The Bundesliga action continues to capture the imagination of fans around the world. Bayern Munich are edging closer towards regaining their league title, while the battle for a place in the top four this season is also heating up. But, which sides will get the wins this weekend that they are craving?
Hoffenheim vs RB Leipzig
The action in the Bundesliga will get underway on Friday night as RB Leipzig are back on the road to take on Hoffenheim. Despite being held by bottom-placed Paderborn in their last outing, Leipzig increased their lead in the battle for a place in the top four. The defeats for Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen means that Leipzig now have a three-point lead over the other sides in the battle.
Leipzig will be pleased to be back on the road, as they have won just once in their previous five home games. However, they haven’t lost in that run, as they have drawn four of the five games at the Red Bull Arena. Away from home, Leipzig are a different animal entirely as they have won both of their games away since the restart. Across those fixtures, they have scored nine goals, which is five more than they have managed at home since the restart. Their last game on the road was against FC Köln. Leipzig won that fixture 4-2, with Patrik Schick, Timo Werner, Dani Olmo and Christopher Nkunku getting the goals.
Hoffenheim still have a battle of their own over the final weeks of the season, as they are still hopeful of finishing in a Europa League spot. They lost ground on Wolfsburg this past weekend as they were held by Fortuna Dusseldorf. Wolfsburg’s win means that there is now a two-point gap between the two sides, which means that they can ill-afford more dropped points. Hoffenheim comes into this match having drawn two of their previous four games. They have won the other two games in this space of time, with the victories coming against FC Köln and Mainz. Their last game was a 2-2 draw against Fortuna, with Moanes Dabour and Steven Zuber scoring the goals for Hoffenheim.
This will only be the ninth occasion that these two sides have met, with RB Leipzig having won on four occasions. There have been two wins for Hoffenheim and two draws in the past. Leipzig haven’t been beaten by Hoffenheim in the last four meetings. Leipzig won the game earlier in the season 3-1, and that could be the likely result again. Gamblers will not be betting against Leipzig.
Bayern Munich vs Borussia Monchengladbach
Bayern Munich’s mission is almost complete, and what they need to do to win the Bundesliga title is simple. All they will have to do is win their next two league games, beginning with a home clash against Borussia Monchengladbach. Bayern have been in stunning form since the turn of the year, as they have dropped just two points. Those came in a 0-0 draw with Leipzig, but they have won every other match in 2020. Their form has ensured that they have left the chasing pack trailing in their dust, and they have passed every challenge that has been put in front of them over recent weeks.
They have already scored 90 goals this season and conceded 30, which is a league-best for both. They have won all their games since the restart, but their best performance since the return of the Bundesliga came in their last league game as they dominated the talented Bayer Leverkusen side. Bayern went behind in that fixture as Lucas Alario opened the scoring. However, the game was turned on its head before the break with Kingsley Coman, Leon Goretzka and Serge Gnabry all finding the net. Robert Lewandowski scored his 30th of the season in the second period to put the contest out of sight. This will be another challenge for Bayern, but on current form, it would be hard to see them dropping points.
Monchengladbach had the perfect opportunity to take advantage of Bayern’s victory over Leverkusen, but they were also beaten last time out. That defeat means that they are still level on points with Leverkusen with four games of the season remaining. Leipzig were able to open up a three-point lead, and there will be pressure on Monchengladbach to avoid defeat in this fixture to ensure that Leverkusen does not take control of the Champions League race. However, Monchengladbach are not in the greatest form and have lost two games since the restart. They have won just twice since the Bundesliga resumed.
Monchengladbach have not enjoyed success on the road since the season restarted, as they were held by Werder Bremen and lost to Freiburg. Their run-in doesn’t get much easier as they take on Wolfsburg and Hertha Berlin after Bayern. Their last outing in the Bundesliga was a disappointing afternoon as they were beaten 1-0 by Freiburg. They must bounce back with a positive performance in this fixture.
Bayern have a dominant record in this fixture, as they have won 14 of the 30 meetings. Monchengladbach have won on eight occasions, while there have been eight draws. Monchengladbach will at least take confidence from their success earlier in the season. However, it is impossible to look past a Bayern win in this fixture.
