Bundesliga: Are Stuttgart on the Slide?

VfB Stuttgart vs RB Leipzig

Third plays fourth in the match of the weekend in Germany as Bundesliga: VfB Stuttgart vs Red Bull Leipzig is the entertainment on offer at the AHP Arena on Saturday.

Stuttgart were the surprise package in the first half of the campaign and they sit in the Champions League places, sandwiched between the four giants, Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich above, with Red Bull and Borussia Dortmund below. 

But recent results mean Stuttgart are looking over their shoulders. The hosts come into the game on the back of a 1-0 loss away to Bochum while Red Bull were beaten 3-2 at home by league leaders Leverkusen. BVB are closing in on the top four after a thumping 4-0 win over Koln last week and they are strongly fancied to finish in a Champions League place.

Which all means one of Stuttgart and Leipzig is likely to slip out.   

The latest VfB Stuttgart vs Red Bull Leipzig betting odds say this huge game is wide open; so let’s take a look at how the two teams are shaping up.

Talking Points

Can VfB cut it without Guirassy?

Stuttgart head coach Sebastien Hoeness has done a superb job to mould a team which has successfully gate-crashed the top table in the German league. This is by no means a one man team but the big VfB Stuttgart vs Red Bull Leipzig news concerns a key absentee which is giving the manager a serious headache.

Top scorer Serhou Guirassy is away at the African Cup of Nations with Guinea and, with 17 goals for the season, he has been one of the main reasons Stuttgart are doing so well. Guirassy’s strong running, clinical finishing and brilliant link-up play has been impressive week on week, and now his team-mates face a month without him. Last week they drew a blank against 14^th placed Bochum who registered only their fourth win of the season, and that can’t be a good sign.      

Hoeness has some fine players in creative roles including winger Chris Fuhrich who has scored five goals and made five assists, and Brighton and Hove Albion loanee Denis Undav, who has scored nine goals and is in the form of his life. They will stretch the Red Bull rearguard, but VfB’s own defence is sure to have a busy day. Stuttgart have just extended the contract of defender Pascal Stenzel until 2026, after he impressed in the three seasons since his transfer from SC Freiburg in 2020. He’s a technically excellent player and one of the club’s leaders on the pitch, and Hoeness may well line Stenzel up at the heart of defence alongside either Dan-Axel Zagadou or Josha Vagnoman.

This is a pivotal time in Stuttgart’s campaign. They finished 16^th last season and are already sure to do much better this time around; but if they slip out of the European places that would be a serious disappointment. 

Xavi and Openda have wings  

RB Leipzig’s Lois Openda celebrates scoring their second goal with Xavi Simons

While Stuttgart have a striking problem, Marco Rose’s front line are in good shape and have scored 40 goals so far this season, with only the top two clubs scoring more. The visit of leaders Leverkusen tested Die Roten Bullen to the full and they were unlucky to finish the game empty handed. Midfielder Xavi Simons showed off his quick footwork to score the opener, his fifth goal of the campaign to add to his seven assists. And after former Burnley striker Nathan Tella netted for Bayer, striker Lois Openda scored his 11^th of the campaign when he finished off a lighting counter attack. Jonathan Tah levelled again for Leverkusen and then the league leaders snatched an injury time winner through Piero Hincapie.  

As well as Openda and Xavi, Rose can call on 20-year-old striker Benjamin Sesko who has scored seven goals in his first season following his switch from Red Bull Salzburg. At 6ft 4in Sesko is an imposing presence in the air and skilful on the ground and he’s attracted attention from clubs around Europe, notably Premier League side Newcastle United.        

History

Stuttgart are yet to beat Red Bull in 11 meetings, losing nine and drawing just two and they took a serious slapping when the two teams met in August, losing 5-1 as Leipizig scored five goals in 25 minutes with both Openda and Xavi on target.  

Leipzig come into the game with three wins, one draw and two defeats from the last six games while VfB have won two, drawn one and lost three. But Stuttgart have been very strong at home this season, winning seven, drawing one and losing one.       

Betting Tip

VfB Stuttgart VS RB Leipzig

January 27, 22:30 (GMT+8)

1X2 RB Leipzig @ 2.37

VfB are at SBOTOP odds of 2.69 to win and the draw is at 3.34, but I have a feeling the hosts are about to lose their second home league game this season. They are missing Guirassy and Red Bull are in good nick and, for a correct score-line I don’t think 2-1 to Leipzig, at odds of 8.87, will be wide of the mark.

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 26-Jan-2024 at 1:21 PM

Bundesliga: Leverkusen Can’t Rest on Their Laurels Against Gladbach

Bayer Leverkusen vs Borussia Monchengladbach

Bayer Leverkusen are still at the top of the Bundesliga table halfway through the 2023-24 season. But the job is far from over, so it’s imperative that they’ll be able to accumulate more positive Bundesliga 2024 results in the next few weeks.

After a five-goal thriller against RB Leipzig last Sunday, Borussia Monchengladbach are next up for Bayer Leverkusen, who just came off a loss against Augsburg on Monday.

Borussia Monchengladbach are currently 12^th in the German top-flight standings. However, a win here against the table leaders would instantly put them back inside the Top 10.

And another backdrop of this match is Gerardo Seoane’s return to BayArena, where he got his first big coaching break, although his sacking a few years ago still leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.

Talking Points

Injuries piling up for Bayer Leverkusen

Since the turn of the year, Bayer Leverkusen have had its share of absentees, which presents them with a huge challenge to their title hopes. If they’re able to weather the storm, there’s no doubt that they’ll deserve to be called champions, losing the “Neverkusen” tag in the process.

Top scorer Victor Boniface is already out until April due to a groin injury, and adding to their woes is their influential midfielder, Exequiel Palacios, who limped off against RB Leipzig and is listed day-to-day.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Exequiel Palacios in action during their Bundesliga match against Augsburg

Meanwhile, centre-back Jonathan Tah will be suspended for this weekend after getting another yellow card against the Red Bulls. Palacios and Tah’s absence means that Robert Andrich will likely take his place in centre-half, while Gustavo Puerta might get his chance to start in the middle.

It’s not all bad for Die Werkself, though, as Jeremie Frimpong has been back in training this week after he sustained a knock last time out. The Dutch wing-back is one of their most important players, having recorded six goals and six assists this season.

Pefok finding form at Borussia Monchengladbach

With Tomas Cvancara sidelined for a few weeks due to an ankle injury, Jordan Pefok has been given the chance to prove his worth since joining the Foals from Union Berlin via loan last summer.

And in his last two appearances (one off the bench and one as a starter), the American international has found the back of the net twice to take his season haul to four goals, which is already equal to his tally at Union Berlin last year.

Pefok should join Alassane Plea up front, and the latter currently leads the team in scoring with seven goals this season.

In other news, Julian Weigl is set to make his return in midfield after serving his suspension, replacing Rocco Reitz, while Maximilian Wober is fighting against time to be fully fit because he is dealing with an illness.

Should the Leeds United loanee make it, Marvin Friedrich might return to the bench as the backup centre-back.

History

Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach have already met during the second matchday of the 2023-24 season. Die Werkself came away 3-0 winners in the said contest, as Victor Boniface (brace) and Jonathan Tah found the back of the net.

Die Werkself have won seven of their last eight Bundesliga matches against the Foals (D1), although their last encounter at the BayArena in May 2023 ended in a 2-2 draw.

Xabi Alonso’s men are the only team in Europe’s top five leagues that has yet to lose a single match in all competitions so far this term (W24, D3), already matching Werder Bremen’s record during the 2003-04 season. They only need five more to match Bayern Munich’s run of 32 straight games from December 2019 to September 2020.

Borussia Monchengladbach have won just one of their last 16 Bundesliga away matches, including a five-game winless run today (D1, L4).

Betting Tip

Leverkusen VS Mönchengladbach

January 28, 01:30 (GMT+8)

Leverkusen Asian Handicap -2.00 @2.21

The Bundesliga 2024 odds are lopsided towards Bayer Leverkusen, as the table leaders are priced at 1.26 to win, whereas Borussia Monchengladbach are 7.60 underdogs, and a draw is at 5.50 odds in the 1X2 market.

Other than going for another victory for Die Werkself, SBOTOP football fans can also expect another high-scoring performance from the second-best offence in the league, making bets such as Over 3.75 at 2.29 and Total Goal 4-6 at 2.27 viable alternatives.

Furthermore, a Correct Score of 3-0 in favour of Bayer Leverkusen – the result of their reverse fixture earlier this season – is being offered at 8.80. But if you fancy a smash-and-grab win for Borussia Monchengladbach, then take a look at Correct Score 1-0, which has a whopping price of 32.00.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 26-Jan-2024 at 1:37 PM

Bundesliga: Bayern to Keep Pace with a Win Against Augsburg

Augsburg vs Bayern Munich

The mighty Bavarians are persistent but can’t seem to catch up with Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen, who have a great opportunity to lift their ‘Neverkusen’ curse after the Bundesliga season’s all said and done.

Bayern’s loss to Werder was an opportunity wasted for Thomas Tuchel and his outfit to narrow down Leverkusen’s lead. With a game in hand, Bayern already bagged three of the possible six points they can garner this week after beating Union Berlin 1-0.

To garner all six points, they would need to claim a win against a striving Augsburg, and If Bayern can collect all six eggs in their basket after Matchday 18, it’s possible that they would be trailing Leverkusen by just one point coming into Matchday 19.

Meanwhile, Augsburg finally got out of football purgatory by ending their winless streak after defeating Gladbach last week. That win came just in the nick of time, as they were slowly dipping down in the league table. But they have a tall order to keep the ball rolling as they face the defending Bundesliga champions in their next top-flight match.

Talking Points

Bayern aim for six points this week

Bayern’s recent upset against Werder really hurt their momentum in chasing down Leverkusen at the summit of the league table. After 18 matches, Bayern are second in the title race, trailing Xabi Alonso’s outfit by four points.

At this point of the season, it’s looking like the campaign will boil down to a two-horse race between Leverkusen and Bayern, who currently have double-digit leads over third-placed Stuttgart.

Bayern leaned on their resiliency and championship pedigree to pass their first hurdle this week, converting their game in hand to three points when they beat Union Berlin 1-0.

Now, they have a chance to cut Leverkusen’s lead to just one when they visit a sturdy Augsburg outfit at WWK Arena.

Losing pinnacle defender Kim Min-jae due to international duties evidently left a hole in their defence, but a collective effort from their back line has managed to keep Bayern’s defence intact, conceding just one goal since the absence of Kim thus far.

So it’ll be interesting to see if Augsburg’s ace, Ermedin Demirović, can penetrate the Bavarian’s intimidating defence.

Augsburg finally got one

Augsburg Ermedin Demirović reacts during their Bundesliga match against Bayer 04 Leverkusen on January 13, 2024

After a forgettable stretch of football, Jess Thorup and his men finally managed to tally a win. Prior to Matchday 18, Augsburg’s last win was against Frankfurt back in December 4, where they defeated the Eagles with a 2-1 score line.

That was the last three points they’ve garnered for over a month of football, but with their backs against the wall, Thorup and his troupe tallied a win against Die Fohlen, thanks to rapid-fire goals from Philip Tietz and Arne Engels.

Better late than never, as they say. Their win against Gladbach possibly saved their season altogether, as they were slowly becoming a sinking ship coming into Matchday 18, slipping all the way down to the 12th spot in the league table.

It’s definitely a breath of fresh air for Augsburg, but they can’t afford to get stuck on cloud 9, as they’ll need to face the defending league champions in their next bout. Chances are thin, but not impossible.

Werder proved that Bayern can bleed, and Augsburg’s win against Die Fohlen could jumpstart an inspiring run for brighter Bundesliga 2024 results in the second half of the season.

History

Both Augsburg and Bayern Munich have been staples in the top flight since time immemorial, which is why they’ve tallied a total of 31 games since 2008. It’s safe to say that the Bavarians have Augsburg’s number, given that they’ve won 24 matches in their last 31 against Augsburg.

Meanwhile, Fuggerstädter have had a couple of fond memories when facing Bayern, winning five times and tallying two draws since 2008.

In their most recent head-to-head, Bayern cruised past Augsburg thanks to a Harry Kane brace and a first-half goal from Uduokhai. Augsburg didn’t go down without a fight, though, as they were able to get one goal back in the last few minutes of the match, courtesy of Dion Drena Beljo.

Betting Tip

FC Augsburg VS Bayern Munich

January 27, 22:30 (GMT+8)

Under 3.50 @ 1.90

Despite boasting the most potent offence in the German top flight, Bayern’s goal-getting abilities have been rather tepid for the past Bundesliga matchdays. Bayern were only able to score just one goal in their last two top-flight bouts.

Also, the last match where the Bavarians and their opponents totaled more than three goals was way back in their December 9 clash with Frankfurt, where the Eagles thrashed the reigning champions with a score line of 5-1.

With that, my betting tip is total goals under 3.5 at 1.90. Bayern’s tepid goal-scoring stretch, coupled with Augsburg’s struggles in the scoring department this season, makes the price of 1.90 for goals under 3.5 a glaring value for punters to definitely consider.

Their 1X2 lines rightfully have Bayern as the heavy favourites to win at 1.26, which doesn’t hold enough excitement given the disparity of the contestants’ form this season.

If you’re hoping for an unlikely upset, the Bundesliga 2024 odds have Augsburg at 7.60 with a 5.60 price to draw, and after Bayern’s fumble against Weder a few weeks back, it wouldn’t be a surprise if there are punters who would consider these offers.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 26-Jan-2024 at 2:05 PM

Bundesliga: Now Can the Foals do Leverkusen a Favour?

Bayern Munich vs Borussia Monchengladbach

FC Bayern aim to keep their Bundesliga title charge on track on Saturday when Borussia Monchengladbach are the visitors to the Munich Allianz Arena.

This is a second versus 12^th clash and the SBOTOP odds point to a comfortable home win for Thomas Tuchel’s team, but Gerardo Seoane’s Foals held leaders Bayer Leverkusen to a goalless draw last weekend and now Die Werkeslf will be hoping for the favour to be returned. 

Bayern come into the game on the back of two league wins, after they handed the initiative to Leverkusen when they lost to Werder Bremen recently, and now they sit two points behind Xabi Alonso’s leaders. Leverkusen are away to bottom club SV Darmstadt on Saturday so a slip up from Bayern will very likely see the gap grow.        

Talking Points

Tuchel’s injury worries are piling up

Harry Kane in action during Bayern Munich’s match against Augsburg

The FC Bayern treatment room has been the busiest place at the Allianz Arena recently and head coach Tuchel was already short of some key players when he took his team to meet Augsburg. The injury hit side fought hard for a 3-2 win as 19 year old Aleksandar Palovic, Alphonso Davies and Harry Kane all hit the target. But the win came at a cost as striker Kingsley Coman picked up an injury to join fellow striker Serge Gnabry among the walking wounded. The injury to Koman has left Bayern short in attack and they were already stretched at the back following a sequence of injuries the week before.

In a 1-0 win over Union Berlin, the Bavarians lost centre back Dayot Upamecano, full back Konrad Laimer and midfield ace Joshua Kimmich. Upamecano’s thigh injury looked serious enough but the loss of Kimmich is arguably more costly to Die Bayern. He fell awkwardly on his shoulder and missed the Augsburg game and the German star is unlikely to appear this weekend.

Kimmich has been such a key player for Bayern and rarely of form or injured. The latest Bundesliga 2024 betting odds rate Tuchel’s team as favourites for the title and with Kane and Leroy Sane in such good form they are still the team to beat…but they could do with a few players back before long…particularly Kimmich.

Monchengladbach can play without fear

After a mixed set of Bundesliga 2024 results, Die Fohlen are on 21 points, ten points adrift of the European places and ten above the automatic relegation places. So they are in a comfortable position, but one without much hope of a big finish to the campaign.

They do have a chance of silverware though, in the quarter finals of the DFB Pokal Cup and with a great draw against giant-killers Saarbrucken, while Bayern Munich are one of the big guns who have fallen by the wayside.

And Monchengladbach have shown in recent weeks that they can stand up against the best. As well as holding the league leaders to a draw, the Foals beat high flying VfB Stuttgart 3-1 just two weeks ago as attacking midfielder Robin Hack scored a brace. They are happy to sit deep and concede possession, with less than 30 per cent possession against Stuttgart but four shots to two on target. Against Leverkusen Borussia withstood an avalanche of attacks and they will be hard to break down again with the confidence of a clean sheet for their defence.

The visitors will be up against it again on Saturday and they will play on the break; and top scorer Allasane Plea, with seven goals and four assists, will be the main threat while his French compatriot Franck Honorat is a man to watch; he has made six assists and can find the killer ball to open up a defence.    

History

With 29 wins to 19 the Bavarians have had the better of the head to heads against Monchengladbach and they won an early season clash 2-1 as Mathys Tel completed a comeback after the Foals had taken an early lead.

And with four wins, one draw and one defeat Bayern are in better form than their visitors who have won two, drawn two and lost two.

Betting Tip

Bayern Munich VS Borussia Mönchengladbach

February 3, 22:30 (GMT+8)

Under 3.50 @2.29

At 1.12 to win this game Bayern are hot favourites, with Monchengladbach at 11.08 and the draw is at 7.34. Tuchel’s team should pass this test and keep the pressure up on Leverkusen; but the Foals have picked up two impressive results recently and can play without the pressure of a relegation battle or a rush for the top six.

For an alternative bet Borussia +2.50 will pay a price of 1.86 but I think the better value is in a game with three goals or fewer.

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 01-Feb-2024 at 1:49 PM

Bundesliga: RB Leipzig Must End Their Skid Against Union Berlin

RB Leipzig vs Union Berlin

RB Leipzig are off to a horrific start this 2024, as they have lost three in a row here in the Bundesliga. As a result, the Red Bulls have fallen out of the top four, sitting in fifth place with 33 points.

Needless to say, they must get back on track as soon as possible, and their upcoming game against Union Berlin presents their best chance of doing so, especially with the match happening at Red Bull Arena.

Union Berlin are currently 15^th in the German top-flight table, but they have one foot in the relegation zone, which is a huge downgrade from their fourth place finish last term.

But unlike RB Leipzig, Die Eisernen are not on a three-game losing streak and are fresh from a 1-0 victory against Darmstadt.

Talking Points

Rose makes key goalkeeper decision for RB Leipzig

In their ongoing three-game skid, RB Leipzig have conceded an alarming total of nine goals against Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen, and VfB Stuttgart, which is why head coach Marco Rose decided to make one key change in his starting XI.

During their pre-match press conference on Friday, the 47-year-old manager revealed that Peter Gulacsi will replace Janis Blaswich in goal in an attempt to mix things up at the back.

RB Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi is pictured prior to the Champions League against the Young Boys in Leipzig

Gulacsi has been RB Leipzig’s main man between the sticks in the last few years but was displaced by Blaswich this season. Gulacsi last started in goal for the Red Bulls during their 2-1 win over Young Boys in their Champions League group stage match in December.

Prior to their slump, Janis Blaswich had been in fine form, as he even earned a call-up from the Germany national team during their November exhibition matches.

In other team news, Xavi Simons is going to make his comeback after he served his mandatory one-game ban against VfB Stuttgart. The PSG loanee is the team’s best playmaker this season with nine assists, and he also has seven goals under his belt.

Union Berlin introduce their new hit man

It’s no secret that Union Berlin are in dire need of a spark, and they’re hoping to get that from their latest acquisition, Chris Bedia.

With Sheraldo Becker and David Datro Fofana joining Real Sociedad and Burnley, respectively, during the winter transfer window, the addition of Chris Bedia could surely make up for Die Eisernen’s losses.

Bedia joins Union Berlin in red-hot form because he was the Swiss Super League Golden Boot frontrunner at the midway point of the season.

In his 17 league appearances for Servette, the Ivorian striker registered 10 goals, and he even managed to score against Sheriff Tiraspol and AS Roma in the Europa League.

Head coach Danijel Jumic likes to play a 3-5-2 formation, so Chris Bedia will likely join Kevin Volland, who has recovered from a concussion, up front on his Bundesliga debut.

History

Union Berlin were off to a flying start this 2023-24 campaign when they demolished Mainz and Darmstadt with back-to-back 4-1 results.

However, things started to go downhill from there, starting with their 3-0 loss against RB Leipzig at home in September, as they’ve never won a single game up until their 3-1 victory against Borussia Monchengladbach in December.

In their reverse fixture, Xavi Simons and Benjamin Sesko (brace) found the back of the net for RB Leipzig, while Union Berlin were reduced to 10 men when Kevin Volland was sent off in the second half.

Before Sunday, the Red Bulls had lost five of their last six Bundesliga matches against Die Eisernen (W1), and they are the only Bundesliga club that has yet to claim a point this calendar year, given their lacklustre run of Bundesliga 2024 results.

RB Leipzig have never lost four consecutive Bundesliga matches.

Betting Tip

RB Leipzig VS Union Berlin

February 5, 00:30 (GMT+8)

RB Leipzig Asian Handicap -1.50 @2.08

The SBOTOP Bundesliga 2024 odds like RB Leipzig’s chances to end their skid, as they are installed as 1.34 favourites, whereas Union Berlin are 7.20 underdogs, and a draw is at 4.62 in the 1X2 market.

And RB Leipzig are going to win by scoring a bunch of goals, hence our recommended bet. However, don’t expect them to come away with a clean sheet on this one.

For alternatives, Total Goal 2-3 at 2.02 sounds viable, while Total Goal 4-6 at 2.71 is another bet to consider.

If you’re looking for another blowout victory for the hosts, then check out Correct Score 3-0 in favour of RB Leipzig, the same exact result in their reverse fixture, because it is on offer at 9.20.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 03-Feb-2024 at 8:53 PM

Bundesliga: Dortmund Heating Up in the Right Time

Borussia Dortmund vs SC Freiburg

The resuscitated Dortmund will play host to a determined Freiburg at Signal Iduna Park for a pivotal Bundesliga bout.

