning that the home crowd and the confidence that Mercedes Benz Arena provides for them a present great advantage. The main attribute of the visitors is that they somehow always manage to score at least one goal during the game (at least one goal scored in last 14 matchups).
Stuttgart will be without Daniel Ginczek (groin) and Matthias Zimmermann (cruciate ligament) who are ruled out while Josup Brekalo (calf), Dzemis Burnic (knee), Alexander Meyer (thigh) and Carlos Mane (knee) are listed as doubtful. Leverkusen will be without Wendell (yellow cards suspension) and Charles Aranguiz (calf) who is listed as questionable.
My pick: Over 2.5 goals (-137)
Additional pick: X Draw (+280)
Dortmund vs. SV Werder Bremen
Three-Way: 1: Dortmund -192; X: +465 Draw; 2: SV Werder Bremen +675 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread -1.5: Dortmund +120; SV Werder Bremen -116
Total +3.5: Over -105; Under +104
The Dortmund squad will have the chance to end the nefarious seven-game winless skid on Saturday in a duel against surging Werder Bremen team that seen the Yellow-Whites downfall from the top spot to the No. 6 spot in the Bundesliga table. Borussia earned only three points during the months of October and November (22 total points at the moment) while Bremen recorded first two wins of the season in last three rounds (home wins over Hannover 96 and Stuttgart).
High-scoring matchups marked the Dortmund’s season so far as 50% of their overall duels had over 3.5 goals in total (83% of home matches had over 3.5 goals in total). Their next opponents are quite opposite in this segment as 71% of Werder Bremen’s matches had under 2.5 goals in total. Leading scorer for the hosts is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with 11 goals (2nd in the league), while Max Kruse tops Bremen team in this segment with four goals (14th in the Bundesliga).
Team from Dortmund also has a lot of problems with injuries this season as a couple of team’s crucial players are out including Mario Gotze (ankle), Marco Reus (cruciate ligament), Lukasz Piszczek (knee), Jacob Larsen (knee), Gonzalo Castro (ankle) and Hendrik Bonmann (knee). Sebastien Rode (hip) and Eric Durm (hip) are listed as questionable. On the other side, Yunning Zhang (ankle) and Justine Eilers (cruciate ligament) are ruled out for Saturday while Luca Caldirola (foot) and Michael Zetterer (wrist) are listed as doubtful. Aron Johannsson (knee) is probable.
My pick: Total: Under 3.5 goals (+104)
Additional pick: Borussia Dortmund to win HT/FT (+104)
Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Bayern Munich
Three-Way: 1: Eintracht Frankfurt +675; X: +409 Draw; 2: Bayern Munich -182 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread +1: Eintracht Frankfurt +129; Bayern Munich -127
Total +3: Over +100; Under -102
Another very interesting showdown will be staged at Commerzbank-Arena in Frankfurt on Saturday between the hosts that are coming off from a 2:1 road win in Berlin against Hertha BSC while Bayern managed to take down Hannover 96 in a game that was much tougher than the final result suggests (3:1). After this win, Bayern extended the lead over the nearest contenders at the top of the league table to six points (32 total points earned) while Frankfurt leapfrogged Hannover and Leverkusen squads, and they now stand at No. 8 spot with 22 points.
Munich scored most goals in Bundesliga so far (34) and their leading scorer is Robert Lewandowski who tops the team and the league in this segment (14 goals). Similarly like Dortmund, Bayern’s games are mostly high scoring ones (71% of matches had over 2.5 goals in total while 50% of games had over 3.5 goals in total). On the other side, Eintracht Frankfurt’s main trait this year is that they perform a lot better on the road than at home (2-1-3 at home, 4-3-1 on the road). Sebastian Haller tops the hosts in scoring with five goals so far.
Arjen Robben (back), Thiago Alcantara (thigh) and Manuel Neuer (foot) are out while Kingsley Coman (groin) and Juan Bernat (thigh) are listed as questionable in Bayern. Eintracht will be without Jonathan De Guzman (shoulder, muscle) and Alexander Meier (ankle) while Timothy Chandler (meniscus) is listed as doubtful. Yanni Regasel (back) is questionable and Omar Mascarell (Achilles tendon) is probable.
