Bundesliga Betting: Muller to excel yet again in the Wolves' lair

Wolfsburg v Bayern Munich
Saturday February 27, 14:30

Despite the immense pressure being applied by second-placed Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich are still plotting their way towards an unprecedented fourth consecutive Bundesliga title. They were far from their best in last weekend's 3-1 win over Darmstadt, but the predatory instincts of Thomas Muller made the difference as he bagged a brace. The German international is having his best ever Bundesliga season - he has netted 17 league goals and set up five more, and he also scored the opener in the 2-2 draw at Juventus on Tuesday in the Champions League.

His strike partner Robert Lewandowski made history in the reverse fixture against Wolfsburg, scoring five goals in nine minutes, as Bayern roared back from a goal down to win 5-1. It was amind-boggling display that I don't think Wolfsburg have really recovered from. Indeed, when the teams met later in the season at the Volkswagen Arena, Bayern took Wolfsburg to the cleaners in the first half, playing them off the park in a 3-1 win. Muller scored twice in that game.

Wolfsburg won this fixture 4-1 last season, but they aren't the team they were then. Star man Kevin De Bruyne left to join Manchester City, and the Wolves don't have anywhere near the same attacking rhythm. They are four points off the top four, and a flu bug has ravaged the squad. Keeper and captain Diego Benaglio is out with a back problem, and backup Koen Casteels is one of those chugging antibiotics in a bid to be fit. Right-back Sebastian Jung is out for the rest of the season with knee ligament damage.

I usually feel this is a game where Bayern might struggle, but not this time. Wolfsburg are low on confidence and struggling for fitness, and I just can't see them matching the champions. Bayern will score goals, and Muller could well be the man to provide them.

Recommended Bet
Back Thomas Muller to score at 2.00 (Sportsbook product)

Stuttgart v Hannover
Saturday February 27, 14:30

Stuttgart have been truly transformed by coach Jurgen Kramny, and how Hannover would love their new boss Thomas Schaaf to have had the same effect. While Kramny has led the Swabians to five wins and a draw from their last six games, Schaaf is looking for his first point as Hannover coach.

The Bundesliga is well known for great acts of escapology at the wrong end of the table, but Hannover are in serious trouble. They have collected just 14 points from 22 games, and they are eight points adrift of safety. The first target is catching Werder Bremen, who are in the relegation playoff spot, six points ahead of H96.

Hannover have scored just one goal in five games since Schaaf took charge, and they have conceded eight times in the same period. New signing Hugo Almeida scored on his debut against Darmstadt but hasn't netted since, and now he is banned for three matches after elbowing Augsburg's Dominik Kohr last weekend.

Stuttgart have every reason to believe they will make it four home wins in a row in the league. I though VfB would struggle in their last home game against Hertha, because they didn't have top scorer Daniel Didavi, but they went on to win 2-0. Didavi is once again banned, but there should still be enough firepower to beat a modest Hannover side. Kramny has given the team structure, and the decision to bring back experienced defenders Georg Niedermeier and Daniel Schwaab was a masterstroke. Hannover are now praying for a few masterstrokes of their own.

Recommended Bet
Back Stuttgart -1.0 on the Asian Handicap at 1.94

FC Cologne v Hertha Berlin
Friday February 26, 19:30
Live on BT Sport Europe

This game brings together two sides who have stayed clear of relegation trouble because of good organisation and an iron-clad competitive spirit. Hertha are still third despite a run of four draws and a defeat, while Cologne are a healthy nine points clear of the bottom three. Hertha coach Pal Dardai and his Cologne counterpart Peter Stoger deserve huge credit.

Neither of these sides like taking too many risks, and that could lead to a cautious opening.Four of Hertha's last five league outings have been level at the break, and that's been true in eight of Cologne's last 12 league games. In the reverse fixture, the scoresheet was blank for the first 43 minutes, and a couple more minutes would do us fine on Friday night.

Recommended Bet
Back Draw in the Half Time market at 2.08

Mainz v Bayer Leverkusen
Sunday February 28, 16:30
Live on BT Sport

There were extraordinary scenes during Bayer Leverkusen's 1-0 home defeat to Borussia Dortmund last weekend. Bayer coach Roger Schmidt took umbrage after BVB opened the scoring, and after a heated discussion with referee Felix Zwayer, Schmidt was sent to the stands. Schmidt refused to go, which incredibly prompted Zwayer to take the teams back to the dressing rooms for eight minutes.

Schmidt has now been given a fine and a three-match touchline ban, and the first of those matches he'll miss is a tricky trip to face Mainz. Die Nullfunfer had a bad day at the office last weekend, as they lost 3-2 at relegation-threatened Hoffenheim, but they are chasing a third straight home win, and they could move ahead of Bayer with a win.

Martin Schmidt's Mainz have a nice balance and shape to the team, and in impish Spanish forward Jairo Samperio they have one of the league's in-form players. Defenders Stefan Bell and Giulio Donati should return, and young Colombian forward Jhon Cordoba is starting to look like a real handful for defenders.

Leverkusen have only won two of their five Bundesliga games in 2016, and they had the rigours of a Europa League game against Sporting Lisbon on Thursday. I'm siding with the hosts.

Recommended Bet
Back Home and Draw in the Double Chance market at 1.88