Dortmund are without their recently acquired loanee, Jadon Sancho, who is out indefinitely due to an adductor injury. But the resurgence of Niclas Füllkrug could be more than enough to fill the void that Sancho left.

Füllkrug has emerged as one of the hottest commodities in the German top flight in recent weeks, and he will have an opportunity to pounce on his recent success against a head-scratching Freiburg outfit.

Christian Streich, on the other hand, is keen on keeping their European qualifications alive. His side had multiple opportunities to join the upper echelon of the Bundesliga table but have fallen short each time. They hope to turn things around against Dortmund.

Talking Points

Niclas Füllkrug spearheads the charge

BVB have been able to fend off a convincing charge by Leipzig and keep their Champions League dreams for next year alive by staying unbeaten in their last five Bundesliga matches.

Also, a win in their upcoming bout against Freiburg could tie them with Stuttgart in third place in the standings with 40 points.

The main catalyst for Dortmund’s resurgence is the potent goal-scoring abilities of their forward, Germany’s No. 9, Niclas Füllkrug.

After a tepid start to the season, Füllkrug recently started ramping it up and blasted his way up the leaderboards with strong Bundesliga 2024 results.

The 30-year-old came up big for Dortmund during their clash with Bochum two weeks ago, where he single handedly carried his side to a 3-1 victory by scoring his first Black and Yellow hat-trick.

Füllkrug’s hot streak didn’t start there, though, as he netted a penalty against their 4-0 thrashing of Köln. His grace under pressure when delivering his spot-kicks is simply world-class. The German striker is nearly perfect with his penalty attempts in the German top flight, successfully converting 14 out of 15 penalties in the Bundesliga.

In just two matches, Füllkrug skyrocketed in the Bundesliga Golden Boot race, almost doubling his production for the whole season. He is now tied with Jonas Wind and Marvin Ducksch with nine goals this season, who are all just one goal away from overtaking Leverkusen’s Boniface in the sixth spot.

Füllkrug’s resurgence came at the most opportune time for Dortmund, as they’ll have to brave time without their prodigal son, Jadon Sancho, after he suffered a problem with his adductor muscle.

Can SC Freiburg clinch European competition?

SC Freiburg’s Lucas Hoeler celebrates during their Bundesliga match against Hoffenheim

Freiburg had two opportunities to reach European football qualifications, and two times they failed. Sitting just three points outside of the sixth spot in the league table, Christian Streich and his men can’t seem to get over the hump and overtake Frankfurt in the standings.

They had the opportunity to put themselves in a convincing position to put themselves in a position to qualify for the Europa Conference League qualifiers next year with a win against Werder, but unfortunately, they lost to Werder 3-1, but they had a chance for redemption when they faced Stuttgart, but again they fell 3-1.

Maybe a third time’s the charm for Freiburg? But they picked the wrong time to get back to their winning ways, as they’ll go up against a surging Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park.

Their winger, Vincenzo Grifo, has been shouldering the offencive responsibilities, but it just hasn’t been enough to garner Freiburg consistent winning results. Grifo has tallied just five Bundesliga goals in the season thus far, and it’s a glaring hole Christian Streich has to address if he plans to get over the hump.

Freiburg as a whole have only managed to score 26 goals this season, which is the lowest goal tally among the top 10 clubs in the German league thus far, and conceding 34 goals doesn’t help their cause as well.

History

It’s fair to say that these clubs are very well acquainted, having fought a total of 32 bouts in the last decade. Among those matches, BVB have won the majority with 23 wins, while Freiburg have only managed to win four times but were able to tally a draw five times.

Dortmund won four of their last five contests against Freiburg, but they weren’t a walk in the park whatsoever. Freiburg, despite falling, have been able to score at least one goal against Dortmund in their last six matches, which is something to consider when looking at the betting lines for this match.

In terms of goal scoring, these clubs have managed to rack up a total of 109 goals in their last 32 matches, where BVB scored 82 times and Freiburg scored a respectable amount with 27.

Their most recent match was also their clash with the highest aggregate, boasting a score line of 2-4. Freiburg were leading 2-1 entering halftime, but Malen, Hummels, and Reus turned the boosters on in the second half with one goal apiece.

Betting Tip 

Borussia Dortmund VS SC Freiburg

February 10, 03:30 (GMT+8)

Over 3.00 @1.82

Historically, these clubs turn up the heat offencively whenever they face each other, scoring a total of 25 goals in their last five matches, which is why my betting tip is Total Goals Over 3.00 at 1.82. Where the price is right now holds enough value, in my opinion, to garner attention and excitement for punters to consider.

As for their main lines, the SBOTOP Bundesliga 2024 betting odds unsurprisingly have Dortmund as the favourites at 1.47, which holds enough value for some punters to bet on, while the visiting Freiburg are the underdogs at 5.20 with a draw price of 4.27.

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 07-Feb-2024 at 4:07 PM

Bundesliga: Die Werkself are Working Well

Bayer Leverkusen’s 2024 title bid is well on track after Xabi Alonso’s team picked up three more points with a 2-1 win away to FC Heidenheim 1846.

By Saturday tea-time Die Werkself were eight points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table and when FC Bayern lost 3-2 away to Bochum on Sunday the celebrations in Leverkusen could be heard in Bavaria.   

Leverkusen scored a goal in each half as they made it 32 matches unbeaten in all competitions, equalling FC Bayern’s top flight record. Against a well organised Heidenheim defence Jeremie Frimpong eventually broke the deadlock, just before half time, with the help of a slight deflection. The league leaders dominated the game and attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz was inches away as his shot cannoned away off the crossbar.  

It was Wirtz who finished the game though when he delivered a brilliant ball for Amine Adli to score a late second and, even though Tim Kleindienst halved the deficit on 87 minutes, there was never a real prospect of the hosts getting a result.  

Bayer Leverkusen have never won a league title, last finishing runners up in 2011, and they haven’t picked up any silverware since they won the DFB Pokal in 1993; but that 30 year wait could be coming to an end. This could well be a big moment in the campaign as Heidemheim were no pushover. The hosts came into the game on an eight match unbeaten run and the defeat sees them settle in tenth place.   

The latest Bundesliga 2024 betting odds make Die Werkself odds on favourites to win the title and they are also the team to beat in the DFB Pokal…could this be a double year for Alonso’s men? 

Brilliant Bochum bash Bayern

Kevin Stoger in action during VfL Bochum’s match against Bayern Munich

The Bavarians were at SBOTOP odds of 1.34 to win away to Bochum on Sunday afternoon but they had a torrid first half which saw them go in with a 2-1 deficit at the break. Bayern laid siege to the Bochum goal in the opening quarter of an hour and they were rewarded when Jamal Musiala smashed his shot high into the net. Bundesliga top scorer Harry Kane had a great chance to double the lead, but when he was clean through on goal he blasted his shot over. And the England man paid for his miss when Asano beat Manuel Neuer with a brilliant finish into the far corner and then, just before the break, Keven Schlotterbeck headed Bochum into the lead.

On 78 minute s Bayern’s bad night got worse when Dayot Upamecano was red carded for an elbow on Schlotterbeck and Kevin Stoger fired home the penalty to make it 3-1. When Leroy Sane was clean through on goal Manuel Riemann made a brilliant save though Bayern did pull a goal back when Kane had an 86^th minute tap-in. But that was it –wild celebrations in the Ruhrstadion and dismay for Thomas Tuchel’s team.           

Bayern’s nightmare week is finally over. After losing 3-0 to Bayer Leverkusen and 1-0 to Lazio in the Champions League; this was another hefty blow. But while the Bavarians lick their wounds, Bochum move up to 11^th and away from the danger zone.   

Wolves give BVB a bite

BVB have been on the charge in recent weeks and they have taken up residence in the top four, but they had a frustrating afternoon in Wolfsburg where they had to settle for a share of the points. Dortmund scored a scrappy opener when a Marco Reus shot caused chaos in the Wolves’ defence and keeper Koen Casteels eventually parried the ball into the path of Niclas Fullkrug and the striker prodded the ball home.

The mid table hosts were up for the fight though, and they came close to equalising when Kevin Behrens hit the woodwork, but they levelled, midway through the second half, when Yannick Gerhardt headed home.      

In other Bundesliga 2024 news on Saturday, third placed VfB Stuttgart won 1-2 away to Darmstadt as Serous Cuirass made a scoring return from the African Cup of Nations, and that win gives Stuttgart a five point lead over Dortmund.

Tragedy in Leipzig

Red Bull Leipzig desperately needed a win against Borussia Monchengladbach and they delivered with a 2-0 victory, as Lois Openda struck again to make it 16 goals for the campaign. But it was a terribly sad day in Leipzig as the crowd fell silent with the news that a supporter had tragically died during the match. Following news there was a medical emergency in the stands the game was stopped but attempts to resuscitate the Red Bulls fan were tragically unsuccessful.  

Because Dortmund were held by Wolfsburg this victory pulled Leipzig up to within a point of Die Schwarzgelben and so the top four race is certainly hotting up, but our thoughts tonight are with the family and friends.        

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 20-Feb-2024 at 3:10 PM

Bundesliga: Leverkusen Will Not Let Up Against Mainz

Bayer Leverkusen vs Mainz

Bayer Leverkusen can easily rest on their laurels after coming off an eventful week here in the Bundesliga, but Xabi Alonso and co. are doing just the opposite when they host Mainz at the BayArena on Friday.

Die Werkself extended their table lead to eight points when they secured one of the best Bundesliga 2024 results this season, a 3-0 win against the defending champions Bayern Munich, followed by a 2-1 win over Heidenheim.

Mainz, on the other hand, are fighting for their lives here in the German top-flight. The 05ers are fresh from a rare victory last time out, a 1-0 result over Augsburg, so they’re currently in seventh place with 15 points, and an improbable road victory against Die Werkself would surely boost their confidence.

Talking Points

Bayer Leverkusen on the verge of setting new record

Jeremie Frimpong nets Bayer Leverkusen’s opening goal against Heidenheim

With the wins against Bayern Munich and Heidenheim last week, Bayer Leverkusen are now undefeated in 32 competitive games this season, equaling the record set by the Bayern Munich squad of Hansi Flick across 2019-20 and 2020-21.

And with 58 points after 22 matchdays, Bayer Leverkusen have made the third-best start to a season of any Bundesliga club in history. In fact, they already have more points than they had at the end of last term (50).

Bayer Leverkusen have depth all over the pitch, which is why they’re in this position. Even if they had games where they didn’t have a full squad, the others have stepped up well when called upon.

One example of this is when Patrik Schick and Amine Adli have filled in for the injured Victor Boniface, who is, by the way, their top scorer with 14 goals across all competitions. And adding someone like Borja Iglesias via loan during the winter transfer window certainly helps too, even if he has yet to open his account.

Their speedy wing-backs have chipped in goals as well, as Alex Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong have combined for 18 goals and 15 assists this season. Frimpong has scored two goals in his last two appearances.

And then there’s Florian Wirtz, who is having a resurgent campaign after dealing with injuries last season. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder is the team’s best playmaker, with seven goals and 13 assists this term.

Mainz got the new manager bounce

Bo Henriksen’s Mainz stint is off to a winning start, and the hope is that he’ll be the guy to save them from relegation at the end of this season.

The 49-year-old Dane, who previously managed Brønshøj, Horsens, Midtjylland, and FC Zurich, replaced Jan Siewert, who won just one of his 12 matches at the helm.

Since the start of 2024, Mainz have only scored four goals in six games while conceding eight on the other end, and that has to change soon for them to keep their top-flight status.

Ludovic Ajorque, Lee Jae-Sung, Leandro Barreiro, Anthony Caci, and Sepp van den Berg are the team’s joint-leading scorers, with two goals each, and we’re particularly looking at Ajorque and Lee to look to assert themselves in the final third this weekend.

History

Bayer Leverkusen and Mainz already faced off last September, with the former winning via a 3-0 scoreline, as they benefited from the scores of Sepp van den Berg (own goal), Alex Grimaldo, and Jonas Hofmann.

However, Mainz won their last Bundesliga away match against Bayer Leverkusen prior to that (3-2 in February 2023), which was one of only three home defeats for Die Werkself in the league under Xabi Alonso and one of only two away wins for the 05ers in the league since the end of October 2022.

With the victory against Augsburg last week, Mainz finally ended their 11-game winless run in the Bundesliga. However, Bo Henriksen’s men are still winless away from home this season (D8, L7).

Betting Tip

Bayer Leverkusen VS Mainz

February 24, 03:30 (GMT+8)

Bayer Leverkusen Asian Handicap -2.00 @ 2.16

The SBOTOP Bundesliga 2024 odds are favouring Bayer Leverkusen to extend their unbeaten run, thus setting a new record on Friday. Die Werkself are priced at 1.20 to win, whereas Mainz are 10.00 underdogs, and a draw is at 5.80 in the 1X2 market.

Because Bayer Leverkusen have been prolific in the final third, alternative bets like Over 3.25 at 2.21 and Total Goals 4-6 at 2.61 are worth considering too, with the table leaders scoring the majority of the goals.

Meanwhile, a Correct Score of 3-0 in favour of Bayer Leverkusen – the result of their reverse fixture – is being offered at a decent amount of 6.80.

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 21-Feb-2024 at 4:07 PM

All Hail Bayer Leverkusen, the Kings of Bundesliga!

It seemed that “Neverkusen” was already etched in football lore, a club that had five runners-up finishes, six third places, some highs, and a lot of lows cramped in between. It almost seemed like the football gods were casually playing games, each of them taking turns deciding the fate of Bayer Leverkusen every Bundesliga season.

But on a brisk spring night, a special group of men, led by a living icon, decided to test these gods, test their fate, and decide to rewrite their destiny in football history.

They courteously welcomed Werder Bremen to their humble abode and, with an unbashful demeanour, proceeded to thump and thrash their esteemed guests.

Rolling like a Spielberg film, it was the tip of their spear, Victor Boniface, who led the charge, taking the first step towards glory with an occurrence Bundesliga fans have gotten accustomed to this season: A Victor Boniface opening goal.

Then, his running mate Granit Xhaka showed his new home just why he excelled as a Gunner and struck a follow-up goal with marksman-like precision to give a not-so-slight nudge towards football glory.

Alas, Florian Wirtz clinched the summit of the Bundesliga mountain in the most flamboyant way possible and proceeded to secure the win with not one, not two, but three goals!

Florian Wirtz in action playing for Bayer Leverkusen

What better way to clinch the league title than with a hat-trick?

The stadium was already filled with a mist of red even before the final whistle was blown, but when it did, BayArena, which has a capacity of just 22,500, roared in unison. There was a cheer that was heard all over the football world. A celebration to the highest of superlatives.

Bayer Leverkusen are the champions of the Bundesliga.

This team, these men, and this manager ended 120 years of hurt and torment. This special group clinched Leverkusen’s first ever Bundesliga title and ended Bayern Munich’s 11-year dominance in German football.

“This is a very special moment for the club,’ Alonso said. ‘After 120 years, to win the Bundesliga for the first time is something extraordinary. The players really performed; they were a top team together. I am so proud of all of them.”

Bayern Munich were the overwhelming SBOTOP Bundesliga 2024 odds favourites in the start of the season, but Die Werkself are living testaments that even if the odds are against you, that’s where it’s most imperative to push and bet on yourselves.

“This trophy belongs to a lot of people, and we have to enjoy it.” Leverkusen’s win broke an 11-year run of Bayern dominance. “It’s perhaps healthy for the Bundesliga and German football that other teams win, and it’s a great pleasure that it’s us.”

Bring out the beer and the cigar, boys. Hats off to you!

Now that Leverkusen is on the front page of the Bundesliga 2024 news stories all over the globe, one must not forget that the job’s not done for Alonso and his men.

Drenched after Alonso’s players surprised him with a beer shower during the press conference after winning the Bundesliga, the 42-year-old quickly reminded the press that the job’s not done.

“It’s not over yet.” “We’ll see how far we can go. I have a good feeling about it,” he stated.

They are now just four games away from winning the Europa League, and they are currently tussling with Premier League side West Ham. Leverkusen are up two goals on aggregate, but West Ham have a home advantage in the return leg, so the German side can expect nothing but hostility at London Stadium.

Alonso and his men are also a final game away from clinching the DFB-Pokal. They’ve basically cruised through the tournament, having no convincing threat en route to their final bout against Kaiserslautern.

If Die Werkself manage to continue their 43-game unbeaten streak and triumph in the Europa League and DFB-Pokal, we could see one of the relegation candidates in the Bundesliga win a treble.

As the football gods scratch their heads, they too cannot fathom the sight of Xabi Alonso and the rest of Leverkusen lifting the Meisterschale in front of 22,000 strong. But it was probable for quite some time now. They are ready. It is officially their time.

The history books will forever have a corner of their page folded slightly, so the football world can pass this Cinderella story down to the younger generations and say, “During the 2023–24 season, Bayer Leverkusen ended their curse and became the kings of German football.” It’s done, Neverkusen no more! Bayer Leverkusen are the champions of Bundesliga

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 16-Apr-2024 at 3:20 PM

Bundesliga: The Treble is on for Brilliant Bayer

2024 Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen are already history makers but it seems that the sky is the limit for Xabi Alonso’s record-breaking team.

When Werkself fans look at the season’s Bundesliga 2024 highlights, they will surely have to pinch themselves having watched their team totally dominate the big guns of Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Red Bull Leipzig, leaving all three way, way behind. 

Leverkusen have gone the whole season unbeaten, though it looked like that record was about to end on Sunday when Borussia Dortmund took an 81^st-minute lead at a packed Signal Iduna Park to send the Yellow Wall into raptures.

But this Werkself side simply can’t be beaten, and when Josip Stanisic rose to head a 97^th-minute leveller from a Florian Wirtz corner, nobody should have been surprised.

The Leverkusen players celebrated like they had won the league again, such is their determination to keep breaking records, even though their lead at the top of the table is a whopping 17 points.

So the Treble is on. 

How the League was won

Bayer Leverkusen celebrates after winning against Werder Bremen

Alonso’s heroes were crowned German champions last week when Werder Bremen visited the BayArena and it was an incredible moment for the Leverkusen fans who witnessed their team winning the Bundesliga for the first time in their 120 year history.

Bayer battered Werder 5-0 to confirm their title and that was an incredible achievement for Alonso who took over as head coach in 2022 with Die Werkself second bottom of the table.

With a sometimes swashbuckling style of attack, pressing intensity and a brilliantly organised defence, supported by rock solid defensive midfielder Granit Xhaka, this was a team with an answer to every question they were asked. They have won 38 games and drawn six, scoring 124 goals and conceding just 31.

Bayer’s unbeaten run now stands at 44 games in all competitions, the last defeat coming in May 2023 and, if they make it to the end of the season they will break a record set by the great Benfica side way back in 1960. They have already set a new record for unbeaten starts in the Bundesliga, taking another title off Bayern Munich. 

This team is a phenomenon and could become one of the greats.

But there is work still to be done this season…with one trophy won and two to go.  

DFB Pokal

After walloping Fortuna Dusseldorf 4-0 in the semi-final of the DFB POKAL Cup die Werkself booked their final place against second tier Kaiserslautern who saw off the arch giant-killers Saarbrucken.

Die Roten Teufel, managed by Friedhelm Funkel, were founder members of the Bundesliga and played in the top division until 1996, winning four league championships and two DFB Pokals.

They last appeared in the Bundesliga 1 in 2005 and they spent their first four seasons in the third tier before promotion back to Bundesliga 2 in 2022.

This season Kaiserslautern are in serious peril again, sitting in 17^th, two points from safety and with just four games left. The underdogs totally deserve their final place and their day in the sun; but it will be one of the shocks of the season if they can beat by far the best team in Germany.       

Europa League

Following the exit of Alonso’s old team Liverpool, the Europa League 2024 betting odds have taken Leverkusen to be the most likely winners. They have waltzed through this tournament and, in beating West Ham over two legs, Bayer remained unbeaten in all competitions as well as making it to the last four.

A semi-final clash with Serie A’s Roma is another good test and if Die Werkself pass that one they will meet the winners of the other semi-final tie between Atalanta, conquerors of Liverpool, and Olympique Marseilles. 

So which team is the biggest threat to Alonso’s men?

Atalanta were sensational when they beat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield and La Dea are always a joy to watch. But, that great night on Merseyside apart, they haven’t been in the best form and before this weekend’s action they had won just one of the last six Serie A games.

OM beat Benfica to reach the semi-final but they too have been in poor form in their domestic league, recently losing three on the bounce and sitting tenth in Ligue 1.

So I’d say if they beat the in-form Roma in the semi-final then Leverkusen will have one hand on the third part of this treble.

It’s going to be a fascinating few weeks for Alonso’s Leverkusen; so whether you are a Bundesliga fan or just an admirer of the best teams in Europe, keep it here at SBOTOP to see how this amazing team closes out the season.

I reckon they will do it.  

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 22-Apr-2024 at 5:52 PM

Bundesliga: Bochum Brave the Storm to Keep Their Top Flight Status

Drama ensued in the Bundesliga relegation play-off after Bochum completed a historic comeback, trailing 3-0 on aggregate coming into the second leg of their play-off game against Duesseldorf, but still claimed glory with a 6-5 victory on penalties.

The Bundeslgia 2024 betting odds were against Die Unabsteigbaren coming into their match at Merkur Spiel-Arena, given that they’ll need to score three unanswered goals just to force extra time.

Bochum might’ve failed to garner winning Bundesliga 2024 results, but they delivered when it mattered most.

Second division side Dusseldorf found themselves up 3-0 on aggregate after a stunning performance during the first leg of their play-off against Bochum. But the top-flight outfit proved why they belonged in the Bundesliga and proceeded to rally, led by Philipp Hofmann and Kevin Stoger.

Bochum’s veteran forward, Hofmann, showed up and scored two goals, while the Austrian midfielder delivered a stunner to level the match 3-3.

