Bundesliga Betting Odds and Predictions (18th matchday, 2020/21 season)
It feels like the first half of the Bundesliga season has never happened as quickly as this season. The 17th matchday (22.-24.01.2021) was so tough that it is worth taking a short look back. The 18 teams of the top German league are in the middle of an English week. Accordingly, the legs were heavy and the heads empty in the games last Tuesday and Wednesday.
The match between Borussia Mönchengladbach and SV Werder Bremen started the 17th matchday. The foals struggled to a close 1-0 home win on difficult terrain. TSG Hoffenheim dealt with the old lady from Berlin with 0: 3 and made a set on rank 11. The air for the coach of the capital city, Bruno Labbadia, is getting thinner and thinner. VfL Wolfsburg also wins away from home. They had no trouble with again desolate Mainz, clearly won with 0: 2 and thus consolidated fifth place in the table. The 05ers will not be spared going to League Two. And in the top match between Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund, the Werkself narrowly prevailed 2: 1 and thus kept close to the top of the table.
In the early Wednesday evening game, there was a cellar duel between FC Schalke 04 and 1. FC Köln with the better end for the billy goats. The only 18-year-old substitute Jan Thielmann scored the 1: 2 winner in the 93rd minute. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who returned from Schalke, was unable to participate due to a calf injury. RB Leipzig won the top match with a 1-0 win against Union Berlin. The Red Bulls played a total of eight times in the first half of the season and with only 14 goals they have the best defence in the league. In the promoted duel between Arminia Bielefeld and VfB Stuttgart, the East Westphalia clearly prevailed 3-0 and thus gained some air in the relegation battle.
By far the best party of the 17th round took place in the Black Forest Stadium. SC Freiburg and Frankfurter Eintracht were again in excellent shape. In the end, it was not surprising that the game ended in a 2-2 draw, commensurate with performance. Nils Petersen scored his 29th Joker goal to make it 2-1 for the Breisgauer in the meantime. In addition, FC Bayern Munich had to play away at FC Augsburg. Lo and behold, the record champions can finally play to zero again after 11 Bundesliga games in a row. Since Alfred Finnbogason only hit the pole from the penalty spot, it was 0: 1 in the end. Robert Lewandowski, however, scored his 22nd goal. Nobody had that many in the Bundesliga before after 17 match days.
Borussia M Gladbach vs Borussia Dortmund Betting Odds and Predictions
The second half of the season starts next Friday evening not only in tabular form with a real treat. It is also the Borussia derby between Gladbach and Dortmund. The foals could even overtake the Westphalia if they win. BVB absolutely has to score in the top game so as not to completely lose touch with the top of the table. Before Gladbach’s home game last Tuesday, Breel Embolo made headlines across Germany. The attacker is said to have been at an illegal party with 15 women, some of them scantily clad. In Corona times a faux pas that is difficult to forgive. Without further ado, the Swiss were removed from the squad, but on Friday he will be back against BVB.
For Borussia Dortmund, however, the sporty downturn continues. After the meagre 1-1 draw last weekend against FSV Mainz, Westphalia had to admit defeat 2-1 in the top match against Bayer Leverkusen last Tuesday. They can write off the championship title with already 10 points behind FC Bayern. If the Gladbachers want to finally beat the Dortmunders in their own stadium again, then there is the opportunity on Friday. It is true that the foals’ exertions against the Bremen team were evident on Tuesday. The fact that they could overtake the Black Yellows with a possible win over BVB should set new strengths free.
With the statement “Quality is always the result of talent plus mentality”, BVB’s interim coach Edin Terzic made it into all the country’s gazettes. Just knocking slogans doesn’t help the Westphalians at all at the moment. After 17 rounds, you can already bury your self-declared goal of the championship title. On Friday, they must not lose at the Gladbach team, otherwise qualifying for the Champions League will soon be in danger. Gladbach has lost all of the last five Bundesliga home games against Dortmund. But the tide will turn next Friday evening.
Even if the foals have strong gums, they can draw on full staff. BVB, on the other hand, is not only physically but also mentally on the ground and will lose in Borussen Park.
Betting Prediction: Win Borussia Mönchengladbach
Betting Odds: 3.10
FC Schalke 04 vs FC Bayern Munich Betting Predictions and Odds
The bottom of the table, FC Schalke 04, welcomes the leaders FC Bayern Munich to start the second half of the season. Not only in terms of tables, but the gap between these two clubs also could not be greater. While the Royal Blues slide deeper and deeper into the crisis, the record champions seem to be doing everything right despite a small period of weakness. As Andi Breme put it so beautifully: “If you have shit on your feet, you have shit on your feet!” This sentence sums up the previous season of the miners. A ridiculous seven points after 17 rounds is synonymous with the worst season in the club’s history. The only bright spot was that they didn’t break the all-time negative record of 31 consecutive games without a win.
For FC Bayern Munich, however, things are going according to plan, at least in the Bundesliga, despite a small period of weakness. With four points ahead of their first rival, RB Leipzig, they were unsurprisingly first-round champions. The elimination in the DFB Cup worries Bayern very much. At least they were finally able to keep zero again on the previous matchday after 11 Bundesliga rounds in a row. FC Schalke made the transfer of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar during the week perfect. However, the fans of the miners were amazed, because the “Hunter” was not even in the squad in what is probably the most important game in club history on Wednesday against Cologne. He brought with him a calf injury from Ajax Amsterdam and is unlikely to be fit against Bayern either.
For the men around the successful coach Hansi Flick, next Sunday’s game at FC Schalke 04 will most likely be just a casual show. It is quite possible that even some players will be spared. Robert Lewandowski, who scored 18 goals in 21 Bundesliga games against the Royal Blues, is also at risk of being sidelined due to injury. Bayern has won the last five Bundesliga away games at Schalke all with a goal difference of 1:13. Any questions?
Betting Prediction: HC-2 win FC Bayern Munich
Betting Odds: 2.10
