With just eight games left to play in the Bundesliga, everything is still very much up for grabs. Bayern have shown the ability to win the games that matter after leapfrogging Dortmund to assume the driver’s seat.
Saturday 8 April
Borussia Dortmund 4/7 | Draw 3/1 | Union Berlin 24/5 (14:30)
Borussia Dortmund need to bounce back as quickly as possible after suffering a demoralizing defeat to Bayern Munich, now trailing the top of the table by two points. Union Berlin have finally clicked again, with back-to-back wins coupled by successive clean sheets. This is building up to be the clash of the weekend as preventing Dortmund from scoring is extremely tough, but grinding out results is the Union way. I’m backing both teams to score here at 17/20.
Augsburg 9/5 | Draw 12/5 | Cologne 29/20 (14:30)
12th-placed Augsburg face 13th-placed Cologne as both teams seek a full complement of points to gain a little breathing room at the back end of the table. Augsburg are not in the greatest of form, but they are scoring goals, whereas Cologne have found the back of the net just twice in six league games. The home win holds value.
Freiburg 5/1 | Draw 15/4 | Bayern Munich 4/9 (14:30)
You might look at the odds and be extremely confused at the value Bayern offers this matchday, and I am personally tempted to drop my savings on it. The only question mark is ‘can Thomas Tuchel’s honeymoon period not be disrupted by the looming midweek fixture against Manchester City?’. I’m getting on!
Mainz 4/6 | Draw 29/10 | Werder Bremen 7/2 (14:30)
Mainz is the banker of the weekend for me. An undefeated run of seven fixtures, conceding just two goals in their last two.
Hertha Berlin 21/5 | Draw 16/5 | RB Leipzig 8/13 (17:30)
Closing out Saturday’s Bundesliga fixtures, Hertha Berlin welcome RB Leipzig to the capital. Leipzig have really dropped off since their humiliating defeat to Man City in the Champions League. Two successive defeats and failing to score a goal in just as many despite scoring the third most goals in the league. This is a tricky fixture and backing the home side Double Chance could be a valuable play at 5/4.
Sunday 9 April
Monchengladbach 27/20 | Draw 5/2 | Wolfsburg 7/4 (14:30)
Out-of-form Monchengladbach welcome in-form Wolfsburg to Borussia-Park. Head coach Daniel Farke is known to have a dip and then find success, looking back at his time with Norwich City in England. However, from a betting perspective, Wolfsburg have looked solid from back to front since the return to football this year. Get behind the away team.
Bochum 19/10 | Draw 12/5 | Stuttgart 5/4 (16:30)
Stuttgart suffered their fourth defeat in five fixtures and now we can categorize them facing “squeaky bum time” for relegation. On the flipside, 14th-placed Bochum can possibly broaden the drop zone gap to nine points, and I’d back them to do so.
Hoffenheim 87/100 | Draw 13/5 | Schalke 13/5 (18:30)
Closing out gameweek 27, Hoffenheim and Schalke lock horns in an all-important relegation six-pointer. Hoffenheim have won back-to-back league fixtures for the first time since August last year and Andrej Kramaric has been the focal point, scoring three of the four goals. Schalke have regressed in form, losing 3-1 to Bayer Leverkusen last time out, preceded by back-to-back draws. The draw is a likely outcome, but that’s just me being safe – if I had to pick a side, it would be Hoffenheim.