The dramatic rally was culminated by a heart-wrenching penalty shootout that saw Düsseldorf’s Takashi Uchino succumb to pressure and send his spot kick over high over the goal, handing Bochum the 6-5 win in penalties.

This was the first time a play-off has gone to penalties since the Bundesliga reintroduced the scheme, and Die Unabsteigbaren ultimately succeeded in retaining their rightful spot in the German top flight.

Harry Kane wins European Golden Boot

Harry Kane scores the 2-1 goal from during Bundesliga match between Bayern Munich forward and Eintracht Frankfurt

In his debut season with Bayern Munich, Three Lions skipper Harry Kane has scored 36 goals in the Bundesliga, boasting of being the top goal scorer in Europe in the 2023–24 campaign and winning the 2024 European Golden Boot.

The 30-year-old made a shocking move to the German top flight after an illustrious spell with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. Kane may have opted to change scenery, but his goal-scoring prowess stayed the same.

With 36 domestic goals to his name, the Bayern Munich striker finished ahead of VfB Stuttgart’s Serhou Guirassy (28 goals), Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe (27), Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (27), Girona’s Artem Dovbyk (24), and Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martínez (24) in the European Golden Boot race.

This SBOTOP writer believes that the Bavarians got exactly what they paid for in Kane, given his immediate contributions on and off the pitch, so to put blame on the Tottenham legend with how catastrophic Bayern Munich’s campaign had been doesn’t make sense.

All in all, at 30 years of age, amidst controversy, Harry Kane is still one of, if not the most prolific, strikers in the game.

Bayer Leverkusen complete domestic double

With their treble dreams going down the drain after their Europa League final defeat against Atalanta, Die Werkself laced their boots once again and faced FCK in the DFB-Pokal final.

With heavy hearts, Leverkusen braved Berlin and claimed DFB-Pokal glory despite finishing most of the match down to 10 men.

Granit Xhaka was the man of the match, striking a stunner in minute 16 to give Leverkusen a 1-0 lead, which was enough to claim the title and becoming the first Swiss player to score in the tournament’s final.

Centre-back Odilon Kossounou was sent off the pitch in minute 44 for two bookable offences, forcing Alonso’s Leverkusen to brave the FCK charge with just 10 players on the field.

With the DFB-Pokal and the Bundesliga titles clenched, Leverkusen finished their domestic campaign with an unbeaten 40-0 record, becoming the first German double winners to go through an entire domestic campaign without a single defeat.

Bayern Munich close to signing Vincent Kompany

Boasting as the Bundesliga 2024 odds favourites to win the title by season’s end, Bayern Munich slowly deteriorated in form as the season progressed. The season Bayern had hoped for after signing Harry Kane crumbled before their eyes, and, like in the downfall of every mighty sports team, fingers started pointing around.

The person who suffered the most scrutiny was their head coach, Thomas Tuchel. The 50-year-old failed to lead the Bavarians to any silverware by season’s end, a picture Bayern fans aren’t too accustomed to. And after finishing the Bundesliga season in third place, the panic button was pushed, which started the managerial carousel in Munich.

It’s been reported that the frontrunner for the illustrious coaching job is Burnley boss Vincent Kompany. After a string of rejections from the likes of Xbi Alonso and Julian Nagelsmann, among others, the Bavarians shifted their focus on the former Manchester City star.

Burnley suffered relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2023–24 season, and if Kompany does complete the move to Bayern, he will face bigger responsibilities with taking over a winning club that suffered its worst season since 2011.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 31-May-2024 at 3:10 PM

Bundesliga: Opening Day Wins for the Big Four

The Bundesliga big guns set the tone for the season on the opening weekend with wins in all manners, FC Bayern and Bayer Leverkusen beat Wolfsburg and Borussia Monchengladbach by 3-2, while Borussia Dortmund and Red Bull Leipzig also picked up three points.  

Vincent Kompany’s first match in charge of FC Bayern went to plan in the first half but the second was chaotic. When Harry Kane burst through early on he was denied by a smart save from keeper Kamil Grabara and the new Wolfsburg stopper was called into action when Joshua Kimmich met a cross from Bayern new boy Michael Olise. But Bayern got their deserved lead when Jamal Musiala prodded home from close range on 19 minutes thanks to a great run and pull back from Sacha Boey.

Bayern usually enjoy meeting Wolfsburg and, despite one or two hairy moments at the back as they played out of defence, the Bavarians pretty much bossed the first half, with eight shots to one and five to none on target. But the second half started in explosive fashion when Tiago Tomas burst through and, when Boey tripped him, the referee had an easy decision to point to the penalty spot. Boey received a yellow card; and Lovro Majer stepped up and calmly slotted the ball home, low into the bottom right corner.

The home fans suddenly came alive and the Wolves sniffed blood and were agonizingly close to doubling their lead when Majer crashed a shot against the upright. Bayern were rocking and soon enough they were behind when Wolfsburg broke again, Patrick Wimmer squared for Majer and he slotted home to turn the game on its head.

Kompany reacted by bringing on Thomas Muller to replace Boey and he had an immediate impact, putting pressure on Jakub Kaminski and the Wolfsburg defender put through his own net. Bayern went for the winner and Kaminski made a brilliant block to deny Kane, but the Wolves were finally undone when Kane fed Serge Gnabry and he fired in his cross shot off the post. 

Wolfsburg came again and Mattias Svenberg thought he’d leveled but his first time effort flew inches wide. The early season Bundesliga 2024 betting odds have installed the Bavarians as favourites and they started with a much needed win…but it was far from comfortable for their new head coach.  

Champions leave it late

Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz scores the 3-2 goal past Moenchengladbach’s Jonas Omlin during the Bundesliga match

A 101^st minute winner courtesy of Florian Wirtz gave Bayer Leverkusen three points from a five goal thriller in Friday’s curtain-raiser away to Borussia Monchengladbach. It was a humdinger of a game with Die Werkself winning the shot counts by 25 to 14 and ten to seven on target and there was no doubting Leverkusen’s attacking intentions in their title defence. Head coach Xabi Alonso has asked for more solidity and aggression in future matches and he has just the man to lead that, in midfield enforcer Granit Xhaka who opened the scoring against Die Fohlen with a stunning strike. When Wirtz doubled the lead the champions were coasting at half time, but the second period saw the hosts roar back with goals from Nico Elvedi and new boy Tim Kleindienst.

When Monchengladbach’s Ko Itakura fouled Amine Adli deep into stoppage time, Wirtz stepped up, and when his spot kick was saved he hammered in the rebound to make it 3-2 and grab a first win for the champions; and Wirtz became the fifth player to score in successive opening games for Leverkusen. The title defence is up and running.       

Gittens announces his arrival

In one of our SBOTOP featured matches, 20 year old winger Jamie Gittens climbed off the bench to score a brace and give Borussia Dortmund an impressive 2-0 home win against Eintracht Frankfurt, who finished sixth last season. Dortmund finished a place higher last term and, after 72 minutes of end to end football, the hosts finally went ahead when Gittens broke the deadlock with a superb strike into the top corner. The Eagles came close to an equalizer but Gregor Kobel, arguably the best keeper in the Bundesliga, kept them out and when Gittens scored again the roof came off the Signal Iduna Stadium.

Kobel admitted it wasn’t a comfortable night for Die Schwarzgelben, saying: “We lost a few balls, even though we had a lot of possession. It wasn’t a top performance. There were a lot of good things we can build on, but also some things we need to work on.” 

New head coach Nuri Sahin will be pleased with his first night’s work in Dortmund and his team recorded an opening day win for the tenth season in succession. BVB will face Werder Bremen next Saturday, while Frankfurt will hope to get off the mark when they host TSG Hoffenheim, who started with a 3-2 win over Holstein Kiel.    

In other Bundesliga 2024 results Red Bull Leipzig picked up a hard earned win over Bochum thanks to a smart finish from Antonio Nusa after a fast break; but they will be without centre back Willi Orban next week after he picked up a straight red card for an agricultural challenge on Myron Boadu.

But last season’s surprise package Stuttgart fell to a 3-1 defeat to SC Freiburg despite taking an early lead through Ermedin Demerovic. A brace from Lukas Kubler, the first a beauty, and a strike from Ritsu Doan made it a comfortable win for the hosts.

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 28-Aug-2024 at 6:32 PM

Bundesliga: How Are the New Boys Settling in?

The Bundesliga had just finished its first matchweek, filled with non-stop action and drama. From late winners to red cards, Matchday 1 thrilled fans all over, and we at SBOTOP are ecstatic for more.

Obviously, not a lot can be predicted at this stage of the season, with everyone still figuring out a lot of things with regards to their squads and such.

But if you support one of the teams that have already played—in the league or otherwise—perhaps there’s already a formed thought about your club’s new signings: either you saw his debut as a sign of good things moving forward, or that he needs more time to acclimatise.

If you haven’t been tuning in, however, then we’re here to tell you just how the new lads are doing.

Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)

The 22-year-old France international was bought from Crystal Palace for a hefty fee of €60 million—Die Roten’s fourth-most expensive player ever.

Olise, an electric winger with scintillating skills, was signed in hopes of helping Bayern wrestle the title back to Munich. Already a star with a blindingly bright future ahead, he was Crystal Palace’s Players’ Player of the Year in 2023 and had tallied 16 goals and 25 assists in his stint at the London-based club.

And now he aims to shine in Bavaria.

So far, Olise has played three matches with Bayern (two competitive fixtures and one friendly).  In the first round of the DFB-Pokal against Ulm, Olise was subbed on in the 77^th minute and immediately impacted the match. The winger was measured and controlled as he went by his defender and fired a low cross that was scored by Kingsley Coman.

He then started against Swiss side Grasshopper, in which he smashed in a beautiful volley in the 12^th minute as he terrorised the Zurich club for 62 minutes before he was took off. However, he had an unsatisfactory start to his Bundesliga career after his team barely escaped Wolfsburg with a 2-3 win.

Started once again on the right flank, Olise made some good passes and created a huge chance for Harry Kane to score in the first half. But as the match went by, the winger faded and was subbed off for Coman in the second half.

Pascal Gross (Borussia Dortmund)

The 33-year-old Swiss Army knife of a player is one of the most reliable footballers in the sport. Back in his Brighton stint, Gross has virtually played any position his former managers asked of him and has delivered consistency week in and week out.

With 32 goals and 52 assists in his seven years in England, Gross is Brighton’s leading scorer in the English top flight. And now, he has the chance to continue his stellar career back home.

Borussia Dortmund new signing Pascal Gross gestures during their pre-season friendly with Aston Villa in August

He had a pedestrian performance in Dortmund’s pre-season win against Aston Villa and was taken off in the second half. However, it was in his competitive debut with the club that he shone brightest, as he assisted twice in the DFB-Pokal match against Phonix Lubeck.

Gross was a machine in that match, where he registered 169 touches and completed 154/162 total passes.

His first assist was a pinpoint corner kick to Waldemar Anton. His second one was even more impressive, as he picked out a running Julian Brandt with a peach of a ball from the backline.

Dortmund’s next match is against Werder Bremen, where the Bundesliga 2024 odds favour the Black and Yellows. Yet another chance for Gross to show out.

Antonio Nusa (RB Leipzig)

Leipzig are known to take young talents and mould them into absolute world-beaters.

Joshua Kimmich, Christopher Nkunku and Josko Gvardiol are just some of the examples of players nurtured in Leipzig who are now well-respected in the sport.

And 19-year-old Antonio Nusa may be next to follow suit.

The wonderkid, straight out of Club Brugge, is highly commended among his peers as a future star. Bought from the Belgian club for €21 million, the Norwegian winger/midfielder is the second-youngest player to score in the history of the Champions League.

Those doubting his scoring touch—if there are any—were immediately made to eat their own words just two games into his Leipzig career after he scored in both meetings against RW Essen and Bochum.

Appeared as a substitute both times, Nusa netted in the second half of both games. His strike against Essen was a left-footed finish at the end of a counter-attack, whilst a thunderous volley with his strong foot proved to be the only difference between his club and Bochum.

He will hope to add to his Bundesliga 2024 highlights against Borussia Monchengladbach over the weekend.

This message was edited by SBOTOP on 28-Aug-2024 at 6:34 PM

Bundesliga: Bayern to Host Leipzig in 2025/26 Curtain-Raiser

The new Bundesliga fixture list will be out on Friday 27^th June when fans and teams the length and breadth of Germany will discover who they will meet on Matchday One on the weekend of 23^rd August.

But as tradition dictates, the reigning champions will kick off the new campaign on Friday night the 22^nd, and on Thursday it was revealed that Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich would host Red Bull Leipzig in a mouth-watering opener. The two teams will renew a rivalry that has grown in recent seasons since Die Roten Bullen took their place among the elite of German football in 2016.

My SBOTOP pal, James, has already nailed his colours to the mast, predicting back to back titles for Kompany’s men and the early Bundesliga 2025 betting odds certainly back him up, pricing the Bavarians at 1.18 to retain their crown.

And, as Jordan writes, their closest rivals Bayer Leverkusen are in for a major rebuild, following the departure of manager Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid and the transfer of star forward Florian Wirtz in a £116m move to Premier League champions Liverpool, not to mention the switch of Bayer’s defensive rock, Jonathan Tah, to Bayern Munich.

The Bavarians regained their long held title last year, after Leverkusen had stormed to the 2023/24 Bundesliga, losing just two league matches all season. But Kompany is under pressure nevertheless after his side missed out badly in the Champions League and the DFB Pokal. Meanwhile Leipzig had a shocker by their recent standards, finishing in seventh position in the Bundesliga and missing out on European competition altogether. And this week the club announced the appointment of master tactician Ole Werner as their new head coach. The 37 year old played his football at Holstein Kiel but ended his career at the tender age of 22, and has since become a highly respected coach, firstly at Kiel and latterly at Werder Bremen where he has coached for the last four seasons, winning promotion back to the Bundesliga and progressing year on year, finishing 13^th, ninth and then eighth, just a place behind his new megabucks employers.

Werner inherits a talented squad including Lois Openda and Xavi Simons, and it will be fascinating to see how the new coach performs under the heat of the spotlight in Leipzig.

Newcastle weigh up move for Freiburg star

In other Bundesliga 2025 news, Premier League big spenders Newcastle United are reported to be tracking SC Freiburg youngster Merlin Rohl. The 22 year old had a breakout campaign in 2023/24 and has made a further 20 appearances in all competitions this season. He still has plenty of room to improve but the Magpies will face competition for Rohl’s services, with Premier League rivals Everton and Crystal Palace also in the hunt for the attacking midfielder.

One player who may be heading the other way, from England to Germany, is Manchester City’s academy star Callum Doyle. The 21 year old centre back has been the subject of a £6.5m bid from TSG Hoffenheim which the Sky Blues have knocked back. But the Bundesliga club will not be too far off the mark for the player who has already made 158 appearances out on loan, last season with Norwich City. It seems he is not in Pep Guardiola’s plans and the young defender would be a good fit for Hoffenheim.

BVB and Bayern progress in the US

Over at the Club world cup both Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have progressed to the Round of 16 and are still in the hunt for the generous prize money. But Die Schwarzgelben will be the happier of the two having won their group, to earn themselves a potentially gentler route through the knockouts. New recruit Jobe Bellingham has followed in his brother Jude’s footsteps to Dortmund and he made a clever assist for Daniel Svesson in the only goal of their game against Ulsan HD on Wednesday. That victory won top spot in Group F after Fluminese drew 0-0 with Mamelodi Sundowns. BVB will meet Monterrey in the Round of 16.

Bayern Munich finished second in their section after Kompany made wholesale changes in their final Group C game against Benfica, only to lose 1-0, their first ever defeat to a Portuguese side, and now they will face a stiff test against Brazilian side Flamengo in the Round of 16 on June 29^th. Midfield ace Joshua Kimmich came to his manager’s defence after the game, saying: “We’ve only had two games. It was also about having a good squad and wanting to involve all players. The coach deliberately wants to rely on different players – and that’s very, very right.”

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 27-Jun-2025 at 3:50 PM

Bundesliga: Bayern and Dortmund are Deep Into the Club World Cup

While others are busy in the transfer market, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are already playing high-stakes football, representing the Bundesliga in the Club World Cup. Both teams advanced to the quarter-finals, with Bayern Munich facing PSG and Borussia Dortmund taking on Real Madrid.

But, make no mistake about it, even if they’re busy in the United States, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund remain active in the transfer market, as both teams aim to improve their squads, looking to boost their Bundesliga 2025 odds ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.

Meanwhile, Eintracht Frankfurt raised eyebrows by poaching their rivals, as they recently acquired one of the top young prospects in the German top-flight today. Die Adler needed to do it because they’re back in the Champions League next term.

The football doesn’t stop in Germany, and SBOTOP has you covered with the latest Bundesliga 2025 news.

Bayern Munich prepare for PSG rematch

Bayern Munich and PSG will meet in a Champions League final rematch later for a semi-finals berth in the Club World Cup. The winner of this tie will meet the winner between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid. Bayern Munich have won seven of their last nine meetings with the Ligue 1 giants (L2), including a four-game winning streak where the former scored five goals and conceded none on the other end on aggregate.

Vincent Kompany’s men might find it difficult to extend their undefeated run against PSG since they’ll miss several players ahead of the blockbuster clash. Defenders Alphonso Davies, Hiroki Ito, and Kim Min-Jae are unlikely to feature later. Leroy Sane has officially left the team to join Galatasaray, and Kingsley Coman is a game-time decision after sustaining a leg injury during their 4-2 Round of 16 victory against Flamengo earlier this week. PSG will have Ousmane Dembele back after he came on as a second-half substitute during their 4-0 rout of Inter Miami, and the Parisiens have a more complete squad compared to Bayern Munich.

As far as their transfer business is concerned, following their acquisition of Jonathan Tah, Bayern Munich have been eyeing Nick Woltemade for quite some time now, since Sane has left and Thomas Muller is about to leave. However, the negotiations between Die Bayern and VfB Stuttgart have been put on hold.

No brotherly reunion for Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid

The Club World Cup quarter-finals contest between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid is not only a rematch of the 2023-24 Champions League final, but it is also jokingly dubbed the “Bellingham Derby” since brothers Jobe and Jude are on opposite sides. 

However, unfortunately for Borussia Dortmund fans, Jobe Bellingham is absent for this clash since he must serve his suspension due to an accumulation of yellow cards. The younger Bellingham, having already booked against Ulsan Hyundai during the group stage, picked up his second yellow in BVB’s 2-1 Round of 16 win over Monterrey. Marcel Sabitzer or Julian Brandt will likely replace the 19-year-old midfielder against Los Blancos.

Serhou Guirassy is the man in form for Borussia Dortmund, as he leads the Yellow Wall with three goals in the Club World Cup. He scored a brace last Wednesday, which was enough to eliminate Monterrey. Karim Adeyemi will likely rejoin him in the final third, with Julian Ryerson and Daniel Svensson providing overlapping runs on the wings.

After selling Jamie Gittens to Chelsea for £55 million, Borussia Dortmund have been looking for his replacement to serve as Guirassy’s backup. Niko Kovac’s side is reportedly interested in RB Salzburg’s Adam Daghim and Wolves’ Fabio Silva. Moreover, the Yellow Wall are also exploring the idea of extending Carney Chukwuemeka’s loan from Chelsea.

Eintracht Frankfurt pull off massive coup

Eintracht Frankfurt qualified for the Champions League after finishing third in the Bundesliga table this year. They boasted the league’s fourth-best offence with 68 goals. With Marmoush sold to Manchester City, Die Adler leaned heavily on Hugo Ekitike to pick up the scoring load, and he didn’t disappoint. The 23-year-old Frenchman tied Marmoush’s 15-goal total.

Ekitike’s production is not enough to stay afloat in the Bundesliga and Champions League next season, and Eintracht Frankfurt’s front office is aware of this, so they went out and acquired Jonathan Burkardt from Mainz in a stunning move. Burkardt finished above Ekitike in the Golden Boot race with 18 league goals, and he was a huge reason Mainz qualified for the Europa Conference League. Like Ekitike, Burkardt has yet to reach 25 years old, so Die Adler have a promising attacking duo in the making.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 08-Jul-2025 at 6:01 PM

Bundesliga: Odds Are Stacked Against Them, but One Team Could Challenge Bayern’s Superiority

If Bundesliga action is what you crave, the wait will soon be over.

Yes, I know there’s well over a month until the start of the new campaign and the return of Bundesliga 2025 highlights, but SBOTOP fans can now count down the days, beginning with the curtain raiser to the new campaign.

On August 16, hosts and German Cup holders Stuttgart will welcome the Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in the inaugural Franz Beckenbauer Supercup.

The annual Supercup, which features the winners of the previous season’s two domestic titles, was officially renamed in honour of the late Beckenbauer last December, with the first edition bearing the German football legend’s name to be played at Stuttgart’s MHP Arena.

The Kaiser’s boyhood club, Bayern, are set to compete for the Supercup for the 14th time after they reclaimed the Bundesliga title last season.

Looking at our Bundesliga 2025 betting odds, no-one is expecting any rivals to go close to matching them next term either.

The Bavarians were thoroughly deserving of the title, were in first place ever since just the third week of the campaign and chalked up 25 wins from 34 matches – only losing twice – and scoring a league-high 99 goals.

And that proves my long-held view.

For as good as Bayer Leverkusen were during their title defence last season, losing only three out of 34 matches, they could simply not compete and ultimately finished 13 points off the pace.

Since then, they have been significantly weakened with Jonathan Tah heading to Bayern on a free transfer, while Die Werkself recently sold Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz to Liverpool for almost €200 million.

That amount of money could help their rebuilding efforts, provided they manage their funds well.

So far, they have brought in goalkeeper Mark Flekken from Brentford to bolster their goalkeeping depth. They have also recruited Ibrahim Maza, Tim Oermann, Artem Stepanov and Francis Onyeka but, honestly, is that really enough to sustain a title challenge?