My pick: Over 3 goals (+100)
Hamburger SV vs. VFL Wolfsburg
Three-Way: 1: Hamburger SV +172; X: +245 Draw; 2: VFL Wolfsburg +200 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread 0: Hamburger SV -111; VFL Wolfsburg +106
Total +2.5: Over +106; Under -105
The Hamburger squad is undefeated in two consecutive rounds for the first time since first two weeks of the season. Last week, they recorded their second draw of the year while visiting SC Freiburg team while Wolfsburg grounded high-flying Borussia Monchengladbach with a comfortable 3:0 home win. The hosts are finally above the relegation line at No. 15 spot with 14 points earned while the Wolves continue to climb up in the league table and now they find themselves at No. 11 spot with 17 points earned.
Games in which both teams don’t score are characteristic for HSV squad this year (both teams scored in only 14% of their home duels) while the Wolves recorded most draws of all teams so far (nine) although they haven’t split points in the last three Bundesliga rounds. 17-year-old Jann-Fiete Arp tops the Red Shorts in scoring with two goals while Daniel Didavi holds the edge in this segment in Wolfsburg with five goals.
In last 14 duels between these two foes, Wolfsburg holds the edge with seven wins oppose to only two by HSV while five duels ended with a draw. Last year home teams had the upper hand (2:1 win in Hamburg, 1:0 win in Wolfsburg).
Bjarne Thoelke (ankle, knee) and Nicolai Muller (cruciate ligament) are ruled out while Luca Waldschmidt (Illness), Lewis Holtby (thigh) and Albin Ekdal (thigh) are listed as doubtful. Pierre-Michael Lasogga is questionable for Hamburg. On the other side, Marcel Tisserand (Flu), Jakub Blaszczykowski (back) are doubtful while Marvin Stefaniak, Ignacio Camacho, Sebastian Jung and Adelino Vierinha who all have some ankle afflictions are listed as questionable. Christian Thrasch (unknown) is also questionable for the Wolves.
My pick: Over 2.5 goals (+106)
Additional pick: X Draw (+245)
RB Leipzig vs. 1. FSV Mainz 05
Three-Way: 1: RB Leipzig -204; X: +420 Draw; 2: 1. FSV Mainz 05 +810 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread -1.5: RB Leipzig +121; 1. FSV Mainz 05 -122
Total +3: Over +110; Under -111
The Bulls from Leipzig suffered a home defeat by the Turkish side Besiktas on Wednesday as part of the last round of UEFA Champions League group stage that left them at the No.3 spot in the group ranking, thus qualifying for the sixteen-finals of the UEFA Europa League competition that will continue in spring next year. They also suffered the biggest defeat in Bundesliga so far as they got torpedoed 4:0 in Hoffenheim last Saturday. Their opponents 1. FSV Mainz club is also coming off from a loss (3:1 at home against Augsburg).
RB Leipzig is still ranked at No. 2 spot in the league table with 26 points while Mainz ranks much lower, at No 14 spot with 15 points earned, only three points above the relegation line at the moment. Leipzig’s leading scorer is Timo Werner with seven goals while Yoshinori Muto tops the guests in this segment with five goals.
The Bulls main attribute is that they’re steady at home (5-1-0 record) but that might come in question after midweek’s disappointment on the European scene. Mainz on the other side also performs best in front of their own crowd and they still don’t have a win on the road but that might change on Saturday. These two foes met only twice so far and the Bulls edged the Reds both times.
Marcel Sabitzer (shoulder) is ruled out for Leipzig while Dayot Upmecano (thigh) and Fabio Coltorti (muscle) are listed as doubtful. For the guests, Stefan Bell is suspended for the next game (yellow cards), while Rene Adler (thigh) and Karim Onisiwo (shoulder) are out. Daniel Brosinski (ankle), Yoshinori Muto (back), Jaior Samperio Bustara (ankle) and Leon Balogun (hand) are doubtful while Aaron Seydel (knee) is questionable.
