Coming up this week in the Bundesliga: RB Leipzig seeked a third straight away win after falling to a three straight home draw, champions elect Bayern Munich take on Champions League hopefuls Borussia Monchengladbach without Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller, and the now captivating game of 'Seriously, how is David Wagner still in a job?' continues as Schalke host Bayer Leverkusen. Remember, you can stream all this (and more!) with Unibet TV.
Hoffenheim vs RB Leipzig | Friday June 12, 19:30 GMT
Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann faces the side with which he made his name, and on current form, he'll be delighted this clash is at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena. Since returning to action, Leipzig have drawn all three of their home games, and won both of their away games (scoring nine goals in the process).
RB may have conceded two at Koln last week (2-4) but they were the only goals conceded in their last six away from home in all competitions. Chelsea-bound Timo Werner's 15 away goals – just two off Juup Heynckes' 1974 record of 17 – have been the key factor in Leipzig's away form both before and after the break. Back Werner to deliver again, and Nagelsmann to emerge from his old stomping ground with an important win.
Match Odds: Hoffenheim (21/4) Draw (4/1) RB Leipzig (4/9)
Tip: Timo Werner to score and RB Leipzig to win (27/25)
Correct score: Hoffenheim 0-3 RB Leipzig (9/1)
Hertha Berlin vs Eintracht Frankfurt | Saturday June 13, 14:30 GMT
Hertha fell to their first defeat of the post-lockdown Bundesliga last week, but if you're going to lose, a 1-0 defeat in a tight away game at Borussia Dortmund is hardly dispiriting. Bruno Labbadia will be delighted with how his start at the Olympic Stadion has gone, particularly as he eyes up another three points against Eintracht Frankfurt, a side he has never lost against in all 11 managerial outings (five wins, six draws).
But Eintracht's notorious unpredictability must be noted. After five games without a win, Frankfurt notched two in a row away at Wolfsburg and Werder Bremen. With the chance of their first three-run win of the campaign, they promptly lost 2-0 at home to struggling Mainz. Does that defeat mean the wind has been knocked out of Eintracht's revival? Or just that Ai Hutter's side are better on the road? As ever with Frankfurt, it's a mystery. So best to concentrate on the in-form hosts for whom a top six finish remains entierly possible. Back Hertha to get back to winning ways.
Match Odds: Hertha Berlin (21/20) Draw (14/5) Eintracht Frankfurt (47/20)
Tip: Over 2.5 goals (4/7)
Correct score: Hertha Berlin 3-1 Eintracht Frankfurt (12/1)
Fortuna Dusseldorf vs Borussia Dortmund | Saturday June 13, 14:30 GMT
Only bottom side Paderborn have won fewer games than third-bottom Fortuna this season, and now that Dortmund are back on track after the soul-crushing home defeat to Bayern Munich, it's tough to see the home side adding to their worrying total this weekend. A 6-1 thrashing of the aforementioned bottom dwellers Paderborn followed by a 1-0 win at home to resurgent Hertha has Lucien Favre's side optimistic once again.
While there is very little chance of the title – Bayern would have to drop more points between now and the end of the season than they have under Hansi Flick so far – inconsistency in the rest of the chasing pack has enabled Dortmund to open up a four-point gap on third-placed Leipzig. With just six games remaining, Dortmund are very unlikely to let that slip so BVB fans and neutrals alike should be set to enjoy one of Europe's most thrilling attacking sides playing without pressure. Just like their last away game, back Dortmund to win this one comfortably. And after a week in which he was fined for breaching lockdown regulations, back Jadon Sancho to respond with a goal.