Certainly a serious rebuild awaits, although after saying farewell to Xabi Alonso, they have brought in a proven and successful manager in his stead.

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag plays a different style of football than his predecessor so it may take a while, but he is successful wherever he goes and the Dutchman has an uncanny ability to win trophies.

Only yesterday, he brought in US international Malik Tillman, the former Bayern Munich youngster turned US international who has moved from PSV Eindhoven.

It follows a total of 33 goals and assists which helped PSV win back-to-back Eredivisie titles and he has signed a five-year contract at the BayArena.

Realistically, Leverkusen, do not have the squad to push Bayern all the way as Ten Hag is inheriting a weaker group than the one from last season.

They could capitalise early on though and, if so, who knows what will happen.

For example, Bayern will not have had a proper pre-season after competing in the World Club Championship in America, where they reached the quarter-finals.

Furthermore, their star playmaker Jamal Musiala is out for an extended period with a fibula fracture.

The returns of defenders Alphonso Davies and Hiroki Ito following respective knee and foot surgeries is a big boost for Vincent Kompany’s men but, if Ten Hag can guide his new charges to a superb start, Bayern may have to play catch-up.

Leverkusen head to Brazil this week for a training camp and have friendlies arranged against Flamengo under 20s, Bochum, Fortuna Sittard, Pisa and Chelsea.

Results matter not a jot in pre-season but, do well in those, and the boost they could have going into the competitive action could provide early season momentum.

As for the standard of the German top flight generally, if reports are correct, the league has received a boost in recent days with the news that a total of €1.346 billion per season has been allocated as part of the upcoming domestic TV rights cycle.

This cycle, which will begin from next season and will last until the end of the 2028/29 campaign, will be divided amongst the Bundesliga sides based on several criteria.

Fifty per cent of the money will be split equally, meaning each of the sides will receive €25.5 million, then 43% will be divided based on sporting performance over the past five to 10 years.

The remaining four per cent is based on the use of young players, and the final three per cent based on the interest in the clubs.

While extremely attractive, it still should be put in perspective when you consider the Premier League will earn the equivalent of €7.76 billion per season.

Germany’s strongest will continue to shine, of course, but this perhaps best illustrates why, Bayern aside, even the second and third best teams may struggle to keep hold of their top talent and compete on the European stage.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 15-Jul-2025 at 3:38 PM

Bundesliga: The Stars Who Can Guide Hamburg and Koln to Safety

Koln and Hamburg SV are back in the Bundesliga after securing the Top 2 spots in the second division last season, with the former registering 61 points and the latter recording 59 points. Elversberg narrowly missed out with 58 points.

As is always the case for the newly promoted sides, the Bundesliga 2025 odds don’t expect too much from Die Rothosen and the Billy Goats this upcoming season. We won’t be surprised if they return to the second division after 2025-26.

However, Lukas Kwasniok and Merlin Polzin’s groups have a wealth of intriguing talent at their disposal, and they will be the key to their fortunes. Today, let’s meet the players to watch out for from these promoted clubs, here at SBOTOP.

Yussuf Poulsen, Hamburg SV

Yussuf Poulsen is already a household name in the Bundesliga. After spending 12 years with RB Leipzig, the Danish international will take on a different challenge by joining forces with Hamburg SV.

The 31-year-old striker comes into the new season with a chip on his shoulder after he lost his place with Die Roten Bullen over the past few months in favour of Lois Openda and Benjamin Sesko. Poulsen, who holds the club record of 425 appearances across all competitions while scoring 95 goals, has only made 22 appearances last term, mainly as a substitute.

Here at Hamburg SV, Poulsen can re-establish himself as a starting-calibre Bundesliga striker as long as he stays healthy throughout the year. He could make his competitive debut for Die Rothosen in their DFB-Pokal first-round match against Pirmasens on August 16.

Nicolas Capaldo, Hamburg SV

Hamburg SV also recruited Nicolas Capaldo to bolster their midfield. The 26-year-old Argentina international last played for RB Salzburg for almost five years, tallying 15 goals and 10 assists in 126 competitive appearances, winning two Austrian Bundesliga titles and the Austrian Cup. He also played 22 Champions League matches, featuring in the 2021-22 Round of 16 defeat to Bayern Munich.

Capaldo has been likened to Bayern Munich’s Leon Goretzka because of his all-around ability and high motor. Besides operating in the middle of the park, he can also play as a full-back when needed.

Jean-Luc Dompe, Hamburg SV

With Davie Selke leaving Hamburg SV to join Istanbul Basaksehir, Die Rothosen will need more from Jean-Luc Dompe, who was his right-hand man in the final third last term. Dompe was the team’s iron man, having played an astounding 2,404 minutes across all competitions, registering nine league goals and 12 assists.

This is Dompe’s first foray in the Bundesliga, so he will look to make it count. The 29-year-old forward’s top traits are his passing and ball handling, as he fired the second-most crosses in the second division last season (125). Dompe should be a regular in the Bundesliga 2025 highlights reel.

Ragnar Ache, Koln

Ragnar Ache will be the key to Koln’s fortunes because of his uncanny ability to find the back of the net. The 26-year-old striker, who joined the Billy Goats from Kaiserslautern last year, scored 18 league goals, putting him joint-third in the Golden Boot race alongside Elversberg’s Fisnik Asllani. Ache is never gun-shy, as he fired the most shots in the second division with 106, with five of them hitting the woodwork.

Ache should prove to be a handful for opposing centre-backs next season because of his physicality. Standing at 6’0″, he can more than hold his own in the air, which is evidenced by winning 131 aerial duels last term. He should’ve won Bundesliga 2 Player of the Year if it weren’t for Davie Selke.

Linton Maina, Koln

Ragnar Ache wouldn’t score 18 league goals last season if it weren’t for the services of Linton Maina, Koln’s top playmaker. The 26-year-old attacking midfielder only had three league goals, but he had 11 assists, which was the joint-third most of any player in the second division. 

At 5’8″, Maina has a low centre of gravity, and he’s a superb ball-carrier. He’s arguably the fastest player the Billy Goats have, as he recorded the 11th fastest sprint in the second tier last season at 35.87 kph.

Eric Martel, Koln

Eric Martel is probably Koln’s unsung hero last season. The 23-year-old was always available for the Billy Goats, logging over 3,000 minutes in 2024-25 as their lynchpin in the middle of the park. 

Martel covered a team-high 352.3 kilometres and recorded the second-most duels (420) and seventh-most in the air (120) in the second division last term. The former Leipzig academy graduate is also tidy in possession, having completed 91.26-per cent of his passes.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 18-Jul-2025 at 4:50 PM

Bundesliga: Bayern’s Search for a Forward Intensifies

2025 Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are the side to beat again this year, but the club’s recruitment team still has work to do before the new campaign opens when the Bavarians take on Red Bull Leipzig in the season curtain-raiser on 22^nd August.

Even before that league clash Vincent Kompany’s team is in action, facing VfB Stuttgart in the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup a week earlier, and that’s a game he will be targeting with, hopefully, a fully fit and firing squad. Bayern’s recent Club World Cup clash with Paris Saint-Germain had disastrous consequences for Kompany, not only in terms of the disappointing loss to the French but he lost one of his key men injured, and winger Jamal Musiala will be out for some time.

The 22-year-old was substituted at half time in the loss to Paris and, on his return to Germany, analysis revealed the extent of his horror injury as he has suffered a fractured fibula associated with a broken and dislocated ankle, and Musiala will be out for a lengthy period. So Bundesliga 2025 news reports emanating from Munich have suggested that sporting director Christoph Freund is on the hunt for a versatile forward and he is an admirer of Union Saint-Gilloise star Franjo Ivanovic. Like Musiala, the young Croatian can play out wide or through the middle and is valued at around 25m Euros. If Bayern are seriously interested they will have to move quickly as Bundesliga rivals Eintracht Frankfurt are also circling.

Diaz purchase is looking more difficult

Attention may be turning towards Ivanovic as Bayern’s long term pursuit of Liverpool winger Luis Diaz seems to be going nowhere fast. The Reds have been playing hardball with suitors for their star as he remains a part of Arne Slot’s plans after the Colombian ace scored 17 goals in all competitions last season. Liverpool have already signed Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in a mega money deal worth well over £100m and they would most likely listen to offers for Diaz if the figures reached something near £90m.

And that brings another problem for Bayern, as well as Barcelona who were also tracking the player, as Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr have been alerted and the Saudis would be able to meet the asking price comfortably, if they find some spare change down the back of the sofa! Al Nassr’s best paid player, the evergreen Cristiano Ronaldo has urged the club to sign Diaz and I have no doubt the money men will listen to the Portuguese legend.

Whether or not they can persuade Diaz to come to Saudi is another question altogether; but sometimes money talks the loudest.

The SBOTOP Bundesliga 2025 betting odds still back a Bavarian title win but they need to strengthen, because Leverkusen, Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund will be ready to pounce on any weakness.

Stuttgart keen to keep hold of Woltemade

Bayern Munich are casting their net pretty widely and have shown a keen interest in VfB Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade. The 23-year old, another attacking midfielder come striker, transferred from Werder Bremen to Stuttgart last summer and he has been hugely impressive, scoring 12 league goals and five in the cup, including one in the DFB Pokal Cup final which VfB won against Arminia Bielefeld.

Woltemade has picked up two full German caps as well as starring for the national team at U21 level, and Die Schwaben are very keen to keep hold of their man. VfB CEO Alexander Wehrle has ruled out any move, saying: “We’re not in negotiations with Bayern. I made my position very clear five weeks ago and nothing has changed. Nick Woltemade will be playing football with us next year.”

But with six weeks of the transfer window still to go these will be nervous times for Stuttgart fans.

Still no plans for top flight expansion

Amidst speculation that the Bundesliga was considering expanding from 18 to 20 teams, German Football League managing director Steffen Merkel dampened down the idea on Thursday morning during a press conference. The Bundesliga is out of step with the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A, which all have 20 clubs, and the increased fixture count brings in bigger revenues for these leagues.

But the flip side is that the already packed football calendar would be even busier for clubs and the Bundesliga currently has an advantage over the English, Spanish and Italian leagues in that respect. And Ligue 1 in France recently downsized from 20 to 18, with Paris Saint-Germain benefiting from the schedule to win the Champions League.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 22-Jul-2025 at 3:32 PM

Bundesliga: How Are Some of Bayern’s Rivals Doing This Summer?

Bayern Munich are the heavy favourites to win the Bundesliga again next season since they have the strongest roster on paper, and they plan to bolster their depth, particularly in the final third. With that said, it’s up to the others if they can keep up and possibly tilt the Bundesliga 2025 odds slightly in their favour.

Eintracht Frankfurt have been busy in the summer transfer window, as they recently sold one of their star players. Die Adler have this uncanny ability to cash in on their players at the right time to increase their funds. On the other hand, Borussia Mönchengladbach just announced an important update regarding two of their key players.

Bayer Leverkusen already started their preseason under Erik ten Hag, and the former Manchester United manager received significant criticism for his squad’s poor start. 

Here are the latest regarding some of Bayern Munich’s rivals in today’s SBOTOP Bundesliga 2025 news roundup.

Eintracht Frankfurt cash in on another striker

Eintracht Frankfurt did it again, as they sold another top striker for a large profit. After selling Omar Marmoush to Manchester City last January, Die Adler sold Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool this summer for £79 million – £69 million plus £10 million in add-ons.

Ekitike is mainly responsible for Eintracht Frankfurt’s third-place finish in the 2024-25 Bundesliga campaign. When Marmoush left the team last winter, the Frenchman shouldered the scoring load, notching 22 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances across all competitions. He is Liverpool’s seventh notable summer signing, after Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi, and Freddie Woodman. The 23-year-old is expected to join Arne Slot’s squad this week during their preseason tour in Hong Kong and Japan. Liverpool finally found their No. 9 after they struck out on Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak.

Before letting go of Ekitike, Eintracht Frankfurt poached Jonathan Burkardt from Mainz for €21 million, signed Noah Fenyo and Fousseny Doumbia for free, and signed Rasmus Kristensen permanently from Leeds United for €9 million. Burkardt was fourth in the Bundesliga Golden Boot race last season with 18 goals, so he’s expected to pick up where Ekitike left off and provide internal competition for Elye Wahi.

Borussia Monchengladbach are a striker short

Borussia Monchengladbach could use one of Eintracht Frankfurt’s strikers because they are currently short on that side of the pitch. After selling Marcus Thuram to Inter Milan in 2023, the Foals went with Tomas Cvancara and Alassane Plea, and the two forwards will not be at Borussia-Park this upcoming season. Cvancara is joining Antalyaspor on loan to play in the Turkish Super Lig. On the other hand, Borussia Monchengladbach sold Plea to PSV Eindhoven for €4 million.

Head coach Gerardo Seoane reportedly wants Cvancara to improve his game in Turkey to attract more attention in the transfer market in the next transfer windows. The Czech Republic international is tied to Borussia Monchengladbach until 2028. On the other hand, Plea leaves Borussia-Park as one of the Foals’ icons after registering 68 goals and 53 assists in 236 appearances.

These are big losses for Borussia Monchengladbach, who finished 10th last term with 45 points and a goal difference of -2. However, this should open new opportunities for the likes of Robin Hack, Franck Honorat, Shio Fukuda, Haris Tabakovic, and Florian Neuhaus to take over in the final third. The Foals loaned Haris Tabakovic on loan from Hoffenheim, where he only had three goals and one assist in 22 league appearances last season.

Bayer Leverkusen suffer embarrassing preseason defeat

Bayer Leverkusen’s preseason tour is off to a nightmare start, losing 5-1 to Flamengo’s U-20 team last Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Despite the heavy defeat, Erik ten Hag is not remotely bothered by the result.

“The result looks bad, but I don’t really give a s**t about preseason results. We must never lose, not by that margin too. But it was important to me that I didn’t lose any players. It would have been better to play the game later,” ten Hag said.

“At Leverkusen, we also have high expectations when the players are young. But we mustn’t judge them too harshly,” he added.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 30-Jul-2025 at 3:53 PM

Bundesliga: Is Ekitike Liverpool’s Next Megastar?

Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike could be on his way out of the Bundesliga before long, with Arne Slot’s Liverpool looking ready to strike their next big deal. 

The 2025 Premier League champions are certainly reloading in their quest to retain their title, already spending big, and they could be about to shell out another £78m (including add-ons) to bring the 23-year-old Frenchman to Anfield. After a superb second half of last season, he’s a man in demand and Ekitike is reported in the German press to be keen on a move to Merseyside. He was once considered to be one of France’s brightest prospects and, after an indifferent spell at Paris Saint-Germain Ekitike certainly fulfilled his promise in Frankfurt last season, scoring 15 goals in 33 league appearances and 22 from 48 across all competitions.

The Reds have already signed Germany star Florian Wirtz in the big Bundesliga 2025 news at the start of the window, and now it looks more than likely they will plunder the German top flight again for the man who was born and raised in Reims, France, but has made his name across the border.

Ekitike signed on loan for PSG in 2022 and won a Ligue 1 title medal as well as representing the Parisians in the 2022/23 Champions League; but after making his move to the Parc des Princes permanent he only made one more appearance with chances severely restricted in a well stocked club. So he moved to Eintracht and, when the Eagles’ star striker Omar Marmoush moved to Manchester City last January it opened a door for Ekitike to show what he can do. And he took full advantage with his all action displays and 15 goals winning him a place in the 2024/15 Bundesliga Team of the Season.

Eintracht finished third last term and the SBOTOP Bundesliga 2025 betting odds say they will do well to match that position this time around, and a player with Ekitike’s skills at this stage of his career will find it hard to turn down an offer from such a big club as Liverpool. He’s a powerful right footed striker who can lead the line or play in a pair, with electric pace and acceleration, as well as clever dribbling skills. At 6ft 3in Ekitike is a handful in the air and can also play as a target man with a smaller player running off him, much as Marmoush did before his move, and he has the knack of drifting off the shoulder of the last defender to give himself one-on-one scoring opportunities, which he invariably converts.

With Darwin Nunez struggling to reach the heights Liverpool hoped for, the Reds are in the market for a big striker and Ekitike has become their number one target after they have been told that Newcastle United centre forward Alexander Isak is not for sale. The Magpies have also made an approach for Ekitike but the France U21 star prefers Liverpool as an option.

So, with the departure of England forward Callum Wilson, Eddie Howe’s struggles in the transfer market go on while Slot seems to be able to attract the type of player he thinks can help him to move the Reds forward. Manchester United have been in the market for a striker too, and have also made enquiries, but while the Red Devils are getting closer to signing Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo, it seems Ekitike is well out of their reach.

But Liverpool are so near to completing their capture of the player, who was an unused substitute during his side’s friendly with FSV Frankfurt on Saturday and the Bundesliga club said afterwards his potential departure is ‘a bitter loss’. Ekitike has already agreed personal terms with the Merseyside club and the negotiators are getting down to the finer details. They might have to stretch to £82m to get the deal over the line and I don’t think that would scupper the move.

Liverpool have already splashed out an eye-watering £200m to bring Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez to the club and, with Colombian star Luis Diaz potentially on his way to Barcelona or Bayern Munich, as well as the continuing uncertainty around Nunez, I strongly suspect Ekitike will be in the building before the month end.

Whether he’ll be an immediate success at Anfield remains to be seen, but his career trajectory is certainly going in the right direction; and with the likes of Mo Salah and Cody Gakpo in the Liverpool attacking unit, Ekitike could turn out to be another perfect piece in Slot’s jigsaw.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 30-Jul-2025 at 3:55 PM

Bundesliga: Diaz’s Bayern Munich Transfer is Being Finalized

After weeks of speculation, Bayern Munich finally found their forward reinforcement, as they recently finalized the addition of Luis Diaz from Liverpool. The Colombian winger is their third notable addition this summer, and Diaz will certainly play a pivotal role in Die Bayern’s Bundesliga title defence next term.

Given his Premier League credentials, Diaz is expected to do great things at the Allianz Arena, similar to how Michael Olise fared in his first full season with the Bavarian giants. Diaz’s addition is a classic case of the rich getting richer.

Speaking of searching for attacking reinforcements, Borussia Dortmund plan to do the same this summer to improve their Bundesliga 2025 odds of contending for the Meisterschale next season. Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen are in danger of losing another key player following the recent departure of Granit Xhaka.

Learn more about the latest Bundesliga 2025 updates here at SBOTOP. 

Bayern Munich confirm Diaz’s arrival

Bayern Munich needed some attacking reinforcements this summer following the departures of Leroy Sane and Thomas Muller, so they went and signed Luis Diaz. According to reports, Bayern have agreed to pay a fixed fee of €70 million, plus €5 million in add-ons for the former Liverpool man, who’s expected to play on the wings alongside Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, and Harry Kane.

Diaz joined Liverpool in January 2022, and he still had two years left on his contract. The Colombian winger has scored 41 goals in 148 appearances, including 13 as the Reds won the Premier League last season. He was put on the chopping block (alongside Darwin Nunez) when he said he wanted to leave. Selling Diaz was the right move for Liverpool because his proceeds can help fund their pursuit of Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak.

Before confirming the addition of Diaz, Bayern Munich were after Nick Woltemade, but their negotiations with VfB Stuttgart bogged down. Die Bayern also signed Jonathan Tah on a free transfer and Tom Bischof from Hoffenheim, and they plan to offer Sven Ulreich a new one-year extension to continue being Manuel Neuer’s backup goalkeeper.

Meanwhile, former Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller recently agreed to join Major League side Vancouver Whitecaps, and youngster Adam Aznou has joined Everton.

Borussia Dortmund continue to seek attacking reinforcements

Since acquiring Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland, Borussia Dortmund have yet to name their second signing this summer. BVB also sold Jamie Gittens to Chelsea for a transfer fee worth around £48.5 million plus the potential for a further £3.5 million in add-ons, and now they’re looking at Carney Chukwuemeka as his potential replacement.

After a decent loan stint last season, Borussia Dortmund are keen to sign Chukwuemeka, who scored one goal in 17 appearances, on a permanent transfer from Chelsea. However, the Yellow Wall didn’t activate Chukwuemeka’s €35 million option to buy and haggled for a lower price with Chelsea. After talks had bogged down, Chelsea reportedly reduced their asking price for the 21-year-old winger to around €25 million. However, Juventus could join the race and engage in a bidding war with Borussia Dortmund.

In other news, Borussia Dortmund are reportedly monitoring Leandro Trossard and Jadon Sancho. Trossard is under contract with Arsenal until 2027. But his lack of opportunities in North London is a growing concern following the Gunners’ addition of Noni Madueke and the extension of Ethan Nwaneri.

As for Sancho, BVB could be interested in another reunion after a successful six-month loan stint last year, and they will likely have to pay around €20 million to Manchester United to make his return to Signal Iduna Park permanent.

Bayer Leverkusen might lose more players

Bayer Leverkusen have been on a serious rebuild this summer under manager Erik ten Hag. While they sold Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Odilon Kossounou, Die Werkself managed to acquire Jarell Quansah, Malik Tillman, and Mark Flekken, among others. However, Bayer Leverkusen may not be done yet this summer, as they’re in danger of losing one more key player.

Granit Xhaka, an influential presence in their midfield, is finalizing his deal to join Sunderland, and Amine Adli could follow suit. According to reports, Bayer Leverkusen agreed to sell Xhaka to Sunderland for €20 million, and they’re okay with letting go of Adli, whose priority is to come to England. 

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 30-Jul-2025 at 3:56 PM

Bundesliga: Watch Out for These Young Guns in 2025

With the Bundesliga kick-off just four days away, fans the length and breadth of Germany await the start with growing expectation and champions Bayern Munich will raise the curtain when they host Red Bull Leipzig on Friday. 

The SBOTOP Bundesliga 2025 betting odds back a Bavarian triumph and Vincent Kompany’s men have already won the Franz Beckenbauer Super Cup with a 2-1 victory over VfB Stuttgart last weekend. And the Munich giants have been busy in the market as they try to keep the chasing back at arm’s length.

