Football Bet of the Day: Leipzig to stay in the hunt

Augsburg v RB Leipzig
Friday March 03, 19:30
Live on BT Sport

As Arsenal fans know, seeing the word "Xhaka" next to the words "red card" isn't too unusual, but it was Granit's brother Taulant who landed himself in hot water last night. The FC Basel midfielder was given his marching orders in a Swiss Cup clash with FC Zurich, but luckily for us, Basel won 3-1 anyway.

We're pretty much square this week, so we head back to Germany hoping to move into profit. Surprise title challengers RB Leipzig visit Augsburg, who still aren't totally clear of the relegation battle.

I've had plenty of admiration for Ralph Hasenhuttl's Leipzig this season. They play fast-paced, thrilling football, and the coach is wringing every drop of potential out of the youngest squad in the league. However, my esteem for them has shot through the roof since Christmas. I honestly thought defeats at Ingolstadt and Bayern Munich just before the winter break would spark a bit of a corrective slump, but if anything, they have moved up a gear, and they are still just five points adrift of the leaders Bayern.

Back-to-back wins against Borussia Monchengladbach and FC Koln have got Die Roten Bullen back on track. 20-year-old striker Timo Werner now has 13 league goals this season, and Swedish playmaker Emil Forsberg continues to sparkle behind him. Hasenhuttl has no major injury concerns ahead of this game.

Augsburg eased the pressure last weekend with a comeback win at the bottom side Darmstadt, but I don't know where they'd be without talismanic striker Raul Bobadilla. The barrel-chested targetman has netted late winners recently against Werder Bremen and Darmstadt, and he is by far their best attacking weapon. Coach Manuel Baum was promoted from within to make the team play more attractive football, but I haven't detected much of an aesthetic improvement.

Apart from the Paraguayan, there is little devil or unpredictability about Augsburg. They were comfortably beaten in their last home game against Bayer Leverkusen, and I can see them being swept aside here too. Influential midfielder Daniel Baier is missing because of an Achilles tendon injury, and the likes of Naby Keita could run riot in the resulting space.

The Bayern Hunters will keep up their chase.

Recommended Bet
Back RB Leipzig to win at 1.97