Skip to main content

Bundesliga Betting: Kovac to get a taste of next season

By
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt
Saturday 28 April, 14:30
Live on Betfair Live Video

Bayern to overcome the face of their future

One subject will dominate the build-up to this clash, and that's Niko Kovac's first visit to the Allianz Arena since he was confirmed as Bayern's coach for next season. The Croatian - a former Bayern midfielder - has earned his big opportunity by dragging extraordinary performances out of a limited squad, and showing a flair for tactical tinkering and man-management. He'll need all of those qualities at Sabener Strasse next season.
Before he joins Germany's most successful club, Kovac must try to keep Frankfurt's campaign on the rails. They have done superbly to reach the final of the DFB Cup for the second season running, and that will bring about another meeting with Bayern. Frankfurt still need a few points to nail down a Europa League spot, and they have claimed just one pointfrom their last four league outings.
Bayern will be largely focused on trying to repair the damage of Wednesday's 2-1 home defeat to Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League, so we can expect wholesale changes. However, this is as strong a Bayern squad as I've seen since I started covering the league, and they have shown time and time again they can win Bundesliga matches comfortably even if they make five or six changes to their side. They have won their last three domestic games 5-1, 6-2 and 3-0.
Bayern can be backed -1.0 on the Asian Handicap at [2.09], and I believe that's a generous price.

Wolfsburg v Hamburg
Saturday 28 April, 14:30
Live on Betfair Live Video

VFL and HSV to play out another nail-biter

Sometimes football clubs don't, or can't, learn their lessons. Last season, Hamburg and Wolfsburg played out a nail-biting relegation showdown on the final day of the regular season. A late goal from Luca Waldschmidt saved Hamburg from the drop, and pushed Wolfsburg into a relegation playoff they narrowly survived.
Now both are in trouble again. Wolfsburg are one of three teams locked together on 30 points, while Hamburg are in the automatic relegation zone, five points worse off. If HSV lose this weekend and other results go against them, they'll suffer their first ever relegation from the Bundesliga.
Wolfsburg were looking resurgent until last weekend, when they put in one of their worst first-half displays of the season. They conceded three goals before the break in a 3-0 defeat at Borussia Monchengladbach, and could've lost by a bigger margin. The third Gladbach goal summed up the Wolves' performance - the team dithered in lackadaisical fashion as it formed a defensive wall, and Christoph Kramer netted a quickly-taken free-kick.
Hamburg have won their last couple of home games under new coach Christian Titz, who has imbued his charges with a sense of adventure and a willingness to be brave in possession. The return of tenacious midfielder Lewis Holtby to the fold has proven to be pivotal, as he has scored three goals, including the winner against Freiburg last weekend.
Wolfsburg are 2.20 to win this, and that seems way too short to me. I wouldn't say there's much to choose between the teams, and the hosts haven't won any of their last seven home games. They haven't scored more than once in a home match since the first week of December.
I'll back the visitors to pick up at least a point.

Werder Bremen v Borussia Dortmund
Sunday 29 April, 17:00
Live on Betfair Live Video and BT Sport

Dortmund to find Bremen trip harder than market believes

There's no doubt that Borussia Dortmund were excellent in last weekend's 4-0 hammering of Bayer Leverkusen. Teenage Englishman Jadon Sancho lit up Signal Iduna Park with a goal and two assists, Marco Reus was in irrepressible form, and the defence largely nullified a dangerous Leverkusen attack.
However, BVB fans know that the team rarely produces two strong displays back-to-back these days, and they haven't won two games in a row for more than two months. On the road, Dortmund have gone five matches without a victory.
Bremen still haven't lost at home under coach Florian Kohfeldt, and you have to go back to late October for the last time they were beaten at the Weserstadion. They are also playing without any real pressure.
RECOMMENDED BETS
Back Bayern Munich -1.0 on the Asian Handicap v Eintracht Frankfurt at [2.09]
Back Draw or Away in the Double Chance market in Wolfsburg v Hamburg at 1.80
Lay Borussia Dortmund v Werder Bremen at 2.00

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Atletico Madrid v Borussia Dortmund: In-form Germans will score again

By
Atletico Madrid  1.84  v Borussia Dortmund  5.10 ; The Draw  3.75 Tuesday 6 November, 20:00 Live on BT Sport Extra Borussia mark themselves out as contenders with Atletico thumping The reverse fixture produced one of the shock results in the last round of  Champions League  games, as Borussia Dortmund thrashed Atletico Madrid 4-0 at home. Dortmund's margin of victory against such an experienced European outfit, famed for their defensive solidity, was a major show of intent and marks them out as real contenders to win the competition. At the weekend they continued their fine form with a 1-0 win at  Wolfsburg , which stretched their unbeaten record this season (P17 W14 D3 L0). Lucien Favre's  side are now four points clear at the top of the Bundesliga, which is the same number that currently separates Atletico Madrid from the La Liga leaders Barcelona. A 1-1 draw at Leganes over the weekend, stretched Atletico's unbeaten run in their d...
Post a Comment
Read more

Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Dortmund: Eagles to build a wall in Berlin

By
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Dortmund Saturday 27 May, 19:00 Live on BT Sport ESPN Eintracht Frankfurt This time last season, Eintracht Frankfurt were  fighting for survival  in a Bundesliga playoff against second-tier side Nurnberg. Fast forward a year, and they are preparing for their first major cup final since 2006, having finished well clear of relegation trouble this term. Having steered the Eagles through that playoff against Nurnberg, coach  Niko Kovac  set about galvanising not just the squad, but the entire club. Working with sporting director Bruno Hubner and former Germany striker Fredi Bobic,  Kovac has injected new life into an organisation that was drifting. Youngsters like defender  Jesus Vallejo  and forward Ante Rebic have been brought in on loan to good effect, and astute pickups like holding midfielder Omar Mascarell and forward Branimir Hrgota have become effective cogs in the machine. Although Frankfurt have twice...
Read more

Real Madrid v Plzen: Back hosts' scoring struggles to continue

By
Real Madrid  1.09  v Plzen  40.00 ; The Draw  15.00 Tuesday 23 October, 20:00 Live on BT Sport ESPN Lopetegui on brink as Madrid malaise continues Ordinarily this match would almost be guaranteed to be a routine home win that had the potential to be embarrassing for the visitors, but these are not ordinary times at  Real Madrid . The Spanish giants are now without a win in their last five games (D1 L4), after losing 2-1 at home to Levante at the weekend.  Marcelo's  72nd minute goal broke a painful spell of 481 accumulated minutes without a goal. Unsurprisingly,  Julen Lopetegui  is under huge pressure and it would be no surprise if he were sacked before this match takes place on Tuesday. If he survives the game and it's aftermath, then Sunday's El Clasico could finish him off. Despite Real's abject form, it would still be a massive shock if they failed to beat Viktoria Plzen, who were thrashed 5-0 by Roma in their most recent...
Post a Comment
Read more