I’m hoping for, and expecting, a competitive race and to see some superb young talents break through to make the headlines. So let’s take a look at the top nine clubs from the 2024/25 campaign and shine the spotlight on a young star who can get the fans off their seats. 

Tom Bischof: Bayern Munich

The arrival of Colombian winger Luis Diaz from Liverpool dominated the Bundesliga 2025 news agenda in Bavaria but there was another arrival which could really set the pulses racing in the stands. 20 year old midfielder Bischof arrived from TSG Hoffenheim after an agreement made between the two clubs in January and he made his debut for Bayern at the Club World Cup. The 20 year old is technically superb and, while he can play in a deep lying role he has the energy to operate as a box to box midfielder or on the right flank; and he has a spectacular goal in him.

Jeanuel Belocian: Bayer Leverkusen

After a second placed finish last term Die Werkself are one of the teams most likely to upset the Bavarians and while Leverksuen will play an expansive and attacking style of football, one of their most exciting prospects is 20 year old centre back Belocian. The France U21 star signed for Bayer on a five year deal in 2024 and he made five appearances during the 2024/25 campaign. A cultured player who is strong in the tackle Belocian can operate in front of the back four too, to give manager Erik ten Hag more options.

Jean- Matteo Bahoya: Eintracht Frankfurt 

The Eagles finished third last season, despite the loss of Omar Marmoush to Manchester City in the January transfer window. Bahoya was one of the stars who made an increasing impact as the campaign wore on and he provided plenty of ammunition for Hugo Ekitike, now a Liverpool player as Frankfurt kept up the pace at the top end of the table. The left winger finished with three goals and four assists and he is sure to play a bigger role in the coming campaign.

Jobe Bellingham: Borussia Dortmund

Following in the footsteps of his big brother Jude, BVB’s new signing, at the age of 19, could turn out to be another masterstroke. Bellingham was instrumental in Sunderland’s surprise promotion to the Premier League last term and that earned him a big money move to Dortmund. Like his kid brother the 19 year old Jobe has superb control and the ability to make driving runs deep into opposition territory.

Derry Scherhant: SC Freiburg

Freiburg’s 22 year old striker Scherant is a product of the Hertha Berlin academy, where he scored 16 goals in 34 games in the club’s B Team as an 18 year old. He signed his senior professional contract in 2023, a four year deal, but Freiburg activated his release clause and he was unveiled in May 2025. At 6ft 1in the Germany U21 star has power and pace and he will strengthen Freiburg’s hand in their domestic campaign and in Europe.

Nelson Weiper: Mainz

Another big young striker who is a good bet for a breakthrough season is FSV Mainz star Weiper, a 20 year old who stands at 6ft 3in. He scored his first senior goal in a 4-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach in 2023 and has since scored five goals in 37 games for Mainz and four in 11 for Germany U21s. A superb target man, if Weiper can step up this term, he could become the natural successor to the legendary Thomas Muller for Germany.

El Chadaille Bitshiabu: Red Bull Leipzig

Die Roten Bullen have a good chance to challenge at the top this term as they are the only one of the big four (including Bayern, BVB and Bayer) who don’t have European football this season. Leipzig has always been a fertile ground for young players and 20 year old centre back Bitshiabu has huge potential. Since transferring from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023 he has shown signs that he can go all the way, with strength, pace and great distribution skills.

Samuel-Germain Kinduelu: Werder Bremen

21 year old winger Kinduelu is Bremen’s second most expensive recruit in history, signing from Juventus for a fee of 10m Euros plus add-ons. He scored on his Bianconeri debut on the first day of the 2024/25 campaign, in a 3-0 win over Como, and he has also starred in the Champions League, scoring a goal against PSV Eindhoven. Kinduelu could turn out to be the signing of the summer.

Finn Jeltsch: VfB Stuttgart

Stuttgart had a disappointing campaign last term but they secured European football by winning the DFB Pokal Cup. 18-year-old Jeltsch transferred from FC Nurnberg in January and became a starter pretty much straight away, clocking up 12 appearances in the run-in. A calm and dominant centre back, with maturity beyond his years, Jeltsch is one of the Bundesliga’s brightest talents.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 20-Aug-2025 at 1:09 PM

Bundesliga: Red Bull Test for the Champions

Bayern Munich vs RB Leipzig

Bayern Munich open their Bundesliga title defence on Friday night with a mouthwatering clash against one of their closest rivals, as RB Leipzig rock up at the Allianz Arena.

Vincent Kompany led the Bavarians to the 2024-25 title in his first season at the helm, though Bayern’s performance in Europe and the DFB-Pokal were less than impressive. RB Leipzig, meanwhile, missed out on European qualification for the first time since they reached the top-flight in 2016, and new head coach Ole Werner is the man tasked with bringing some success back to the club.

Both teams come into the match on the back of a win. Bayern beat 2025 cup winners VfB Stuttgart to win the DFL Supercup, while RB Leipzig won their 2025-26 DFB Pokal tie away to Sandhausen.

This promises to be a superb contest to open the new Bundesliga season, and there will be plenty of new faces on show. So, let’s take a closer look at the two teams and then make a call.

Talking Points

Diaz is at home in Munich

It hasn’t been the easiest of transfer windows for Kompany, as he missed out on the chance to sign Florian Wirtz, who went to Liverpool. But things have started to come together in recent weeks.

Colombian winger Luis Diaz dominated the Bundesliga 2025 news when he made a £65 million move from Liverpool to Munich. He follows on from Harry Kane and Michael Olise as big names to move from the Premier League, and at first sight, it looks like he may well become as successful as the first two.

He scored the crucial second goal in the 2-1 win over Stuttgart, finding space to head home a cross from Serge Gnabry. The 28-year-old scored 29 goals in 103 games for Liverpool, and the way he ghosted in to score in the Supercup was an indication of how dangerous he can be. His main assets are his pace and trickery, and he can shoot with both feet, as well as using his head, of course, and Diaz already looks at home in Bavaria.

Another exciting signing was the recruitment of 20-year-old midfielder Tom Bischof from Hoffenheim. Already a full Germany international, we featured Bischof in our SBOTOP report on the young guns ready to light up the top-flight this year. And, able to play either through the middle or out wide, the former TSG man gives Kompany plenty of options.

Red Bull’s summer spree

It has been a busy summer in the transfer market in Leipzig with the big news last week that striker Benjamin Sesko has joined Manchester United for a whopping €76.5 million. The club has raised another €10 million from the sale of squad players, including the experienced strike pair of Yussuf Poulsen and Andre Silva. Meanwhile, Ole Werner has overseen an inflow of players at a cost of over €110 million with an emphasis on the team’s creative unit.

Romulo Cardoso has arrived from Goztepe for €20 million, with left and right wingers Yan Diomande and Johan Bakayoko joining for a combined fee of €38 million . Attacking midfielder Andrija Maksimovic has transferred from Red Star Belgrade for €14 million, while Werner has also picked up a defencive midfielder, the highly-rated Belgian international Arthur Vermeeren in a €20 million move from Atletico Madrid.

With the likes of Lois Openda and Xavi Simons still at the club, though the transfer window is still wide open, and midfield ace Christoph Baumgartner in the ranks, this is a talented squad. After a seventh-place finish last term, the Bundesliga 2025 betting odds back Red Bull to finish in the top four this season, and Werner’s team will give the defending champions a stiff examination on Friday night.

History

In terms of head-to-head meetings, over the past three campaigns, the honours have been shared with two wins for each club and two draws.

Last season, the two teams played out a 3-3 draw in Leipzig in the title run-in, but over in Munich, Bayern delivered a 5-1 thumping to Red Bull in December.

Betting Tip

In a two-horse race, the Bavarians are red-hot favourites at odds of 1.19 to win this opener, with the draw at 6.48 and an RB Leipzig way out at 9.77.

Yes, Bayern have the resources and the history, and a brilliant new signing in Diaz. But RB Leipzig have a point to prove after a disappointing campaign, and I believe they will be a potential threat this season starting on Friday.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 20-Aug-2025 at 1:15 PM

Bundesliga: Hoffenheim Provide Early Test to ten Hag’s Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen vs TSG Hoffenheim

Erik ten Hag was once an assistant under Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich. 10 years later, and the Dutchman is back in the Bundesliga under different circumstances, as he is now the head coach of Bayer Leverkusen, replacing the departed Xabi Alonso.

This Saturday, he’ll have his first home game with Die Werkself, as they will host Hoffenheim at the BayArena. They come into this game with high confidence following a 4-0 win in their first DFB-Pokal tie against Sonnenhof Großaspach last week.

Hoffenheim also come into this game in good spirits following a 4-0 win over Hansa in the first round of the DFB-Pokal last Saturday. Die Kraichgauer hope to improve on their 15th-place finish last season, which almost dropped them down to the second division.

Which between Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim will draw first blood this weekend? Here is the match preview, courtesy of SBOTOP. 

Talking Points

Schick remains slick for Bayer Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen have had a busy summer transfer window. They sold Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Odilon Kossounou, Granit Xhaka, and Lukas Hradecky, among others. In return, they acquired Malik Tillman, Mark Flekken, Jarell Quansah, Ernest Poku, Ibrahim Maza, and Christian Kofane, among others. The club is also reportedly interested in acquiring either Loic Bade or Victor Lindelof to strengthen their backline.

Recently, Die Werkself also handed Patrik Schick a five-year contract extension after a solid 2024-25 campaign, where he finished second in the Golden Boot race with 21 league goals. Since arriving from AS Roma in 2020, Schick has recorded 82 goals in 169 competitive appearances for Die Werkself.

Schick is expected to spearhead Bayer Leverkusen’s attack this season, with Victor Boniface as his backup and Nathan Tella and Malik Tillman behind him. The 29-year-old has a penchant for finding the back of the net against Hoffenheim, as Schick has scored six goals in his last six matches against them.

Asllani poised for a breakout season with Hoffenheim

Hoffenheim also had a busy transfer window this summer. And just like Bayer Leverkusen, they sold several players to fund their rebuild. Some of their key departures include Tom Bischof and Anton Stach. On the other hand, they recently added Vladimir Coufal on a free transfer to add experience to their backline.

If Die Kraichgauer are going to make noise this season, it’ll likely be on the back of a breakout year from Fisnik Asllani, who will stay with the club this season. The 23-year-old forward spent the 2024-25 campaign on loan with SV Elversberg, almost dragging the team into the Bundesliga with his 18 league goals and eight assists. No player contributed to more goals in Bundesliga 2 across the whole campaign than Asllani.

As shown against Hansa in the DFB-Pokal first round, he will likely link up with Andrej Kramaric and Tim Lemperle in the final third in Christian Ilzer’s 3-4-2-1 formation. Speaking of Kramaric, he has 126 goals for Hoffenheim, which is the most of any active player in the German top-flight.

History

Bayer Leverkusen have won their last five encounters with Hoffenheim, including a league double last season via an aggregate tally of 7-2. Die Kraichgauer’s last victory in this fixture came in the 2022-23 campaign when they won 3-0 against Die Werkself at the BayArena. Christoph Baumgartner, Andrej Kramaric, and Georginio Rutter found the back of the net for Hoffenheim.

Last season, Bayer Leverkusen finished second behind Bayern Munich with 69 points, while Hoffenheim were 15th with 32 points.

Before taking the Bayer Leverkusen job, Erik ten Hag coached Manchester United for two full seasons, winning the EFL and FA Cup. He took several months off after he was sacked last October. Meanwhile, Christian Ilzer had been with Hoffenheim since November, replacing Pellegrino Matarazzo.

Betting Tip

The Bundesliga 2025 odds expect Erik ten Hag to ace his first Bundesliga test this Saturday. Bayer Leverkusen are 1.46 favourites to win, whereas Hoffenheim are 5.20 underdogs, and a draw is at 4.37 in the 1X2 market.

Both teams are expected to create new Bundesliga 2025 highlights at the BayArena, with the hosts likely to score more goals. Besides our recommended bet, bettors can also add Over 3.00 at 1.75, Over 3.25 at 1.97, Over 3.50 at 2.16, and Total Goal 4-6 at 2.43 to their parlay, with Total Goal 2-3 at 2.22 being the more conservative option. Moreover, a Correct Score of 3-1 in favour of Die Werkself – the result of their last league encounter – could yield a handsome payday of 10.50 your bet.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 20-Aug-2025 at 4:34 PM

Bundesliga: Eagles are Set to Soar Again

Eintracht Frankfurt vs Werder Bremen

The Bundesliga kicks off this weekend when reigning champions Bayern Munich host Red Bull Leipzig and there are plenty of other clashes to look forward to, with one of our SBOTOP picks, Bundesliga: Frankfurt vs Werder Bremen catching the eye.

Dino Toppmoller’s Eintracht finished third in the 2024/25 Bundesliga table while Werder Bremen impressed to end up in eighth, just a single point behind the European places. Both teams have seen big characters leave over the summer, the Eagles have said goodbye to another big name striker while the Werderaner have seen a change in the dugout. Following the departure of Ole Werner to Leipzig, Bremen appointed Horst Steffen and the former Elversberg boss has his work cut out to keep the club’s momentum going. 

The Frankfurt vs Werder Bremen betting odds point to a home win and I’m not going to disagree with that. Last weekend Eintracht came through their DFB Pokal first round tie against Engers with a 5-0 win while their visitors surrendered their tie, losing 1-0 to Arminia Bielefeld.

Talking Points

Burkardt is the Eagles’ next goal getter

Following the departure of Omar Marmoush to Manchester City in January, the  loss of Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool was another big money move which has boosted the Eagles’ coffers but not helped out on the grass. But Toppmoller has moved quickly to find another top striker, picking up 24-year-old Germany star Jonathan Burkardt in a 23m Euros switch from FSV Mainz. 42 goals in 139 appearances is a good return, particularly when you consider Burkardt had knee surgery in 2023. He was keen to join Frankfurt and the Eagles were delighted to bring him in after his performances last season earned him recognition from Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann. 

Burkardt is one of two big attacking signings for Eintracht this summer who have also brought in winger Ritsu Doan from SC Freiburg, and the Japan star scored a brace as the Eagles thrashed Engers in the cup tie last week. He bagged a goal in each half and is set to strike up a dangerous partnership with Burkardt.

In other Frankfurt vs Werder Bremen news, the Eagles’ skipper and keeper Kevin Trapp has moved to Paris FC and it looks like the 35-year-old is set to be replaced by Michael Zetterer who has transferred from Werder Bremen. Toppmoller has named centre back Robin Koch as the club’s new captain; the 29-year-old defender is a natural choice to take the armband having deputised for Trapp last season.

Can Steffen match Werner’s performance? 

While former Bremen boss Ole Werner has a baptism of fire, when his new team Red Bull Leipzig, takes on Bayern; he’s left plenty of work for his successor to do, though Steffen arrives on the back of some impressive seasons with SV Eversberg. He led the club to back-to-back promotions to 3 Liga in 2022 and 2 Bundesliga in 2023. Elversberg finished 11^th in its first campaign in the second tier and followed that up with a play-off spot last season, only to miss out on promotion to the top tier after losing the winner-takes-all clash to FC Heidenheim. 

Steffen’s first task is to find a replacement for keeper Zetterer and, while the club has high hopes for 21-year-old Mio Backhaus, this season may be a year too early for the Germany U21 star. Reports in London suggest Werder Bremen are at the front of the queue to sign 23-year-old keeper Karl Hein. The Estonia number one was on loan at Real Valladolid last season and Spanish side Levante have been tracking the player.

Watch out for new signing Samuel Mbangula who has arrived from Juventus in a 10m Euros deal, Bremen’s second-highest fee paid in history. The 23-year-old winger played 23 games for I Bianconeri last season and is extremely rapid.

History

Over the previous 35 meetings Frankfurt have won 15 to Werder Bremen’s ten, and there have been ten draws with the Eagles scoring 55 to Bremen’s 52. 

Last season both teams won their home fixture, Bremen winning 2-0 in April after Eintracht triumphed 1-0 in Frankfurt thanks to a goal from Mario Gotze on the cusp of halftime.

Both teams won their last game of the 2024/25 campaign, Frankfurt beating SC Freiburg in the top four shootout, while Werder Bremen hammered FC Heidenheim 1846 4-1.

Betting Tip

Werder Bremen can be backed at 3.33 with the draw at 4.10; and while this is a team which performed superbly last term, there has been some upheaval at the club and they were unimpressive in the DFB Pokal last week.

In contrast, Eintracht were superb in their cup opener, and I expect them to thrive again in the league on Saturday, in front of a passionate home crowd.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 22-Aug-2025 at 1:36 PM

Bundesliga: Bayern’s Premier Quality is So Good!

If Vincent Kompany could have orchestrated the ideal opening Bundesliga weekend for his Bayern Munich; then this would be damn near it!

The 2024/25 champions totally dismantled one of their direct rivals for the title, in the season curtain-raiser on Friday night. Then, with a 6-0 win over Red Bull Leipzig in their pockets, the other Bundesliga 2025 results pretty much went to plan. The 2024 champions Bayer Leverkusen lost at home and Borussia Dortmund surrendered a two goal lead. 

Over the past three summers, the Bavarians have cherry picked some exciting and proven talent from the Premier League. In 2023, Harry Kane signed for the German giants and, while his new club failed in 2023/24, the former Spurs man won his first Bundesliga title last season when he lined up alongside Michael Olise who had flown in from Crystal Palace. Olise went from strength to strength last term and now he and Kane are linking up with the 2025 arrival, Colombian winger Luis Diaz, who signed from England champions Liverpool.

And all three were on the mark as Bayern thrashed Red Bull in the most brutal fashion, Kane with three, Olise with two and Diaz with one.

It was former Eagle Olise who dominated the first half with a double, either side of Diaz’ debut goal and with the hosts coasting into half time with a winning lead, Kane was determined not to be out-done, and the 32 year old goal machine scored a second half hat-trick: “After we went into half time 3-0 up I said to myself, ‘I have to get on the score sheet’”, said the England captain. And he certainly delivered, collecting his seventh Bundesliga hat-trick before he was subbed off to a standing ovation.

So Ole Werner’s reign as Red Bull Leipzig manager started with a chastening reality check and now he needs to pick his team up before they return home to take on FC Heidenheim next week. Meanwhile, the Bundesliga 2025 betting odds doubled down on the Bavarians after this outstanding start and the strife suffered by their main rivals.

Ten Hag’s losing start in Leverkusen

Our SBOTOP friend Jordan said TSG Hoffenheim would provide a stiff test for Leverkusen and boy, was he right as Erik Ten Hag’s firs game in charge of Die Werkself ended in a 2-1 home defeat. It all started pretty well as Jarell Quansah opened the scoring on six minutes, connecting with a cross from Alex Grimaldo, but Fisnik Asllani levelled on 25 minutes and then he teed up Tim Lemperle to plunder the winner for Hoffenhein early in the second half.

Leverkusen’s defending looked a little shaky for both the TSG goals, but they were strangely toothless up front, registering just seven shots and two on target. The hosts had the majority of possession and took control of the ball with 87 per cent passing accuracy but they were found wanting at both ends of the pitch.

Dortmund self combust in Hamburg

Niko Kovac’s Borussia Dortmund could well be Bayern’s biggest challengers this season, but five minutes of madness took two points away from BVB as they drew 3-3 away to St Pauli. Seemingly coasting at 3-1 up, a penalty and a red card to Filippo Mane turned the game on its head and, with a one goal lead to protect Die Schwarzgelben blew it. 

Serhou Guirassy headed Dortmund into a 34^th-minute lead but then he missed a penalty five minutes later, and St Pauli took advantage when Andreas Hountondji, on loan from Burnley, scored a cracker. BVB went into a two goal lead as Waldermar Anton’s shot took a kind deflection and Julian Brandt finished calmly to make it 3-1.

But there was nothing calm about Mane’s contribution as he fouled Abdoulaye Ceesay to earn a straight red card and Danel Sinani scored from the spot to set up a grandstand finish. And it was captain Eric Smith who earned a point with a low shot which flew into the corner.

This was a great result for the minnows but a hugely frustrating outcome for Borussia Dortmund, who failed to win their first game of a new Bundesliga campaign for the first time in a decade.

Eagles look set to soar again

While most of Bayern’s rivals had a shocker of a weekend Eintracht Frankfurt, who finished third last term, made no mistake in their opener as they dismantled Werder Bremen 4-1. Dino Toppmoller’s Eagles got off to a flyer and were three goals to the good as Can Uzun opened the scoring and Jean-Matteo Bahoya helped himself to a brace, to take the game away from Werder Bremen minutes into the second half. Justin Njinmah briefly gave Bremen some hope, but it was very slim and totally extinguished when Ansgar Knauff made it 4-1 with 20 minutes remaining.

The Eagles had 18 shots and five on target, compared to ten shots and five on target from Bremen in an entertaining game with the near perfect outcome for the hosts.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 26-Aug-2025 at 12:21 PM

Bundesliga: Streaking Red Bulls Keen to Tame the Hungry Wolves

VfL Wolfsburg vs RB Leipzig

RB Leipzig have made a remarkable turnaround in the past few weeks. Following their embarrassing 6-0 opening day loss against defending Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, Ole Werner’s men have strung together three consecutive wins against Heidenheim (2-0), Mainz (1-0), and Koln (3-1) to improve to solo third in the German top-flight standings with nine points. They are gunning for their fourth consecutive victory when they visit VfL Wolfsburg at the Volkswagen Arena this Saturday.

In contrast, VfL Wolfsburg have suffered a dip in form. After winning 3-1 against Heidenheim on the opening day, Paul Simonis’ men dropped points against Mainz (1-1), Koln (3-3), and Borussia Dortmund (1-0). As a result, Die Wolfe dropped to 12th in the standings with five points, level with 11th-seeded Bayer Leverkusen.

The hosts are under immense pressure to end their home drought, and they are the underdogs against RB Leipzig.

