Bundesliga Betting: Leipzig's Bulls to keep on charging

RB Leipzig v Stuttgart
Saturday October 21, 14:30

It's been a great week for the Bundesliga's youngest club. First, Die Roten Bullen went to Dortmund and promptly ended their 41-match unbeaten run at home in the league, and then they picked up their first ever Champions League victory, beating Porto 3-2 and blowing their group wide open.

Impressively, Leipzig achieved both results without star striker Timo Werner in their starting line-up. Werner has been suffering with a spinal problem that was causing him to have dizzy spells, and in his absence the likes of Bruma, Jean-Kevin Augustin and Yussuf Poulsen have really stepped up. After a few mishaps this season, Naby Keita is also showing that he can be trusted in his final season before moving to Liverpool.

Stuttgart have racked up ten points since returning to the top flight, so they are probably at least a quarter of the way to their survival target. However, it's worth noting that VfB have collected all of their points on home soil. They have lost all four of their away matches, conceding at least two goals every time.

Leipzig are on the charge, having won four of their last five games in all competitions. I believe they'll win this, and win it comfortably. Werner is expected to start, and will be well rested, so I'm backing him to score against his former club.

Recommended Bet
Back RB Leipzig -1.0 on the Asian Handicap at 1.91
Back Timo Werner to score at 2.00 (Sportsbook)

Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Dortmund
Saturday October 21, 14:30

While Leipzig have had a great week, Dortmund's last few days have taken the gloss of a very good start to the season. They were exposed defensively against the pace and ingenuity of RBL in a 3-2 defeat, and then they drew 1-1 at Cypriot side APOEL in the Champions League. Goalkeeper Roman Burki has a tendency to make costly errors, and he failed not once but twice in the build-up to APOEL's opener. An equaliser from Sokratis spared BVB's blushes, but their Champions League hopes are fading quickly.

We shouldn't over-react to this downturn. Dortmund still lead the Bundesliga, and are still a thrilling side with plenty of options. However, there's no way they should be odds-on to win at Frankfurt this weekend. The Eagles have won three of their last four games in the league, and they have beaten BVB in the clubs' last three meetings at the Commerzbank Arena. Frankfurt always make it a scrap, and so a suspension for Sokratis will harm the visitors' cause, as the Greek centre-back is an inspirational competitor and a guy who loves the rough-and-tumble.

Of course, Dortmund are the better side, but they have found recent meetings with Frankfurt really difficult. I'd include last season's DFB Pokal final in that - Dortmund were firm favourites in Berlin, but Niko Kovac's side pushed them all the way and made them really fight for the trophy.

Recommended Bet
Lay Borussia Dortmund at 1.77

Schalke v Mainz
Friday October 20, 19:30
Live on BT Sport 1

While I'm not necessarily a fan of Schalke's style under new boss Domenico Tedesco, he is starting to get results. The Royal Blues are careful and precise under the 32-year-old, to the point of being dull, but they are in the European qualification spots, which is their primary target this season.

Midfield maestro Leon Goretzka is leading the charge. The 22-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season, and his growing list of suitors will have been hugely impressed with what the German international is doing. He has scored nine goals in his last 16 games for club and country, and he is emerging as a leader. He took a free-kick off the great Naldo against Bayer Leverkusen in the last home game, and whacked it past Bernd Leno, and last weekend he decided to take the first penalty of his professional career. It was a good decision - he fired it home, and Schalke went on to win 2-0 at the Olympiastadion, becoming the first team to beat Hertha on home soil this term.

The progress should continue at home to Mainz on Friday night. Mainz haven't won any of their last nine away games, their record against Schalke in the last few years is awful, and they still seem a bit flaky to me under new coach Sandro Schwarz. Die Nullfunfer have only claimed a point on the road, and have only scored once.

Schalke are boosted by the return of central midfielders Weston Mckennie and Nabil Bentaleb, and they'll battle for the right to partner Goretzka. I think Schalke are still far from the finished article, but they should win this one.

Recommended Bet
Back Schalke to win at 1.90