A Big Berlin Battle: Dortmund Chase Bundesliga Summit Against Hertha

Hertha Berlin vs Borussia Dortmund

It’s been an interesting time in the German top flight, and the stage is set up for a grand finale at the top!

Bayern Munich have finally reclaimed the top spot in the Bundesliga, but they are only ahead of Borussia Dortmund by a mere two goals. They may have struggled as of late, but they have a chance to catch up if they win against Hertha Berlin.

SBOBET markets will undoubtedly give the advantage to the BVB, and they have no business losing this match when they are in the business of winning the league. However, Dortmund have shown a tendency to trip whenever they look too far ahead. Berlin were also one of the sides that gave them a proper headache during the season’s early days.

Talking Points

Dortmund need a hero to step up

opacity 0

CLICK HERE
TO SEE UPDATED ODDS

Serie A

While the situation cannot be called a bottle job just yet, it’s hard to deny that Lucien Favre’s boys are having a lacklustre 2019. They need to turn things around in the league if they want to finish the season on a positive note.

They probably regret not scoring against a struggling Nurnberg as those points could have kept the Bavarians at bay. Their shocking loss to Augsburg before their frustrating elimination from the Champions League also leave a bad taste in the mouths of the Yellow Wall.

The worrying run of form also continued for much of their league game against Stuttgart, and it looked like they were bound to choke their way out of the championship. It was fortunate for them that Christian Pulisic stepped up and gave a performance to remember at the Signal Iduna Park.

They know that this form cannot continue and they need to make a way to consolidate their form and keep the pressure on their Bavarian rivals. They have the players to help them secure the feat, but they also those same players to step up their game.

The last couple of games showed how poorly the strikers have been misfiring as of late. Both Marco Reus and Paco Alcacer haven’t stood out the same way they did compared to the earlier weeks of the season, and they need to rediscover their scoring form quick.

Jadon Sancho is doing a wonderful job from the right wing and will definitely perform for the Black and Yellows, but he needs the rest of the team to step up and finish the chances he creates. While the team assures that he will still be playing for the BVB next season, they need to win games like this to keep him in Germany.

No-pressure Berlin can do it again

A quick look at the league table will tell you that Berlin is not a team the BVB’s passionate supporters should worry about. They do not have big-name players in their roster, and their inconsistent form sees them settle down at tenth.

Ondrej Duda looking forward to fire Hertha Berlin to victory when the two sides meet in Bundesliga — Hertha Berlin’s Ondrej Duda and team mates remonstrate with referee Harm Osmers

However, a more detailed inspection of their Bundesliga 2019 results will tell you a different story. They secured a fantastic 3-0 victory away at Borussia Monchengladbach. They also managed to compete with Bayern Munich for a good chunk of their 1-0 loss at the Allianz Arena.

Pal Dardai has a wealth of dependable players who can step up if needed. Ondrej Duda is doing well up front, leading the team with his 10 goals. Marko Grujic, Jordan Torunarigha, and Valentino Lazaro are also playing well on the defensive end. Niklas Stark has been an outstanding young defender that Bayern Munich are interested in his services.

Make no mistake: this team can definitely play with the best of them. The BVB better put their best foot forward if they want to get the win at the Olympiastadion.

History

These two sides are established Bundesliga regulars, and they have faced each other in football games for at least 66 times since the German top flight’s establishment in 1962. The BVB won 30 of those games with Berlin winning 18 of them. The remaining 18 results were draws. The quality of performances the two sides have put out are painfully obvious: the BVB have produced 116 goals, 29 goals more than Die Alte Dame.

Their latest league game is a cautionary tale for Dortmund fans, though: the BVB had the lead for a good chunk of this October 2018 match, but Salomon Kalou put on a man-of-the-match performance and was key in denying Dortmund the victory.

Betting Tip

	Hertha Berlin vs Borussia Dortmund	Over 2.75 Goals @ 1.96
	March 17, 01:30 (GMT+8)

Bundesliga 2019 odds still see Dortmund as favourites to win this fixture, but their recent form put a huge question mark in bookmakers’ heads. Do the BVB still have what it takes to handle the pressure and keep it up with Bayern Munich until the end of the season.

This writer believes that Dortmund can still eke out a win against Berlin, but the path to the three points will be anything but easy. Sancho should produce a goal in the first half, and either Alcacer or Pulisic should finish the job from the bench.

However, it is also highly possible that Duda and friends can spoil Dortmund’s season and pull off a legendary victory. Given the way the team has performed against better competition, I will not be surprised if this ends in another 2-2 draw or a classic 2-1 upset.