Talking Points

VfL Wolfsburg have added an aging star

VfL Wolfsburg have not stopped retooling their roster beyond the summer transfer window, as they signed free agent Christian Eriksen to bolster their midfield. The former Manchester United playmaker had an encouraging debut during the team’s 1-0 loss against Borussia Dortmund.

The Bundesliga should suit Eriksen well because of the league’s penchant for high-scoring games, and it is less physically demanding compared to the Premier League. Eriksen, who registered eight goals and 19 assists in 107 appearances for Manchester United across all competitions, should feel at home at VfL Wolfsburg, as he is now teammates with fellow Danes Joakim Maehle, Jesper Lindstrom, Andreas Skov Olsen, Adam Daghim, and Jonas Wind, currently at the club. Once Eriksen gets up to speed, he should help the likes of Mohamed Amoura, Patrick Wimmer, and Lovro Majer score more goals.

In other team news, Die Wolfe are reportedly working on a new contract extension with captain Maximilian Arnold. The 31-year-old midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season, but he looks increasingly likely to stay.

Head coach Paul Simonis will miss up to four key players against RB Leipzig, as Jesper Lindstrom (thigh), Kevin Paredes (foot), Rogerio (thigh), and Denis Vavro (groin) are still on the mend.

RB Leipzig’s new boys are stepping up

Many predicted that RB Leipzig’s production would drop off following the departures of Benjamin Sesko and Lois Openda – last season’s top scorers – during the summer transfer window. However, four matches in, and Die Roten Bullen are doing better than expected.

Romulo Cardoso, Johan Bakayoko, and Assan Ouedraogo have opened their accounts this term, combining for four goals. Veterans Christoph Baumgartner and David Raum also have one goal apiece so far this season.

On the other hand, Peter Gulacsi just made his 250th appearance in an RB Leipzig uniform during their 3-1 victory over Koln last Sunday. The 35-year-old goalkeeper has been with the team since 2015 and followed in Fabio Coltorti’s footsteps. Gulacsi is gunning for his 90th clean sheet against VfL Wolfsburg.

History

RB Leipzig have won five of their last seven Bundesliga matches against VfL Wolfsburg (D2), including a league double last term. Since the beginning of 2022, Die Roten Bullen have won more Bundesliga matches against Die Wolfe than against any other team.

As mentioned, RB Leipzig are on a three-game winning streak for the first time in about a year. Their nine points from the first four matchdays represent their best start to a Bundesliga campaign since they had 10 points in 2019-20 and 2020-21. However, they have failed to score in seven of their nine Bundesliga away matches since the start of February.

VfL Wolfsburg are winless in 10 consecutive Bundesliga matches at the Volkswagen Arena (D7, L3) since a 5-1 win against Borussia Monchengladbach last January. 

Betting Tip

The Bundesliga 2025 odds predict a tight contest between VfL Wolfsburg and RB Leipzig. Despite their contrasting recent forms, these two teams are pegged at 2.45 odds to win, and a draw is at 3.50 in the 1X2 market.

Save for their 1-0 result in their first league meeting last season, matches between VfL Wolfsburg and RB Leipzig have been generally high-scoring, so we expect them to create new Bundesliga 2025 highlights at Volkswagen Arena. Besides our recommended bet, SBOTOP bettors can also add Over 3.25 at 2.08, Over 3.50 at 2.35, and Total Goal 4-6 at 2.53 to the parlay. Meanwhile, a Correct Score of 3-2 in favour of Die Roten Bullen – the result of their last league encounter – is on offer at 21.00.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 24-Sep-2025 at 3:50 PM

Bundesliga: Leipzig and Stuttgart Battle for the Best of the Rest

RB Leipzig vs VfB Stuttgart

As things stand, RB Leipzig and VfB Stuttgart are the closest challengers to Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga reign this season. These two teams are the second and third seeds in the German top-flight, and they will meet at the Red Bull Arena this Saturday.

Since their 6-0 collapse against Bayern Munich on the first matchday, RB Leipzig have gone undefeated in eight consecutive games across all competitions (D1). Ole Werner’s men just pulled off a 4-1 win over Energie Cottbus to advance to the DFB-Pokal third round, and they’re second in the standings with 19 points, five points adrift of Bayern Munich.

Sitting in third are VfB Stuttgart, who are unbeaten in their last five league matches. Sebastian Hoeneß’ side is only one point behind RB Leipzig and has an important DFB-Pokal second-round match later.

Check out today’s SBOTOP match preview by continuing to read below.

Talking Points

Baumgartner setting an example for RB Leipzig

Christoph Baumgartner is arguably RB Leipzig’s most in-form player right now, as he has scored six goals in his last four appearances. The 26-year-old attacking midfielder scored the team’s only goal in their 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund. He bagged a brace in their 2-1 win over Hamburger SV and was part of their scoring barrage against Augsburg (6-0), before bagging another brace in last night’s 4-1 rout of Energie Cottbus in the DFB-Pokal.

All of a sudden, Baumgartner is in the thick of the Golden Boot race with five league goals. The Austrian international is level with Luis Diaz, Fisnik Asllani, and Can Uzun and one goal behind Jonathan Burkardt. He has stepped up as the team’s creative outlet, following the summer departure of Xavi Simons to Tottenham.

In addition to his goals, Baumgartner has also registered the most shot attempts at the club this term (19) – the joint-sixth most league-wide. He is also second in duels won (67), just two behind right-back Ridle Baku. 

RB Leipzig needs Baumgartner to continue to be at his best, as his production opens up opportunities for the likes of Romulo Cardoso, Johan Bakayoko, and Antonio Nusa to wreak havoc in the final third.

VfB Stuttgart could miss key defender

VfB Stuttgart have had a busy week, as they’re also playing in the Europa League this season. Given the club’s grueling schedule, head coach Sebastian Hoeneß faces the unenviable task of rotating his squad to avoid injuries.

In their 1-0 loss against Fenerbahce last Friday, Maximilian Mittlestadt played the full 90 minutes. However, the versatile left-back was absent in their 2-1 win against Mainz last Monday due to a knock. Die Schwaben will face Mainz for the second straight time in the DFB-Pokal later, and the team is sweating on Mittlestadt’s fitness.

We’re assuming that Hoeneß won’t play Mittlestadt later to save him for the RB Leipzig game. In the meantime, this would mean more playing time for Finn Jeltsch.

History

RB Leipzig vs. VfB Stuttgart has been one of the highest-scoring fixtures in Germany lately, as both sides have scored at least three goals in their previous six encounters across all competitions. 

Last season, VfB Stuttgart recorded a league double over RB Leipzig with an aggregate tally of 5-3. Die Schwaben also eliminated Die Roten Bullen in the DFB-Pokal semi-finals at the MHPArena last April, clinching their tickets to the finals. They went on to win against Arminia Bielefeld 4-2 in May, winning their first Cup since 1997. The final was also Sebastian Hoeneß’ 100th game as VfB Stuttgart manager.

RB Leipzig’s last win against VfB Stuttgart was a 5-1 result in August 2023, as they overturned a one-goal deficit by Serhou Guirassy in the first half. Benjamin Henrichs, Dani Olmo, Lois Openda, Kevin Kampl, and Xavi Simons masterminded the turnaround.

Betting Tip

The Bundesliga 2025 odds say we’re in for a relatively close fight at the Red Bull Arena this Saturday. Because they’re at home, RB Leipzig have the edge at 2.03, whereas VfB Stuttgart are pegged to win at 3.03, and a draw is at 3.59 in the 1X2 market.

Based on their recent encounters, fans should be able to get their fair share of Bundesliga 2025 highlights. Besides our recommended bet, bettors may also consider adding Over 3.00 at 1.73, Over 3.50 at 2.20, and even Total Goal 4-6 at 2.43 to the parlay. Moreover, a Correct Score of 3-2 in favour of VfB Stuttgart – the result of their previous league meeting – is on offer at a staggering 24.00 your bet.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 31-Oct-2025 at 12:03 PM

Bundesliga: Bayern Face Huge Test From Improving Leverkusen

Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen

Vincent Kompany is closing in on the record for the best-ever start to a Bundesliga campaign. With eight wins in as many matchdays, Kompany’s Bayern Munich is three wins away from leapfrogging Pep Guardiola’s record of 10 consecutive victories, which he achieved in the 2015-16 campaign. However, a major roadblock awaits the Bavarians, as they’ll host Bayer Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena this Saturday evening. 

Bayern Munich are fresh from a 4-1 win over Koln in the DFB-Pokal second round, and they have a five-point cushion over second-seeded RB Leipzig in the German top-flight standings. On the other hand, Bayer Leverkusen have shown improvement under Kasper Hjulmand. They’ve won four league games on the bounce, and Die Werkself are coming off a 4-2 cup win over Paderborn last night.

The pregame SBOTOP betting odds expect the hosts to win, but this fixture may be closer than you think.

Talking Points

Bayern Munich continue to flex their frightening depth

Bayern Munich have been virtually unstoppable on all sides of the pitch, as they’ve scored 30 goals while conceding only four on the other end so far this season. Harry Kane is leading the Golden Boot race by a mile with 12 league goals, with Luis Diaz, Michael Olise, and Serge Gnabry also in the running with five, four, and three. Konrad Laimer, Joshua Kimmich, Jonathan Tah, Raphael Guerreiro, and Aleksandar Pavlovic have also opened their accounts this season. Summer addition Nicolas Jackson has also opened his Bayern account with two goals and one assist in the Champions League.

Vincent Kompany’s side is so blessed with world-class talent. Three of his players (Kimmich, Olise, and Diaz) are in the running for the Bundesliga Player of the Month award for October.

And lately, Bayern Munich have unlocked another gem in Lennart Karl, as the 17-year-old winger has found the back of the net in his last two appearances. He scored the Bavarians’ first goal in their 4-0 rout of Club Brugge in the Champions League, and he also found the back of the net late in the 3-0 victory against 10-man Borussia Monchengladbach last weekend.

The kids are alright for Bayer Leverkusen

Kasper Hjulmand has done a superb job of maximising the roster at his disposal while developing the team’s young standouts.

Christian Kofane and Ernest Poku are among the nominees for the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month for October, and for good reason, as they’ve picked up the slack in the final third. Kofane took over from the injured Patrik Schick and scored against Union Berlin and Mainz, while Poku has three goals and an assist in his last four Bundesliga matches after a sluggish start.

Besides Kofane and Poku, Bayern Munich would have to be wary of veteran Alejandro Grimaldo. The Spanish wing-back is among the nominees for the Bundesliga Player of the Month award for October after registering three goal involvements.

History

Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen faced off five times last season. After a 1-1 draw in their first Bundesliga encounter, Die Werkself secured a 1-0 result to eliminate the 10-man Bavarians in the DFB-Pokal Round of 16 last December 2024. These two sides shared the spoils in a goalless draw in February 2025, before Bayern Munich eliminated Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League Round of 16 via an aggregate tally of 5-0.

Bayer Leverkusen are undefeated in their last 37 Bundesliga road matches, despite having three different managers in charge in the past few months, making this a tricky fixture for the hosts.

Vincent Kompany’s team is the third in history to have won their opening eight matches of a Bundesliga season. But their goal difference of +26 and a total of 30 goals are outright bests.

Betting Tip

As mentioned, the Bundesliga 2025 odds have Bayern Munich as the prohibitive favourites to claim maximum points this weekend. The Bavarian giants are 1.20 favourites to win, whereas Bayer Leverkusen are massive 8.60 underdogs, and a draw is at 6.30 in the 1X2 market.

Both teams are capable of producing numerous Bundesliga 2025 highlights in this game. Besides our recommended bet, bettors can also add Over 3.50 at 1.60, Over 3.75 at 1.87, Over 4.00 at 2.08, and Total Goal 4-6 at 2.02 to the parlay.

A Correct Score of 2-0 in favour of Bayern Munich – the result of their last league encounter – is on offer at 9.20 your bet. Interestingly, any favourable result for Bayer Leverkusen could yield at least a whopping 44.00 your bet.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 31-Oct-2025 at 12:06 PM

Bundesliga: Hoffenheim and Leverkusen are Itching for Action

TSG Hoffenheim vs Bayer Leverkusen

It has been a snowy start to the Bundesliga resumption, as wintery storms swept across Germany, playing havoc with the top-flight fixture list.

TSG Hoffenheim were meant to kick off the New Year with a match away to Werder Bremen, but that hit the skids. And on Tuesday, Bayer Leverkusen’s visit to Hamburg was victim to the snow, called off just three hours before kick-off.

Kasper Hjulmand’s Leverkusen have seen some action in 2026, but not the kind they wanted as they crashed 4-1 at home to VfB Stuttgart last week. Meanwhile, Christian Ilzer’s TSG are due to host Borussia Monchengladbach on Wednesday night, weather permitting.

A midweek win for TSG would lift them above Bayer in the league table, but as things stand, the Bundesliga game between these two teams is a sixth versus fifth clash, and both teams have their sights firmly fixed on a top four place.

Bayern Munich have raced away at the top of the Bundesliga table with Borussia Dortmund in pursuit and Stuttgart in third, but only three points separate RB Leipzig in fourth from Eintracht Frankfurt in seventh. Both TSG and Bayer have games in hand, and a win on Saturday at the PreZero Arena is a prize well worth fighting for.

Talking Points

Things are heating up in Hoffenheim

It’s been pretty cold in Northern Europe since the turn of the year, but TSG had given their fans a warm feeling with their tremendous run of form pre-Christmas. Following a 15^th placed finish last term, head coach Ilzer has really got his men firing, and they went into the winter break with a tally of 11 points from their last six games. That is European qualification form, and Hoffenheim are determined to get more Bundesliga 2026 results.

Ilzer will hope the extended break has not left his players cold, and a Wednesday win over Monchengladbach would take TSG up into the top four. Die Kraichgauer have plenty of work to do, but they have an experienced leadership group led by skipper and goalkeeper Oliver Baumann.

With Brazilian Bernardo and former West Ham United star Vladimir Coufal in defence, TSG are hard to break down, and in Croatian star Andrej Kramaric, they have a striker with a wealth of experience.

And keep an eye out for 6’3” forward Fisnik Asllani. The 23-year-old Kosovan has returned from a successful loan spell at SV Elversberg, and he is proving to be a handful in Hoffenheim, scoring in a recent 4-1 win over Hamburg.

Hjulmand is looking for a swift reaction

After a chaotic opening to the campaign, which saw manager Erik Ten Hag potted after just two games, Die Werkself appointed the cool-headed Hjulmand as head coach, and he had the desired effect, quickly lifting Bayer into the leading pack.

And they entered the Christmas break in a festive mood after recording back-to-back victories over Cologne and RB Leipzig. Leverkusen plundered the Red Bull Arena with a 3-1 victory after going a goal behind, with goals from Martin Terrier, Patrik Schick, and 18-year-old winger Montrell Culbreath scoring on his full debut.

Czech hitman Schck is top scoring with six league goals, and he will lead the Bayer line again on Saturday after missing the game against Stuttgart. He was ready to go against Hamburg, so he is ready to take over from Terrier, who stepped in as a makeshift striker last time out.

Leverkusen have won five of their last six away games, keeping three clean sheets in the process, and Hjulmand will certainly expect a response from the debacle against VfB. However, Hoffenheim is certainly not an easy place to go right now.

History

With 21 wins to eight, Die Werkself have bossed the head-to-heads the years while there have been six draws. And Bayer have had a lot of success at the PreZero Arena, with 11 wins to three, and there have been three draws.

Last season, Leverkusen did the double with a 3-1 win at home and a 4-1 victory in Hoffenheim, but they are looking for revenge after TSG took a 2-1 victory away from the BayArena in August.

In terms of recent form and before the midweek fixtures, Hoffenheim had three wins, two draws, and one defeat, while Leverkusen had three wins, one draw, and two defeats.

Betting Tip

The Bundesliga 2026 betting odds say we are in for an epic battle at the PreZero Arena, with Hoffenheim at SBOTOP odds of 2.41 to win and Bayer Leverkusen at 2.48.

And there is a good case for both teams, so I’m backing the draw.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 15-Jan-2026 at 6:29 PM

Bundesliga: All Change at Frankfurt, But TSG Already Have Momentum

Eintracht Frankfurt vs TSG Hoffenheim

All roads lead to Frankfurt on Saturday for a tasty Bundesliga clash, when Eintracht Frankfurt vs Hoffenheim is the action on offer, a seventh versus third tussle as we enter Round 19 of the 2025-26 campaign.

Last time out, Eintracht drew 3-3 away to Werder Bremen, while Christian Ilzer’s TSG pulled off a statement 1-0 home win over Bayer Leverkusen. With 10 points from four games, it is the visitors who are on the march, and Hoffenheim have their eyes on a Champions League place. 

In stark contrast, Eintracht are without a victory in four, but the Eagles are in Champions League action on Wednesday night, and interim coach Dennis Schmitt will take charge of his first game following the departure of Dino Toppmoller, who left the building immediately after the draw with Bremen. 

The new man takes over a club in the doldrums in Europe, languishing in 33^rd place in the Champions League and sliding out of contention at home, and the Bundesliga 2026 betting odds say he may well face a baptism of fire.

Talking Points

Can Scmitt prompt an Eintracht bounce? 

Is the “new manager bounce” actually a thing? Well, experience has shown that when a new man walks in through the door, more often than not, there is an uptick in results, however temporary. A fresh pair of eyes on the training ground, a change in culture, and most importantly, a squad of players who suddenly need to impress a new boss, can all have a positive impact. 

Personalities play a part. Some players will warm to a new face and suddenly find a spring in their step. But one player who Schmitt will need to start his tenure without is top scorer Jonathan Burkhardt, who has scored eight goals from 10 games since his summer move from Mainz. The 25-year-old striker picked up a nasty muscle injury during a Champions defeat to Atalanta at the end of November and is yet to reappear, with no good news from the club as I write. 

But without Burkhardt, the Eagles have had no problem scoring. Eintracht’s clash with Borussia Dortmund was an entertaining 3-3 draw, and they have shared the goals around. Meanwhile, the Eintracht defence had been rather generous in recent weeks, conceding nine goals in the last three games. 

Schmitt has stepped up from his role as Eintracht Frankfurt II boss, so he knows the club. But if he can pull off a win against Hoffenheim, then we can put that down as an impressive bounce.

Can Hoffenheim take their home form on the road?

With a superb set of league results under their belts, Hoffenheim have climbed into top four contention and their 1-0 win over Leverkusen was a sixth home win in succession. A brilliant free-kick from Wouter Burger, which flew into the top right corner, gave TSG a ninth-minute lead, and Ilzer’s team held on in some comfort.

This is a team with quality, confidence, and experience running through it, from keeper Oliver Baumann to striker Andrej Kramaric, and Burger, signed from Stoke City in the summer, has settled well into a defencive midfield role, also popping up with four goals. 

Former West Ham United wing-back Vladimir Coufal is also enjoying his time in Hoffenheim and adds an attacking threat on the wing to his defencive nous.

They are on a brilliant run at the PreZero Arena, but TSG’s last two away games have yielded just one point, a 2-0 defeat away to Borussia Dortmund and a goalless draw in Stuttgart. And while this trip to Frankfurt does present another opportunity, they will face the unknown under a new manager.

History 

The head-to-heads between Eintracht Frankfurt and Hoffenheim are in favour of the former, who have 14 wins to 10, while there have been nine draws from the last 33 meetings.

And at the Deutsche Bank Park, there have been some good tussles, with eight wins for the Eagles, four draws, and four Hoffenheim victories. Eintracht are unbeaten in five against TSG, winning four of those meetings 3-1 and drawing the other 2-2, and TSG’s last success was a 3-1 win back in 2023.

But in terms of recent form, TSG are stronger with four wins, one draw, and one defeat, while Eintracht have won only one, drawn three, and lost two of their last six outings.

Betting Tip

This is a tough game to call with the hosts Eintracht at 2.63 to win and Hoffenheim the marginal favourites at 2.40, with the draw at 3.60. 

Each of the last 10 meetings between these two clubs has yielded at least four goals, and the two prior to those ten gave us three goals each. Both teams have goals in them, scoring 24 between them over their last six games each.

As a matter of interest, a 3-1 win for the Eagles is priced at 15.00, and a 3-1 TSG success is available at SBOTOP odds of 14.00. Either way, we’ll have new Bundesliga 2026 highlights this weekend for the fans to enjoy.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 23-Jan-2026 at 6:00 PM

Bundesliga: BVB Eager to Bounce Back From Humiliating London Trip

Union Berlin vs Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund will aim to narrow the gap between them and Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga table when they visit Union Berlin at the Alten Forsterei on Saturday evening. As of this writing, Niko Kovac’s side is 11 points behind the Bavarian giants, making it unlikely for the Yellow Wall to make a late run for the Meisterschale this season.

They are fresh from a 2-0 setback against Tottenham in the Champions League yesterday, dropping them to 16th in the league phase standings. Borussia Dortmund plan to return to winning ways as soon as possible, and doing it at Berlin this weekend seems achievable.

Union Berlin are ninth in the German top-flight standings with 24 points, level with eighth-seeded SC Freiburg. Steffen Baumgart’s men are coming off a 1-1 draw against VfB Stuttgart on Sunday. 

Talking Points

Union Berlin come up clutch again

Union Berlin have rescued a point for the third straight game due to their late heroics. Marin Ljubicic was Die Eisernen’s hero against Mainz and Augsburg, when he scored the late equalisers. Against VfB Stuttgart the last time out, it was Jeong Woo-Yeong who saved the day. Veteran goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow also deserves a shoutout for his vital saves to help Die Eisernen.

Steffen Baumgart’s side has been a tough nut to crack. They’ve won two and drawn three in their last five matches. Union Berlin recently celebrated their 60th anniversary on Tuesday, adding to their morale ahead of their clash against Borussia Dortmund. 