My pick: Under 3 goals (-111)
Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Schalke 04
Three-Way: 1: Borussia Monchengladbach +133; X: +270 Draw; 2: Schalke 04 +240 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread -0.5: Borussia Monchengladbach +131; Schalke 04 -133
Total +2.5: Over -120; Under +120
Round 15 game of the week will take place at Borussia Park between Monchengladbach that ranks at No. 4 spot in the Bundesliga table and the Miners from Gelsenkirchen that rank at No. 3 spot. Both teams recorded disappointing results last weekend as Monchengladbach’s glorious home win over Bayern Munich two weeks ago got shadowed with an unexpected 3:0 meltdown in Wolfsburg on Saturday, while Schalke 04 team couldn’t secure whole prey against the worse team in the league FC Koln at home (2:2 draw).
Meltdowns that assume losses with 3+ goal differences are characteristic for Monchengladbach squad (2-15 goal difference in only four defeats this season) but thankfully they don’t occur often. Schalke 04 team main attribute of the season is the low-scoring tendency as 63% of their overall duels had under 2.5 goals in total. Thorgan Hazard tops the Foals in scoring with five goals while Guido Burgstaller scored team-high six goals for the Miners so far. Last year’s duels between these teams went the home squads way (4:2 in Monchengladbach and 4:0 in Gelsenkirchen).
Tobias Strobl (cruciate ligament) and Laszlo Benes (foot) are out for Monchengladbach while Fabian Johnson (back), Tony Jatschke (head), Patrick Herrmann (thigh), Ibrahima Traore (thigh), Jonas Hofmann (knee), Mamadou Doucoure (thigh) and Christoph Kramer (concussion) are all listed as doubtful. On the other side Leon Goretzka (leg), Nabil Bentaleb (hip) and Pablo Insua (heart) are out while Naldo (unknown), Alessandro Schopf (knee), Luke Hemmerich (foot) and Donis Avdijaj (ankle) are all questionable.
My pick: Over 2.5 goals (-120)
FC Koln vs. SC Freiburg
Three-Way: 1: FC Koln +138; X: +250 Draw; 2: SC Freiburg +242 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread -0.5: FC Koln +137; SC Freiburg -139
Total +2.5: Over +110; Under -111
Before locking horns with SC Freiburg in Bundesliga, FC Koln squad will have probably the most important game so far into the season on Thursday when they’ll square off with Red Star in Belgrade as part of the final week of UEFA Europa League group stage. To stay in the competition, the Billy Goats need a win and if they fail, we could see someone else than Peter Stoger at the helm of the team on Sunday. Freiburg on the other side is undefeated in last two games and they’re coming off from a goalless home draw against HSV.
There’s not much to say about the FC Koln’s season so far in the domestic competition as they are ranked at the top bottom of the Bundesliga table with only three points earned. Freiburg is in a bit better position but they are also ranked below relegation line at No. 16 spot with 12 points earned. FC Koln won three of last eight matches between these two foes oppose to five wins by Freiburg while no game ended with a draw. Home teams held the edge last season (2:1 win in Freiburg, 3:0 win in Koln).
The Billy Goats have half of the roster at the injury list including Jhon Cordoba (thigh), Dominic Maroh (thigh), Simon Zoller (thigh), Dominique Heintz (thigh), Marco Hoger (thigh), Marcel Risse (meniscus) and Jonas Hector (ankle) who are all out. Yann Aurel Bisseck (concussion), Jorge Mere (groin), Leonardo Bittencourt (groin) and Joao Queiros (back) are listed as doubtful. SC Freiburg’s list of injured players is also long as Marc-Oliver Kempf (thigh) and Mike Frantz (knee) are ruled out. Amir Abrashi (ankle, virus), Aleksandar Ignjovski (calf), Onur Bulut (back), Vincent Sierro (hamstring) and Georg Niedermeier (back) are all doubtful while Jonas Meffert (foot) and Manuel Gulde (back) are probable.
