Schalke v Borussia Dortmund
Saturday April 01, 14:30
The Ruhr derby between Schalke and Borussia Dortmund brings one of German football's fiercest rivalries into sharp focus. Only 32 kilometres separate the two clubs in the country's industrial heartland, and this is seen as a blue-collar battle between two football institutions that have had fluctuating fortunes.
Schalke had the upper hand before the second World War, as the likes of Ernst Kuzorra and Fritz Szepan helped the Royal Blues become the country's dominant football force in the 1930s. In more recent times, BVB have had the whip hand. Since the mid-nineties they have won five Bundesliga titles, a German Cup and a Champions League.
This season, Dortmund find themselves a long way behind leaders Bayern Munich in a title race that never really began, but they could still win the Champions League and the German Cup. BVB have consistently slipped up on the road this term, which is why they have fallen so far behind their old rivals Bayern. Only 16 of their 46 points have been collected outside Signal Iduna Park, and they have won just two of their last eight Bundesliga road matches.
Schalke also have European ambitions (they are in the quarter-finals of the Europa League), but their league season has been a huge disappointment. New coach Markus Weinzierl lost his first five league matches in charge, and has been hampered by injury problems throughout the campaign. However, back-to-back victories have taken the Miners to within four points of the top six, and they have only lost two of their last 11 home matches in the league.
The reverse fixture ended 0-0, and even though Dortmund have plenty of excellent attacking players, they just don't seem to be able to click on the road. Dortmund are a shade over evens to win this, and I think that's too short.
Recommended Bet
Lay Borussia Dortmund at 2.02
Saturday April 01, 14:30
The Ruhr derby between Schalke and Borussia Dortmund brings one of German football's fiercest rivalries into sharp focus. Only 32 kilometres separate the two clubs in the country's industrial heartland, and this is seen as a blue-collar battle between two football institutions that have had fluctuating fortunes.
Schalke had the upper hand before the second World War, as the likes of Ernst Kuzorra and Fritz Szepan helped the Royal Blues become the country's dominant football force in the 1930s. In more recent times, BVB have had the whip hand. Since the mid-nineties they have won five Bundesliga titles, a German Cup and a Champions League.
This season, Dortmund find themselves a long way behind leaders Bayern Munich in a title race that never really began, but they could still win the Champions League and the German Cup. BVB have consistently slipped up on the road this term, which is why they have fallen so far behind their old rivals Bayern. Only 16 of their 46 points have been collected outside Signal Iduna Park, and they have won just two of their last eight Bundesliga road matches.
Schalke also have European ambitions (they are in the quarter-finals of the Europa League), but their league season has been a huge disappointment. New coach Markus Weinzierl lost his first five league matches in charge, and has been hampered by injury problems throughout the campaign. However, back-to-back victories have taken the Miners to within four points of the top six, and they have only lost two of their last 11 home matches in the league.
The reverse fixture ended 0-0, and even though Dortmund have plenty of excellent attacking players, they just don't seem to be able to click on the road. Dortmund are a shade over evens to win this, and I think that's too short.
Recommended Bet
Lay Borussia Dortmund at 2.02
RB Leipzig v Darmstadt
Saturday April 01, 14:30
RB Leipzig's hopes of an extraordinary title in their first ever Bundesliga season have now crumbled to dust, but they could still qualify for the Champions League, which would be a remarkable achievement. For all the furore about the financial resources of their backers Red Bull, Leipzig have still beaten the odds this term.
This is the youngest squad in the division, and only a handful of RBL's players had Bundesliga experience before this campaign. Coach Ralph Hasenhuttl is only contesting his second Bundesliga season as a boss, so for the team to be second in the table with just nine games left is incredible. Back-to-back defeats against Wolfsburg and Werder Bremen have set Die Roten Bullen back a bit, but Hasenhuttl doesn't seem worried, and he welcomes back key players Yussuf Poulsen and Naby Keita this week.
RBL could hardly be facing more obliging opponents - Darmstadt have lost every single away game they have played in the league this season, and they look doomed to relegation. Influential midfielder Jerome Gondorf is suspended, while centre-back Aytac Sulu isn't fully fit because of a virus.
Despite their dip in form, I fully expect Leipzig to win this, and they'll do it in style.
Recommended Bet
Back RB Leipzig -1.5 on the Asian Handicap at [2.09]
Bayer Leverkusen v Wolfsburg
Sunday April 02, 16:30
Live on BT Sport
So far, the Tayfun Korkut experiment is not going well in Leverkusen. While I fully agreed with the decision to part company with Roger Schmidt, his replacement as coach was a rather underwhelming choice. Bayer have taken just a point from their two games under Korkut, and their long run of involvement in the Champions League will come to an end next season.
It shows just how far B04 have fallen that they aren't safe from relegation yet, and I'm pleased to see them trading at odds-on this weekend, because they shouldn't be. Wolfsburg have found their feet at long last under new coach Andries Jonker, whose longstanding relationship with star striker Mario Gomez has proved hugely beneficial. The two were together at Bayern Munich, and Gomez has scored all three of Wolfsburg's goals since the Dutchman took charge.
The Wolves are still in trouble, but there is at least a plan in place, and Jonker has more gravitas than his predecessor Valerien Ismael. Wolfsburg have been given a double boost with news that Gomez and attacking midfielder Daniel Didavi have been passed fit after adductor muscle injuries, and they outplayed Bayer in the reverse fixture, before collapsing late on to lose 2-1.
I'm not convinced by Korkut at all, and I think Wolfsburg can get a result here.
Recommended Bet
Lay Bayer Leverkusen at 1.81
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