Match Odds: Fortuna Dusseldorf (7/1) Draw (22/5) Borussia Dortmund (7/20)
Tip: Jadon Sancho to score any time (Evens)
Correct score: Fortuna Dusseldorf 0-3 Borussia Dortmund (8/1)
Bayern Munich vs Borussia Monchengladbach | Saturday June 13, 17:30 GMT
Bayern have been absolutely relentless under Hansi Flick, but if there was a week to anticipate a slip-up, this might be it. After receieving their fifth bookings of the season last week, Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller, who have provided a combined 60 goals and assists this campaign, will sit this one out. Missing the top goal scorer in Europe (30 goals) and top assister (20 assists) will hit any side hard, even one as dominant as Bayern.
What's more, Monchengladbach were the last side to beat the Bavarians when Ramy Bensebaini grabbed his only career brace in November's 2-1 win. The Foals have actually won three and drawn two of their last eight against the champions – the best recent record of any Bundesliga side. That said, suspension will play a part in Marco Rose's preparations too. Alassane Plea has been crucial to Monchengladbach's impressive campaign but his red card at Freiburg last week renders him absent for this one. Having failed to score in either of their last two Bundesliga away games, that's a significant blow ahead of the trip to the Allianz.
Bayern's 90 goals in 30 games this season is a Bundesliga record with hotshot left-back Alphonso Davies talking up their chances of reaching three figures after last week's win over Leverkusen. Lewandowski and Muller's absence will be felt for sure, but if this clash simply ends with Munich's other attacking talent stepping up, no one will be surprised. It may be their toughest game for some time, but expect Bayern to get the job done.
Match Odds: Bayern Munich (7/20) Draw (22/5) Borussia Monchengladbach (7/1)
Tip: Serge Gnabry to score any time (27/25)
Correct score: Bayern Munich 2-0 Borussia Monchengladbach (8/1)
Thomas Muller this is a powerful and beautiful speech. ❤️
“It doesn't matter how we look or how we speak"pic.twitter.com/n3bJWVTbiS
— Mozo Football (@MozoSports) June 3, 2020
Mainz vs Augsburg | Saturday June 14, 14:30 GMT
Mainz have struggled of late but last week's impressive 2-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt could prove to be the decisive result in their season in terms of beating the drop. Now three points clear of the relegation play-off with six games to go – a position from which no side has been relegated since 2013 – the Zerofivers now face a beatable Augsburg side.
With just nine points from a possible 39, Augsburg are enduring their worst second half to a season in Bundesliga history. No team has lost more games (8, level with Werder Bremen) and only Union Berlin (29) have conceded more goals than (26). Their only victory in the last 10 outings came against Schalke and if you've been tuning into the restarted Bundesliga, you will know that's nothing to shout about.
After last week's win, and a clean sheet of course, Mainz have the confidence, and the opponents, to rack up a crucial three points in their battle survival. Back them to take their chance.
Match Odds: Mainz (13/10) Draw (5/2) Augsburg (41/20)
Tip: HT Draw, FT Mainz (24/5)
Correct score: Mainz 2-1 Augsburg (15/2)
Schalke vs Bayer Leverkusen | Sunday June 14, 17:00 GMT
Another week, another sense of surprise that David Wagner is still in a job at the VELTINS-Arena. Having started well at Schalke, turning them into Champions League hopefuls in fact, Wagner now presides over one of the most underperforming sides in Europe with no wins in 11 games and just four draws. Last week's 1-1 draw with Union Berlin, who had lost four straight heading in that game, can actually be argued as a good result for Schalke such is their spiralling decline.
Leverkusen on the hand have been excellent but need to bounce back from their 4-2 defeat at home to Bayern last week. Their 3-0 DFB Pokal semi-final win over Saarbrucken certainly helped, but three points and a chance to get back into the top four here is what they're really after. Although doubts remain about the fitness of classy playmaker Kai Havertz who turned 21 on Thursday, Leverkusen's plentiful attacking resources should be comfortably enough to get the job done against a Schalke side that is hardly scoring any goals and can barely defend.
Match Odds: Schalke (24/5) Draw (7/2) Bayer Leverkusen (13/25)
Tip: Bayer Leverkusen to score in both halves (5/4)
Correct score: Schalke 0-3 Bayer Leverkusen (19/2)