What made the celebration special was that they used the opportunity to pay homage to their skipper, Christopher Trimmel. The 38-year-old defender signed an extension to stay with the club for another season. He has been with Die Eisernen since 2014, becoming one of the most familiar faces in the Bundesliga and a symbol of the club’s rise from the second tier to European competition. Trimmel has featured in 16 of the first 18 league matches this term.

With no new injuries, Baumgart will likely stick with the same guys he had against VfB Stuttgart.

Borussia Dortmund are leaking goals

Borussia Dortmund have grown concerned about their rearguard lately, which culminated in their 2-0 loss to Tottenham in the Champions League yesterday. The Spurs started brightly, creating several promising attacks on the right flank, and Cristian Romero broke the deadlock in the 14th minute after Borussia Dortmund failed to clear the ball off a corner kick. 

BVB’s task became significantly harder midway through the half when Daniel Svensson received a straight red card for his reckless challenge on Wilson Odobert. From then on, Tottenham seized control and doubled their advantage in the 37th minute when Dominic Solanke shot past Gregor Kobel.

After the game, centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck called out his teammates for lacking concentration on the defensive end. He expects a response against Union Berlin.

History

Borussia Dortmund crushed Union Berlin in the reverse fixture at Signal Iduna Park during Matchday 2. Serhou Guirassy bagged a brace, and Felix Nmecha scored one goal in the 3-0 victory. Before this, BVB won 6-0 against Die Eisernen in the same venue last February 2025. Guirassy scored four goals, Maximilian Beier added one goal, and they also benefited from an own goal from Diogo Lette.

The Yellow Wall have won all seven of their encounters with Union Berlin at Signal Iduna Park, but have found the going tough in Berlin, losing four times – including 2-1 last term – winning the other two.

Both teams have gone undefeated in the German top-flight for a while, with Borussia Dortmund unbeaten in their last 11, while Union Berlin are undefeated in their last five, following a 3-1 loss to VfL Wolfsburg last December.

Betting Tip

The Bundesliga 2026 odds favor Borussia Dortmund to secure a win against Union Berlin on Saturday. BVB are 2.07 favourites to win, whereas Die Eisernen aren’t too far behind at 3.31, and a draw is at 3.16 in the 1X2 market. Despite the gap between these two sides, the visitors can ill afford to underestimate their hosts this weekend.

Both sides will likely put up new Bundesliga 2026 highlights, with Borussia Dortmund likely to score more goals. Besides our recommended bet, SBOTOP bettors can also add Over 2.25 at 1.74, Over 2.50 at 1.98, Over 2.75 at 2.29, and Total Goal 2-3 at 1.98 to the parlay. Furthermore, a Correct Score of 3-0 in favour of BVB – the result of the reverse fixture – has a mouthwatering offer of 19.50 your bet.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 23-Jan-2026 at 6:01 PM

Bundesliga: Stuttgart and Freiburg to Blow Off Some Steam

VfB Stuttgart vs SC Freiburg

Two Top 4 hopefuls are set to convene at the MHPArena on Sunday, as VfB Stuttgart host SC Freiburg in one of the top games to watch in Matchday 20 of the 2025-26 Bundesliga campaign.

VfB Stuttgart dropped to fifth place in the German top-flight standings, despite winning their previous league match against Borussia Monchengladbach (3-0). However, they’re still firmly in the hunt, as they’re level with fourth-seeded RB Leipzig at 36 points.

Two notches below them are SC Freiburg, who have 27 points, level with eighth-seeded Eintracht Frankfurt. The Black Forest are also coming off a league win, beating Koln 2-1 last Sunday night.

Both teams played in their final Europa League phase game yesterday, with SC Freiburg securing their Round of 16 berth, while VfB Stuttgart must go through the knockout play-offs. Given the short turnaround, fatigue may play a role in this highly anticipated matchup.

Talking Points

VfB Stuttgart star silences critics

Deniz Undav fired back at his critics after their 3-0 win against Borussia Monchengladbach, as he came off the bench to score a late goal to help clinch three points. The German striker expressed frustration over the criticism he had faced before the game after failing to score in his previous two games against AS Roma and Union Berlin.

He had the right to speak up, as Undav is firing on all cylinders. His 10 goals since Matchday 8 cannot be bettered by anyone in the Bundesliga, not even Harry Kane (nine), and that tally is also the highest number of strikes he has recorded in the first half of a German top-flight campaign throughout his career. Overall, Undav’s 11 league goals are good for second place in the Golden Boot race so far this term.

With Undav leading the way, VfB Stuttgart have suffered just three losses in 12 Bundesliga matches since his return from injury in October. Most notably, four of Undav’s goals this term have come in the final 15 minutes – highlighting his clutch gene.

Yesterday, Undav set the tone for VfB Stuttgart in their 3-2 win over Young Boys by scoring the opening goal. However, despite winning the match, Die Schwaben failed to finish within the Top 8 of the league phase.

Matanovic showing off at SC Freiburg

Igor Matanovic has been a revelation for SC Freiburg, as the 22-year-old striker is the Black Forest’s second-leading scorer with five league goals, only one behind Vincenzo Grifo.

The Croatian international has scored three successive goals in all competitions before yesterday’s 1-0 loss to Lille. He has seized the starting No. 9 spot because Lucas Holer hasn’t been on target in the final third. Matanovic should return to the starting XI after coming off the bench against Lille in the Europa League.

In other news, Maximillian Eggestein received a straight red card yesterday against Les Dogues for stomping Matias Fernandez-Pardo’s foot. But fortunately for the Black Forest, his suspension doesn’t apply in Germany.

History

SC Freiburg won 3-1 against VfB Stuttgart in the reverse fixture last September, as Igor Matanovic’s brace and Derry Scherhant’s goal overturned a one-goal deficit created by Ermedin Demirovic early in the first half. Johan Manzambi also received his marching orders in stoppage time for a high boot on Ramon Hendriks. The Black Forest also won 3-1 at home last season, but lost 4-0 in Stuttgart.

Since losing to Bayern Munich (5-0) last December, VfB Stuttgart have been unbeaten in their last six matches, winning three of their last four. Sebastian Hoeneß’ men have also lost only one Bundesliga home match out of nine so far this season.

Julian Schuster’s side has lost only once in their last six Bundesliga games, as they continue to climb up the table.

Betting Tip

The Bundesliga 2026 odds favor VfB Stuttgart claiming maximum points on Sunday to help consolidate their Top 4 berth. Die Schwaben are 1.68 favourites to win, whereas the Black Forest are 4.22 underdogs, and a draw is at 3.73 in the 1X2 market. Despite the disparity of odds, we won’t be surprised if this is closer than expected.

Based on their recent encounters, football fans at the MHPArena should get their usual dose of Bundesliga 2026 highlights this weekend. Besides our recommended bet, SBOTOP punters may also consider adding Over 2.75 at 1.79, Over 3.00 at 2.02, and even Total Goals 4-6 at 2.72 to the parlay. Moreover, a Correct Score of 3-1 in favour of SC Freiburg – the result of their previous league encounter – has a tempting offer of 44.00 your bet.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 30-Jan-2026 at 4:52 PM

Bundesliga: Dortmund Can Tame the Weary Wolves

VfL Wolfsburg vs Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund aim to keep the pressure up at the top of the Bundesliga table on Saturday when they head to Wolfsburg, hoping to close the gap to leaders Bayern Munich to three points, before the Bavarians host TSG Hoffenheim on Sunday.

Nico Kovac’s Dortmund inched closer to the league leaders thanks to a 3-2 win over Heidenheim on Sunday after Bayern had been held to a draw in Hamburg a day earlier. Meanwhile, Daniel Bauer’s Wolfsburg slipped closer to the drop zone after a 1-0 defeat away to Cologne, a result which left the Wolves just a single point above FSV Mainz on 16^th.

So Bundesliga: Wolfsburg vs Borussia Dortmund is a huge match for both teams with implications at either end of the table, and the hosts need to find a huge improvement in their form if they are to get anywhere near BVB on Saturday.

Talking Points

January recruits can make Wolves harder to beat

It’s a fairly obvious statement to make I guess but, if Wolfsburg are to climb away from the danger zone they need to start picking up points on a consistent basis. Bauer has some proven quality in his squad but the team has been too easy to knock over in recent weeks. When Wolfsburg met Bayern Munich in January they were slapped 8-1 after being 1-1 midway through the first half and 2-1 at half time. 

The manager moved smartly in January and has brought in two defenders to strengthen the back line, splashing out 10m Euros to bring 22-year-old Ghana star Jonas Adjetey from Swiss side FC Basel. He has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract and Adjetey will be introduced as quickly as possible to freshen up a defence which has already conceded 42 goals in the league. And he’ll be joined in the group by another centre back in the shape of Leverkusen’s Jeanuel Belocian who has arrived on loan. The France U21 star made his name at Rennes before signing for Die Werkeslf where he has made 13 appearances and, at the age of 20 Belocian is a great prospect who needs to get top-flight games under his belt. 

With the defence looking stronger the Wolves’ creative unit can hopefully play with more freedom, and the experienced Christian Eriksen can create chances for the attacking duo of Patrick Wimmer and Dzenan Pejcinovic.

Goal happy BVB

This could be a good time for Wolfsburg to shore up their defence because they are about to meet a team which is full of goals, scoring three in each of their last four league games. Die Schwarzgelben have laboured in the Champions League over the last few weeks but they are till fighting, with a play-off place to come, while taking out their frustration on their Bundesliga opposition. After beating Werder Bremen and St Pauli, 3-0 and 3-2, Dortmund entered their clash with Union Berlin on the back of a humbling defeat to Tottenham Hotpsur, and they responded with a 3-0 win, with goals from captain Emre Can, centre back Nico Schlotterbeck and forward Max Beier. Then, after losing to Inter Milan, BVB bounced back again by beating Heidenheim 3-2, this time recovering from a 2-1 deficit thanks to a double from Serhou Guirassy. The Guinean hit-man scored twice in two minutes to win the game but he spurned a golden chance to score a hat-trick when he scooped a Panenka over the crossbar. 

Kovac will be delighted with his striker’s confidence, but if BVB are to push Bayern all the way, then Guirassy will need to be clinical. 

History 

With 30 wins to ten from their last 47 encounters, Die Schwarzgelben have had much the better of the head-to-head Wolfsburg vs Borussia Dortmund results and they have won 14 to six at the Volkswagen Arena, including a 3-1 win there last season. And when the two teams met in September at the Signal Iduna Park a Karim Adeyemi screamer gave BVB a 1-0 win. 

With one win, one draw and four defeats from the last six games the Wolves have lost their bite, while Dortmund have won four in the league and lost those two Champions League games. And the Wolfsburg vs Borussia Dortmund betting odds predict more misery for Wolfsburg on Sunday. 

Betting Tip

Dortmund are the hot favourites to win this clash at SBOTOP odds of 1.72 while the Wolves can be backed at a price of 4.15, with the draw at 3.80 and the Double Chance: Wolfsburg or Draw at 2.10.

Die Schwarzgelben have serious momentum in the Bundesliga while the Wolves are dropping like a stone, and I don’t see any quick turnaround in Wolfsburg this weekend.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 04-Feb-2026 at 5:28 PM

Bundesliga: A Battle for Survival in Koln

FC Koln vs Borussia Monchengladbach

With eight games to play things are heating up in Germany where reigning champions Bayern Munich are homing in on yet another Bundesliga title. 

The race for a top four place is fierce; with four clubs chasing two available Champions League spots (Bayern and BVB have practically reserved the top two) and then there is the small matter of the relegation battle. 

If you want to know about real pressure speak to the managers in the bottom seven.

And that’s where we find Bundesliga: Koln vs Monchengladbach, a 14^th versus 12^th clash, with a cushion of only one point above the relegation play-off spot in the case of Koln. Die Fohlen are a further three points clear; so the hosts need all three on Saturday to reel them in. 

The run up to the Rhein Derby has rarely been so tense.

Lukas Kwasniok’s Koln were ahead of Eugen Polanski’s Monchengladbach as recently as three weeks ago but the tables have turned and that makes Saturday’s battle at the RheinEnergieStadion a classic high stakes six-pointer.

Talking Points

Fine margins are costing the Billy Goats

Last May FC Koln stormed back to the Bundesliga after a year in the second tier, finishing top and in great style; and they have made a decent fist of surviving on their return to the top flight. But the Billy Goats have failed to pick up a win over the past six weeks with only two points to show for their efforts, but it could have been a few more, had they fallen on the right side of some tight results in tough games. 

Last week Koln picked up a useful point in a 1-1 draw away to Hamburg, with a goal from Said El Mala. But with ten shots to their hosts five, more possession and more shots on target Koln did enough to leave Hamburg with another two points. The previous week Koln went toe to toe with second-placed Borussia Dortmund but eventually lost 2-1 after playing half the game with ten men after defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey had been sent off in first half injury time. Kwasniok’s men drew 2-2 at home to TSG Hoffenheim but lost by the odd goal in three to Red Bull Leizpig. 

They have endured a brutal run of fixtures, which also included an away loss to Eintracht Frankfurt and now Koln will hope to pick up points as things ease off a little over the next eight rounds. The team’s star quality comes from 19-year-old winger El Mala who has scored nine goals and made three assists, while Polish striker Jakub Kaminski, on loan from Wolfsburg, has scored six goals and made two assists.

The FC Koln vs Monchengladbach betting odds say Kwasniok’s men are in for another tight affair and they will be desperately keen to come out on the right side of this Rhein Derby.

The Foals have found a spring in their step 

While the Billy Goats are fighting hard without much reward, conversely Polanski’s team has picked up six points from three games to clamber quickly up the table to 12^th. Home wins against FC Union Berlin and St Pauli were sandwiched by a 4-1 loss away to Bayern Munich; but I guess the Monchengladbach fans will be happy to let that one go to the Bavarians with six vital points either side.

There is still work for the Foals to do but they have a striker in form, which always helps. The goals have come from Haris Tabakovic, on loan from TSG Hoffenheim; the 31-year-old Bosnian hit man has scored 11, and he gets a lot of support from French winger Franck Honorat who has made five assists. 

They come into this game in good spirits and Monchengladbach know that another win on Saturday would be a huge step towards survival.

History

The head-to-head Koln vs Monchengladbach results tell a story of a turbulent relationship in recent years. The Foals won this Rhein derby 3-1 when they met earlier in the campaign but they lost by the same score line when they last visited Koln in 2023. in 2022 Koln were slapped 5-2 at Borussia Park and also won 3-1 in Monchengladbach, while winning their home game in 2021 by a thumping 4-1 score-line.

Overall, the Foals have won 15 to Koln’s ten of the last 31 encounters; while at the RheinEnergieStadion the score stands at six wins each.

Right now, with just two draws and four defeats from the last six games the hosts are in desperate need of a win, while Monchengladbach have been picking up points, with two wins, one draw and three losses in that time.

Betting Tip

With Koln priced at 2.20 and Monchengladbach at 3.05 the hosts will start as favourites but I fear for Koln and can see another frustrating ‘nearly’ afternoon.

And for a Correct Score line, A 1-1 draw is the most likely outcome at SBOTOP odds of 6.35 with a 2-2 draw at 11.50.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 18-Mar-2026 at 1:47 PM

Bundesliga: RB Leipzig Could Disrupt the Top 4 Race

RB Leipzig vs TSG Hoffenheim

The battle for the four Champions League places is tightening up here in the Bundesliga. While Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are poised to take the Top 2 seeds, there’s a gauntlet brewing between the four teams below them.

Among them are Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig, who are third and fifth, respectively, and only three points separate them. Hoffenheim are third in the German top-flight table with 50 points, level with fourth-seeded VfB Stuttgart, while RB Leipzig are fifth with 47 points.

Hoffenheim are coming off a 1-1 draw against VfL Wolfsburg, while RB Leipzig lost 1-0 against VfB Stuttgart, ending their five-game unbeaten run (W3, D2). However, Die Roten Bullen could re-enter the Top 4 race if they win at home against Die Kraichgauer.

These two teams are expected to create new Bundesliga 2026 highlights at the Red Bull Arena on Friday night, making this one of the top matches to watch in Matchday 27.

Talking Points

Diomande continues to shine at RB Leipzig

Before their disappointing loss to VfB Stuttgart last time out, RB Leipzig were undefeated in their previous five games. During this stretch, Yan Diomande has picked up his production, scoring three of the team’s 10 goals. By doing so, the 19-year-old winger is now level with Christoph Baumgartner at the top of Die Roten Bullen’s scoring chart at 10 goals this season.

Diomande is also level with the likes of Michael Olise, Nadiem Amiri, and Andrej Kramaric in joint-sixth in the Bundesliga Golden Boot race. Besides his blistering speed (36.3 kph) and athleticism, Diomande also leads the league in most duels won (321) by a mile, so it’s no wonder that he has become one of the hottest commodities in the transfer market, with several high-profile clubs interested in signing him this summer.

Head coach Ole Werner will have his pick of the litter against Hoffenheim, as their injury list has eased up, with only Peter Gulacsi (knee) and Kosta Nedeljkovic (back) on it. Romulo Cardoso and Antonio Nusa will likely link up with Diomande again in the final third, with Brajan Gruda, Christoph Baumgartner, and Nicolas Seiwald in the middle, and David Raum, Castello Lukeba, Willi Orban, Ridle Baku, and Maarten Vandevoordt at the rearguard.

Toure establishing himself at Hoffenheim

Diomande’s opposite number is his Ivory Coast national teammate Bazoumana Toure, who’s also attracting suitors in the transfer market. The 20-year-old has been one of the protagonists in Hoffenheim’s Champions League push, notching two goals and seven assists this season.

Grischa Promel gets the credit for scoring the late equaliser against VfL Wolfsburg last weekend, but it wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for Toure’s pinpoint cross that met perfectly on Promel’s head.

Hoffenheim are in the Top 3 because they boast the third-best offence in Germany, with 54 goals. Andrej Kramaric is their top goal threat with 10 goals.

History

Hoffenheim won 3-1 against RB Leipzig in their first league encounter this season at the PreZero Arena last November. After Yan Diomande scored in the ninth minute to give RB Leipzig the lead, Albian Hajdari, Tim Lemperle, and Grischa Promel scored three goals to overturn the deficit and take three points at home.

Die Kraichgauer aim to secure their first league double over Die Roten Bullen since 2017-18. With three wins, two draws, and one loss in their last six road games, Hoffenheim are confident to pull it off, although they’ve failed to win any of their last seven Friday matches (D3, L4).

RB Leipzig have won only two of their last seven Bundesliga home matches (D2, L3), and they have a paltry record against teams above them in the standings entering the new matchday (W1, D2, L4).

Betting Tip

RB Leipzig can certainly disrupt the Top 4 race this Friday, according to the Bundesliga 2026 odds. Die Roten Bullen are 1.96 favourites to take maximum points, while Die Kraichgauer are 3.15 underdogs, and a draw is at 3.65 in the 1X2 market. However, we believe that choosing the winner of this contest is a tough call.

Based on their recent encounters, fans at the Red Bull Arena could be in for another goalfest. Besides our recommended bet, SBOTOP punters may also add Over 3.00 at 1.59, Over 3.50 at 2.07, and even Total Goal 4-6 at 2.31 to the parlay. Moreover, the Correct Score of 3-1 – the result of their past two league meetings – offers tidy payouts of 13.00 in favour of RB Leipzig and 25.00 in favour of Hoffenheim.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 18-Mar-2026 at 7:11 PM

Bundesliga: Bayern Plan to Raid the Black Forest

SC Freiburg vs Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich are on course to win their second consecutive Bundesliga title, and they will hope to beat SC Freiburg this weekend to be one step closer to achieving their top domestic objective this term. At 70 points, Vincent Kompany’s men have a nine-point cushion, which could be more at the end of Matchday 28.

Before the international break, Bayern Munich have gone undefeated in their last 12 matches across all competitions. They’re also deep into the DFB-Pokal and Champions League after defeating RB Leipzig in the quarter-finals and Atalanta in the Round of 16, respectively. So, a historic treble is in the cards.

SC Freiburg recently advanced to the Europa League quarter-finals after eliminating Genk, and Julian Schuster’s men won 2-1 against FC St. Pauli before the break. The Black Forest improved to eighth in the German top-flight standings with 37 points, at least eight points adrift of the European places.

Talking Points

SC Freiburg’s confidence is high

SC Freiburg recently secured a place in a European quarter-final for the first time in history after they overturned their first-leg deficit against Genk in the Europa League Round of 16. After losing 1-0 in the opener, Julian Schuster’s men returned home and demolished their Belgian Pro League counterparts with a 5-1 scoreline, with Matthias Ginter, Igor Matanovic, Vincenzo Grifo, Yuito Suzuki, and Maximillian Eggestein on the scoresheet.

The Black Forest followed it up with a 2-1 road win against FC St. Pauli in their last Bundesliga game before the international break. Matanovic overturned the team’s one-goal deficit by scoring a brace in the second half against his former team. The Croatian striker is now SC Freiburg’s top scorer with eight goals, and he also scored during his country’s 2-1 friendly win against Colombia in Orlando, Florida, last weekend.

There’s more good news for SC Freiburg, as their injury list has eased in the past few days, with only Max Rosenfelder (thigh) as their notable absentee. Schuster will have his pick of the litter against Bayern Munich, and will likely stick to what works.

Bayern Munich’s depth is slightly compromised

In stark contrast, Bayern Munich will be without several players against SC Freiburg, giving head coach Vincent Kompany a big lineup dilemma.

Nicolas Jackson will continue to serve his suspension, which he earned for his red card against Bayer Leverkusen. Youngsters Wisdom Mike (hip) and Cassiano Kiala (knee) are also absent, while veteran goalkeepers Sven Ulreich (golf) and Manuel Neuer (calf) remain in the medical room. Alphonso Davies (hamstring), Jamal Musiala (ankle), and David Santos Daiber (thigh) are doubts.

Harry Kane was not in the England squad for their 1-0 loss to Japan due to a knock. Head coach Thomas Tuchel downplayed Kane’s issue, so the Bundesliga Golden Boot frontrunner should be considered questionable.

