Bundesliga Betting: Auba-less Dortmund to slip up again

Stuttgart v Borussia Dortmund
Friday November 17, 19:30
Live on BT Sport 2

Borussia Dortmund have had an extraordinary season so far. They made their best ever start to a Bundesliga campaign, collecting 19 points from their first seven games. Since then, almost nothing has gone right. They have taken just one point from four league matches, conceding 12 goals in the process. Their Champions League hopes have all but evaporated,after four matches that have been so bad that BVB aren't even certain to finish third and drop into the Europa League.

To make matters worse, the behind-the-scenes angst that ultimately spelled doom for former BVB coach Thomas Tuchel appears to have remained despite the arrival of new boss Peter Bosz. Over the summer, Ousmane Dembele effectively went on strike in a bid to force his move to Barcelona, and now his close friend Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is behaving badly too.

Last season's top scorer in the Bundesliga has been suspended by the club for disciplinary reasons, after he allegedly turned up late for training. It's not the first time the Gabon international has clashed with the top brass in Dortmund, and it's been alleged that Aubameyang sees himself as "untouchable", given his status as the club's star player.

Aubameyang will miss Friday night's trip to Stuttgart, a task that was already going to be difficult for Bosz's side. Newly-promoted Stuttgart have collected all 13 of their points this season at home, they haven't lost at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in 2017, and they have pacey players like Chadrac Akolo and Takuma Asano who can exploit Dortmund's absurdly high defensive line.

Dortmund are odds-on here at 1.76, and frankly, they shouldn't be.

Recommended Bet
Lay Borussia Dortmund at 1.76

Wolfsburg v Freiburg
Saturday November 18, 14:30

Seven games, seven draws. That's been the extraordinary start that Wolfsburg coach Martin Schmidt has made at the Volkswagen Arena. Although the Wolves are still in relegation danger, there have been some really encouraging signs.

Firstly, Wolfsburg have shown great fighting spirit, coming back from behind to get results time and time again. Also, the team is scoring goals - they have netted in all seven of Schmidt's league games, and in three of those matches they have scored at least twice.

With the way Wolfsburg are playing, a first league win under Schmidt doesn't feel too far away, and Saturday could be the day. Freiburg are dreadful away from home, and have lost four of their five away games this season, conceding an eye-watering 16 goals in the process. Going further back, SCF have lost seven of their last eight league games on their travels.

Recommended Bet
Back Wolfsburg -1.0 on the Asian Handicap at [2.03]

Schalke v Hamburg
Sunday November 19, 14:30
Live on BT Sport 2

Although I still don't think Domenico Tedesco's carefully considered football is going to set any pulses racing, you can't deny that the new Schalke boss is having a positive effect on the Royal Blues. Schalke are in the Champions League slots, and have won four of their last five games in all competitions.

Schalke have only won one of their last four home games, but I think they'll improve on that record against Hamburg this weekend. It says a lot that HSV are starting to pin their hopes on 17-year-old wonderkid Jan-Fiete Arp, who has scored in their last two games, including the 3-1 win over Stuttgart on Matchday 11.

Hamburg are still a pretty disjointed bunch, and they are atrocious away from home. The Redshorts have lost their last four games on their travels, and struggling coach Markus Gisdol seems incapable of finding the answers. In 2017, Hamburg have lost ten of their 14 away matches in the Bundesliga, and they've leaked 33 goals along the way.

Schalke aren't perfect, but their players are getting used to Tedesco's demands, and there is a unity of purpose that wasn't always there under Markus Weinzierl last season. This should be a comfortable home win, so wait for there to be some liquidity in the Asian Handicap market, and give Schalke a goal handicap.

Recommended Bet
Back Schalke -1.0 on the Asian Handicap at odds of around 2.00