My pick: Under 2.5 goals (-111)
Hannover 96 vs. TSG Hoffenheim 1899
Three-Way: 1: Hannover 96 +194; X: +265 Draw; 2: TSG Hoffenheim 1899 +165 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread 0: Hannover 96 +112; TSG Hoffenheim 1899 -118
Total +2.5: Over -118; Under +127
Even though they’ve lost the last week’s game at Allianz Arena (1:3), Hannover 96 squad showed some grit and presented a formidable opponent for the defending champions Bayern Munich. The Blues from Sinsheim on the other side managed to shrug-off the UEFA Europa League disappointment from two weeks ago when they got eliminated from the competition and torpedoed the RB Leipzig squad 4:0 at home.
Hannover team currently ranks at No. 10 spot with 19 points earned while Hoffenheim has four points more and they are ranked at No. 5 spot in the Bundesliga table. Both teams are characteristic of relatively high-scoring performances as every second hosts’ game had over 2.5 foals in total and 83% of guests’ visiting duels also had over 2.5 goals in total. Martin Harnik leads Hannover in scoring with five goals while Mark Uth dominates in this segment for the guests with seven goals so far. Hoffenheim holds the edge in last 12 head to head matches (7-1-4). In the 2015/16 season home teams took full prey (1:0 win in Hannover, 1:0 win in Hoffenheim).
Felipe (thigh) and Edgar Prib (cruciate ligament) are out for Hannover while Mike Steven Bahre (Illness), Oliver Sorg (Illness), Waldemar Anton (knee) and Ihlas bebou (thigh) are doubtful. Phillip Tschauner (shoulder), Uffe Bech (meniscus) and Noah-Joel Sarenren-Bazee (thigh) are probable. In Hoffenheim, Florian Grillitsch (Cold), Stefan Posch (hip) and Sandro Wagner (Achilles tendon) are questionable.
My pick: Over 2.5 goals (-118)
FC Augsburg vs. Hertha BSC
Three-Way: 1: FC Augsburg +100; X: +260 Draw; 2: Hertha BSC +355 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread -0.5: FC Augsburg -104; Hertha BSC +100
Total +2.5: Over +125; Under -125
The final matchup of the Bundesliga Round 15 will take place at the WWK Arena in Augsburg between the home team and their guests from Berlin. FC Augsburg is coming off from the two-game winning streak for the second time this season as they outplayed FSV Mainz 05 squad on the road last weekend while Hertha BSC managed to lose a home game against the Eagles after taking full prey in Koln two weeks ago. The hosts rank at No. 7 spot with 22 points while Hertha ranks at No. 12 spot with 17 points in the league table at the moment.
Ups and downs are the main trait for the team from German Capital as they still don’t have two consecutive wins or defeats stringed together. Augsburg on the other side operates in streaks and they seem to be at the beginning of the positive one right now. Alfred Finnbogason has found his shooting boots as he tops the team in scoring with eight goals (fourth in the Bundeslig) while Vedad Ibisevic collected team-high four goals on the other side. In last 10 head to head duels, Hertha is slightly more successful with three wins oppose to two by Augsburg while five duels ended with a draw.
Killian Jakob and Daniel Opare are suspended for the next match (yellow cards) while Erik Thommy (ankle) is ruled out. Gojko Kacar (ankle) is doubtful while Rani Khedira (thigh), Georg Teigl (back) and Moritz Leitner (ankle) are listed as questionable. In Hertha, Vladimir Darida (knee) is out while Thomas Kraft (Illness), Salomon Kalou (groin), Marvin Plattenhardt (muscle), Sebastian Langkamp (muscle), Davie Selke (toe), Valentin Stocker (meniscus) and Niklas Stark are all listed as doubtful. Julian Schieber (knee) is probable.
My pick: Total: Under 2.5 goals (-125)
Additional pick: FC Augsburg to win (+100)