History

Bayern Munich secured a 6-2 rout of SC Freiburg during their reverse fixture at the Allianz Arena last November. Yuito Suzuki and Johan Manzambi gave SC Freiburg an early two-goal lead before Lennart Karl and Michael Olise drew level at 2-2. But after the halftime break, the floodgates opened for Bayern Munich, as Dayot Upamecano, Harry Kane, and Nicolas Jackson scored, while Olise completed his brace late.

Since their surprising 2-2 draw in March 2024, SC Freiburg have been badly outclassed by Bayern Munich, losing to an aggregate tally of 10-3. The Black Forest’s most recent Bundesliga victory over Die Bayern was a 2-1 result in May 2015. But if you’re accounting for all competitions, SC Freiburg’s last win in this fixture was a 2-1 result during the 2022-23 DFB-Pokal quarter-finals.

Betting Tip

The Bundesliga 2026 odds predict Bayern Munich to complete another league double over SC Freiburg on Saturday. Bayern Munich are 1.36 favourites to take maximum points, whereas SC Freiburg are huge 6.20 underdogs, and a draw is at 4.82 in the 1X2 market.

Despite the lack of bona fide strikers in the lineup, Bayern Munich still boast enough firepower to see this through while creating new Bundesliga 2026 highlights in the process. Besides our recommended bet, SBOTOP bettors may also add Over 3.25 at 1.83, Over 3.50 at 2.03, Over 3.75 at 2.29, and Total Goals 4-6 at 2.30 to the parlay. 

The First Half Correct Score of 2-2 – which happened in their previous league encounter – is a long shot at 65.00, while the Correct Score of 2-1 in favour of Bayern Munich – the result of this exact fixture last term – is on offer at 7.80.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 03-Apr-2026 at 2:47 PM

Bundesliga: Best of the Rest Meet in Stuttgart

VfB Stuttgart vs Borussia Dortmund

Third and second in the Bundesliga table, VfB Stuttgart and Borussia Dortmund are paired together on the resumption of the German top-flight, and it’s a match which could have a huge bearing on the title race and the battle for Champions League places.

With three league wins on the bounce, Niko Kovac’s BVB have just about hung on to the coa-tails of leaders Bayern Munich. While the Bavarians are heavily odds on to win the title, Die Schwarzgelben have not given up the chase yet. But lose in Stuttgart, and surely that will be that for the Dortmunders. So this makes the Bundesliga match between VfB Stuttgart and Borussia Dortmund at the MHPArena such a compelling prospect.

And while the top two clubs are streets ahead of the chasing pack, Sebastian Hoeness’ Stuttgart are in third place, three points clear of RB Leipzig and TSG Hoffenheim, with Bayer Leverkusen in sixth and still in the hunt. So the hosts need a win to stay in pole position for a Top 4 spot. 

Both teams went into the break on the back of a victory, VfB hammered FC Augsburg 5-2, while Dortmund beat Hamburg by the odd goal in five, and they will both be after the full three points when they meet on Saturday.

Talking Points

International recognition for VfB three

Die Schwaben have been impressive this term under Hoeness to stay ahead of the powerhouses at Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig. And while his team is not swamped by big-name players, three of his stars earned international recognition last week in Germany’s 2-1 friendly win over Ghana in front of 52,000 fans at Stuttgart.

VfB’s goalkeeper Alexander Nubel, on loan from Bayern Munich, and 24-year-old defencive midfielder Angelo Stiller started in Julian Nagelsmann’s team, while striker Deniz Undav came off the bench to score the winner.

With 18 league goals this season, Undav has forced his way into Germany’s World Cup plans as the Bundesliga’s second top scorer, while Bosnia and Herzegovina forward Ermedin Demirovic, also on the way to the World Cup, has been a superb form. And he knows where the net is, with 24 goals in 52 games for the club.

Stuttgart’s recent clash with RB Leipzig was another six-pointer that gave VfB a chance to underline their Top 3 credentials, and Undav scored the only goal of the game to win that one, which the BVB defence will be acutely aware of.

Expect Guirassy and Bensebaini to start for BVB

When Borussia Dortmund recently met Bayern Munich, they played without star striker Serhou Guirassy and defender Ramy Bensebaini, as both were fasting during Ramadan, and Kovac felt they would struggle with the intensity of such a game without fuel. BVB lost that clash 3-2, their last defeat, but both stars were in action last time out, and they made a huge difference after starting on the bench. Kovac’s substitutions against Hamburg were inspired, as he brought the pair on at halftime, with Die Schwarzgelben trailing 2-0.

It was Bensebaini who halved the deficit from the penalty spot after Max Beier had drawn a penalty. That was on 73 minutes, and only five later, BVB were level as Guirassy scored from point blank range. The recovery was complete, still with six minutes to play, when Bensebaini was given another chance from 12 yards, and he was as cool as ever, sliding the ball into the bottom right corner to send the Yellow Wall wild.

Guirassy and Bensebaini are sure to start against Stuttgart. And another player to watch out for is wing-back Julian Ryerson, who is having a phenomenal campaign, making 12 assists in the league.

History

BVB have won 19 to VfB’s 14 of their head-to-heads, and they are ahead too at the MHP Arena by a tally of 11 to eight victories. But in recent seasons, the tables have turned, and VfB are unbeaten in seven meetings. A 3-3 draw at the Signal Iduna Park in November signalled the end of a sequence of five Stuttgart wins, including a 5-1 thumping victory on their home turf last season.

Kovac’s men are due a win in this fixture, but the pre-match Bundesliga 2026 betting odds say they will have to cause a minor upset.

In terms of recent Bundesliga 2026 results, both teams have won three, drawn one, and lost two of their last six games, but Dortmund’s three wins are their most recent outings.

Betting Tip

Stuttgart are the marginal favourites at SBOTOP odds of 2.30 to win this game, with Dortmund at 2.60 and the draw at 2.80. You can make a case for any of the three outcomes, and while I favour Die Scharzgelben, I’m going for goals between two teams with impressive firepower.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 03-Apr-2026 at 2:48 PM

DFB Pokal: Bayern’s Treble Mission Continues in Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich

Newly-crowned Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich move on to the second leg of their 2026 treble bid when they face Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB Pokal semi-final on Wednesday.

Vincent Kompany’s men are in the Champions League semi-finals, with a mouth-watering tie against 2025 winners Paris Saint-Germain to look forward to. And they will head to the BayArena in Leverkusen with the backing of their hoards of celebrating fans…and the DFB Pokal 2026 betting odds.

While the Bavarians were beating Stuttgart to lift back-to-back titles under Kompany, a 2-1 defeat at home to FC Augsburg left Kasper Hjulmand’s Bayer down in sixth place and with plenty of work to do to win a Champions League place.

Bayern Munich beatRed Bull Leipzig 2-0 to reach the semi-finals while Leverkusen overcame St Pauli 3-0, and the winners will meet either VfB Stuttgart or SC Freiburg in the May final.

Talking Points

One down the two to go for Bayern

Bayern’s clash with Stuttgart on Sunday was made even more monumental following Borussia Dortmund’s loss to TSG Hoffenheim on Saturday, meaning a win would secure the title, and Die Bayern delivered in their customary style. Hot on the heels of a stunning comeback against Real Madrid in midweek, the Bavarians came from behind again to beat Stuttgart. On Wednesday it was Alexsandar Pavlovic, Harry Kane, Luis Diaz and Michael Olise who punctured the Los Blancos’ defence. On Sunday it was Alphonso Davies, Raphael Guerrero and Nicolas Jackson, on loan from Chelsea who got Bayern’s noses in front before Kane climbed off the bench to score his 32^nd Bundesliga goal in 27 games and his 55^th from 47 matches in all competitions this season. 

The Bavarians have lost just once this season on their way to a 13^th title in 14 campaigns, and they are hot favourites to make it a domestic double in the DFB Pokal, and down to the last four in Europe. 

The treble is well and truly on.

Wasteful Werkself pay the price 

While the Bavarians come into this semi-final in high spirits, their hosts are in need of a pick-up after losing a lead and conceding defeat deep into stoppage against Augsburg. Following a 6-3 thumping of Wolfsburg and a superb 1-0 win away to Borussia Dortmund this setback, at home to mid table Augsburg was a real kick in the teeth, and one which left Die Werkself four points adrift of fourth place, instead of one. 

Leverkusen rained down a whopping 36 shots on the Augsburg goal and ten on target but only had a Patrick Schick header to show for it. Fabian Rieder levelled for Augsburg and then took all three points when he converted a 97^th minute penalty after Montrell Culbreath had fouled Uchenna Ogundu.

Wide men Nathan Tella and Alejandro Grimaldo were the biggest culprits, former Burnley star Tella missing a golden opportunity and claiming a penalty which wasn’t one, while Grimaldo hashed a finish when a simple pass to Tella would have produced a goal. It was a rare off day for the 30 year old Spain star, who has been pivotal in Die Werkself’s success in recent years, and it may be his last season at the BayArena with reports in the Spanish press suggesting he is ready for a new challenge.

If that is the case Grimaldo would dearly love to sign off with another winner’s medal.

History

Bayern have won the DFB Pokal 20 times, but not since 2020, while Leverkusen won their second Pokal triumph in 2024, beating FC Kaiserslautern 1-0 in the final to complete a domestic double under Xabi Alonso. 

In terms of heads to head results, Bayern have won 31 matches to Bayer’s ten, in all competitions, and there have been 13 draws, while the margin at the BayArena is tighter, with Bayern leading by 13 to seven with eight draws, and when the two teams met just over a month ago, they shared the points in a 1-1 draw.

While the Munich giants have won their last six games, scoring 22 goals along the way, Leverkusen have won two, lost two and drawn two of their last six.

Betting Tip

With Leverkusen at 4.65 to win and the Draw at 4.40 the odds are very much in Bayern’s favour. The Bavarians are priced, here at SBOTOP, at 1.51 but in a knockout competition against such a strong opponent anything can happen. 

As with all clashes between these two clubs, I reckon the DFB Pokal 2026 highlights on Wednesday will be well worth a look, and for a correct scoreline, a 3-2 win to Bayern is priced at 12.75.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 21-Apr-2026 at 1:05 PM

Bundesliga: Can the ‘Wolves’ Claw Back from the Brink?

The sheer fact that it’s April 21 and Wolfsburg are in the Bundesliga danger zone will beggar belief for some football fans, as well as beg the question: where has it gone wrong.

Indeed, for a club which was Bundesliga runners-up as recently as 2015, and has not finished outside the top 12 in eight years, including an eighth place finish less than three years ago, the plight of the ‘Wolves’ – ever presents in the German top flight for almost 30 years –has shocked many this term.

Yet hope springs eternal and their first win in more than three months, a 2-1 success at Union Berlin on Saturday, has given them a glimmer with four league matches remaining.

Realistically, it is a play-off they will likely have to navigate to preserve their top flight status (they trail 16th place St Pauli by two points, while the gap to 15th place and guaranteed safety stands at six points).

But that is now a possibility after they secured their first victory since defeating St Pauli in January, which actually took them to the lofty heights of 11th place at the time.

Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t pretty, but all that matters, especially at this stage, is the result, not the performance.

Union Berlin, who made history as Marie Louise-Eta became the first female coach in the highest level of the men’s game, dominated for large periods, managing 27 shots – including seven on target – to their opponents’ five. However, the visitors were clinical, breaking the deadlock through Patrick Wimmer early on before Dženan Pejčinović doubled their advantage almost immediately after the interval.

That sealed some rare Bundesliga 2026 highlights and brought to an end a 12-game winless run, a streak which included defeats to relegation rivals Werder Bremen, Hamburg and Cologne, as well as a draw with rock-bottom Heidenheim.

The victory also came on a special day for club captain Maximilian Arnold, who made his 400th Bundesliga appearance as a late substitute. One of the few constants at Wolfsburg in recent years, he is already the club’s record appearance-maker, while no other player currently at the club has scored as many as his 49 goals in all competitions.

With Arnold and co now just two points behind Pauli, it may go down to the wire, which would mean a winner-takes-all encounter between the Kiezkicker and Wolfsburg at the Millerntor on the final day of the season.

First, though, they must get as much as they can out of fixtures against Borussia Mönchengladbach, Freiburg and newly crowned champions Bayern Munich to put themselves in the best position.

The position they currently find themselves in may seem unfathomable

Not long after I started working for this organisation, I recall Wolfsburg defeating my beloved Man Utd to knock them out of the Champions League.

And it’s less than 18 months since they were being talked about as being in the European mix.

It’s only 12 months since my SBOTOP colleague predicted they were in need of a pick-me-up but few felt they would fall so low, not even the Bundesliga 2026 betting odds at the turn of the year.

While their tally of 41 goals is respectable, no team has conceded more in the league this season.

Daniel Bauer became the second Wolfsburg coach to be dismissed this term following his side’s 2-1 defeat to Hamburg last month. His replacement Dieter Hecking then started his tenure by gaining a valuable point against Hoffenheim before defeats against Werder Bremen, Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Saturday’s victory at Berlin, though, has given them renewed hope.

Wolverhampton Wanderers may have lost their top flight status in the English Premier League but their German equivalents are still kicking. Can they claw back from the brink? The escape may well be on.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 21-Apr-2026 at 1:06 PM

Bundesliga: So Who Takes the Other Top 4 Berths?

With Bayern Munich clinching the Bundesliga title with four matchdays to spare, following their 4-2 win against VfB Stuttgart, all that’s left is the battle for the other European football spots. With Die Bayern taking one, only three teams can join them in the Champions League next season, while the fifth and sixth-place teams will end up in the Europa League and Europa Conference League, respectively.

As of this writing, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, and VfB Stuttgart are in the Top 4, with 64, 59, and 56 points, while Hoffenheim and Bayer Leverkusen aren’t far behind at 54 and 52 points. After that, SC Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt are the distant challengers for Europe at 43 and 42 points.

Today, SBOTOP previews three of the most important games in Matchday 31, featuring Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, and VfB Stuttgart, as they will face SC Freiburg, Union Berlin, and Werder Bremen.

RB Leipzig vs Union Berlin

RB Leipzig stretched their winning streak to four games, following their 3-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt last time out. This means the Red Bulls are guaranteed to finish no lower than sixth place, which would qualify them for a UEFA competition next season. However, it remains to be seen whether that’s in the Champions League, Europa League, or Europa Conference League.

Yan Diomande, Antonio Nusa, and Conrad Harder scored the goals for Die Roten Bullen against Die Adler. Diomande is now level with Christoph Baumgartner at the top of the team’s scoring chart at 12 goals, and the 19-year-old winger is certainly on top of Union Berlin’s scouting report ahead of this Friday.

Friday night will mark Marie-Louise Eta’s second game as Union Berlin head coach, following their 2-1 loss to VfL Wolfsburg last time out. Eta became the first and only woman in charge of a men’s team in Europe’s Top 5 leagues, and she’s searching for her maiden victory.

Union Berlin badly need a win to snap their four-game winless run and keep pace at a Top 10 spot. However, the Bundesliga 2026 odds don’t expect them to replicate their 3-1 win in the reverse fixture last December at Alten Forsterei. 

Betting tip – RB Leipzig Asian Handicap -1.75 @ 2.28

VfB Stuttgart vs Werder Bremen

Matchday 31 gets dicier on Sunday, as VfB Stuttgart and Werder Bremen will battle for three important points at MHP Arena. By that time, Die Schwaben have just come off from a grueling DFB-Pokal semi-final tie against SC Freiburg, while Die Werderaner have had the luxury of having no midweek matches.

Sebastian Hoeneß is in a bit of a pickle here, as he has the dilemma of whether his team should go all-out on the DFB-Pokal or this league game on the weekend to boost their Champions League hopes. Either way, he’s relieved to have his top scorer back, as Deniz Undav, with 18 Bundesliga goals, is available again after serving his suspension against Bayern Munich. However, VfB Stuttgart will miss Finn Jeltsch, who sustained an abdominal injury. 

Like RB Leipzig, VfB Stuttgart are also guaranteed at least a sixth-place finish, so they’re qualified for Europe for a third consecutive season. The last time they did so was 16 years ago, between 2007-08 and 2010-11.

VfB Stuttgart recorded their biggest away win of the season, a 4-0 result against Werder Bremen in Matchday 14 at the Weser Stadium. However, Werder Bremen have some confidence heading into Sunday, as they won 3-1 against 10-man Hamburg last time out, with skipper Jens Stage scoring a brace.

Betting tip – VfB Stuttgart Asian Handicap -1.25 @ 2.13

Borussia Dortmund vs SC Freiburg

Borussia Dortmund are keen to bounce back from their 2-1 road loss against Hoffenheim by taking care of business against SC Freiburg, who will play in the DFB-Pokal semi-finals before this Sunday’s match. BVB are on a two-game losing streak, while the Black Forest have won three of their last four league games.

SC Freiburg are on a roll, as besides the DFB-Pokal, they’re also one of the favourites to win the Europa League after beating Celta Vigo in the quarter-finals. Julian Schuster’s men are coming off a 2-1 win over Heidenheim, as Johan Manzambi and Maximilian Eggestein were on the Bundesliga 2026 highlights reel.

These two sides shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw last December, as Lucas Holer scored a late equaliser to nullify Ramy Bensebaini’s goal in the 31st minute. It also helped SC Freiburg that Jobe Bellingham received his marching orders before the hour mark, reducing Borussia Dortmund to 10 men at Europa-Park-Stadion.

Betting tip – Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.15

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 22-Apr-2026 at 6:30 PM

DFB-Pokal: Stuttgart’s Title Defence is Still Up and Running

VfB Stuttgart vs SC Freiburg

VfB Stuttgart are two steps away from successfully defending their DFB-Pokal title. Die Schwaben are in the semi-finals and will host SC Freiburg at the MHPArena on Thursday. The winner of this tie will take on the winner between Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich in the final round.

Sebastian Hoeneß’ men need a pick-me-up, given their inconsistent run of results (across all competitions). Since beating Holstein Kiel in the DFB-Pokal quarter-finals last February, VfB Stuttgart exited the Europa League Round of 16 after losing to Porto, and they dropped to fourth in the Bundesliga table with 56 points.

Meanwhile, SC Freiburg, who barely defeated Hertha Berlin in the previous round of the cup, are through to the Europa League semi-finals after eliminating Celta Vigo in the quarter-finals. Julian Schuster’s side recently improved to seventh place with their unbeaten run.

Talking Points

Undav has fresh legs for VfB Stuttgart

VfB Stuttgart suffered a 4-2 loss against Bayern Munich last time out, which is actually a commendable result for a team without its top scorer. Die Schwaben were without Deniz Undav, who has 18 league goals, as the German striker served his suspension due to yellow cards. 

Chris Fuhrich actually drew first blood for VfB Stuttgart before Raphael Guerreiro, Nicolas Jackson, and Alphonso Davies unleashed a three-goal barrage before halftime. Harry Kane scored Die Bayern’s fourth and final goal, before Chema Andres came off the bench and added a late consolation goal.

Against Bayern Munich, head coach Sebastian Hoeneß went with Tiago Tomas as the No. 9 in place of Undav alongside Jamie Lewelling, Chris Fuhrich, and Bilal El Khannouss in the final third. Undav, who recharged his batteries last weekend, should replace Tomas in the starting XI.

Moreover, VfB Stuttgart are expected to make changes at the back, as Finn Jeltsch is unavailable against SC Freiburg due to an abdominal injury he sustained against Bayern Munich. Losing him is a blow for Die Schwaben, as the 19-year-old defender has been one of the team’s most used players this season, with 35 appearances across all competitions.

Grifo continues to dish for SC Freiburg

Vincenzo Grifo was named Man of the Match in SC Freiburg’s 2-1 win over Heidenheim, as the 33-year-old winger assisted both of his side’s goals last Sunday, teeing up Johan Manzambi’s opener in the 24th minute and Maximilian Eggestein’s winner in the 83rd. 

Grifo also logged a season-high four chances and three defensive contributions in the victory. He now has 10 goal contributions in the Bundesliga this term. With that said, he’s expected to play a pivotal role in SC Freiburg’s bid to end their trophy drought.

VfB Stuttgart would also have to worry about Igor Matanovic, who is the Black Forest’s top scorer with eight goals this term. The Croatian striker remains a dangerous customer, even if he has only scored one goal in his last five appearances.

History

Thursday marks the third encounter between VfB Stuttgart and SC Freiburg. The Black Forest won 3-1 last September, before Die Schwaben secured a 1-0 win in the reverse fixture last February. The hosts have won each of their last four meetings. In the DFB-Pokal, VfB Stuttgart have eliminated SC Freiburg in four of their last five encounters, including the 2013 semi-finals.

VfB Stuttgart are among the winningest teams in DFB-Pokal history with four trophies, including last year, which broke their 28-year drought. In stark contrast, SC Freiburg have never won the DFB-Pokal, finishing as the runners-up only once in 2022.

In terms of recent form, VfB Stuttgart have now alternated between wins and losses in each of their last seven outings (W3, L4), while SC Freiburg are on a four-game winning streak across all competitions. 

Betting Tip

The DFB-Pokal 2026 odds have the defending champions coming out of this semi-final clash. VfB Stuttgart are 1.63 favourites to win on Thursday at home, while SC Freiburg are 4.54 underdogs, and a draw after 90 minutes is pegged at 3.75 in the 1X2 market.

Their past league meeting was a low-scoring affair, but SBOTOP football fans should expect the opposite on Thursday, as both are keen to create new DFB-Pokal 2026 highlights. Besides rooting for VfB Stuttgart to win, punters could add Over 2.50 at 1.68, Over 2.75 at 1.87, Over 3.00 at 2.13, and even Total Goal 4-6 at 2.83 to the parlay. However, if you don’t agree and anticipate another low-scoring game, check out the Correct Score of 1-0 in favour of VfB Stuttgart, as it is on offer at 7.70 your bet.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 22-Apr-2026 at 6:35 PM