Bayer Leverkusen vs Borussia Monchengladbach
All roads lead to the BayArena in Leverkusen for the Bundesliga clash of the weekend, on Saturday, as Bayer host Borussia Monchengladbach in Round Two of the new season.
It’s a meeting of two teams hopeful of achieving a top-four finish, and both have made decent starts with well earned 1-1 draws. This game is shaping up to be a cracker!
Talking Points
Seoane can take the step up Leverkusen
New head coach Gerardo Seoane arrived at Leverkusen in the summer, bringing with him an impressive reputation from the Swiss League where he led Young Boys to a domestic double. As a player, the 42-year-old was a commanding defensive midfielder and a leader on the pitch in a distinguished career in Switzerland, and he has all the attributes of a successful manager who can work in one of Europe’s top leagues.
Last week die Werkself had a tough opener away to Union Berlin and came away with a 1-1 draw thanks to a smart left-foot finish from French striker Moussa Diaby, converting a pass from full-back Jeremie Frimpong, who had a fine game, making key passes and winning some crucial defensive tackles. Another man who impressed was 24-year-old attacking midfielder Nadiem Amiri who showed what a player he can be, twice coming close to scoring as well as supplying chances for Kerem Demirbay and striker Patrik Schick, who had an outstanding Euro 2020.
Schick will be a serious threat to Die Fohlen on Saturday and Seoane will pick him from a full-strength squad, with no injuries to key players. The Bundesliga 2021 betting odds suggest the title will go to FC Bayern for the tenth successive season, with Borussia Dortmund the champions’ main rivals. But Leverkusen is a strong outfit which is certainly capable of a top-four place and is in good shape to win the big matches, starting on Saturday.
The Foals will need to battle again
Gladbach almost pulled off one of the Bundesliga 2021 results of the campaign in their very first match, against FC Bayern. With the game delicately poised at 1-1, Marcus Thuram was seemingly fouled, not once but twice, by Bayern’s Dayot Upamecano in the penalty area. The referee was unimpressed on both occasions and a furious Adi Hutter received a yellow card. The new Borussia Monchengladbach manager was one of the Bundesliga stand out head coaches last season as he led Eintracht Frankfurt to fifth place, so bosses at the club have high hopes he can improve on Die Fohlen’s eighth-placed finish of last season.
Striker Alassane Plea scored an early goal to give Monchengladbach a surprise lead against the Bavarians, but Robert Lewandowski equalised and the hosts were hanging on for much of the rest of the game, which they did successfully thanks to a stout defence and a fine performance from experienced keeper Yann Sommer who made a total of eight saves. After keeping his side in the game Sommer was as angry as his boss when Thuram was twice denied a late penalty.
Hutter doesn’t have the luxury of a full squad to choose from and Swiss striker Breel Embolo could be sidelined alongside Algerian defender Ramy Bensebaini; but he does still have plenty of quality in his ranks, with Plea, Thuram and influential midfielder Jonas Hoffman all set to play a part.
History
This is a meeting of two teams with rich heritages in Germany’s top flight. Monchengladbach are five-time winners of the Bundesliga during their golden period of the seventies when they won three on the bounce. Meanwhile, Die Werkself are five times runners up, three this century and most recently in 2011.
Leverkusen have won 26 and drawn 18 of the 55 head to head encounters with Gladbach since 1992, while Die Fohlen have triumphed in just 11 of the meetings, and none of the last three. In fact, Bayer did the double last term in this clash, 4-3 at home in November and 1-0 away in March as Schick scored the only goal of the game.
In terms of recent form, both had solid pre-seasons and Monchengladbach are unbeaten in five, while Bayer have just one defeat in six, a 3-1 defeat to title hopefuls Borussia Dortmund.
Betting Tip
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Bayer Leverkusen vs Borussia Monchengladbach | 1X2 Bayer Leverkusen @ 2.31 |
| August 22, 00:30 (GMT+8) |
Gladbach are at odds of 2.66 to win this game and, if they defend as well as they did against FC Bayern, then they have a chance, but without Embolo they may lack some penetration upfront. The draw is at SBOTOP odds of 3.59 and the double chance Borussia and Draw at 1.54.
But, with a fully fit squad and some serious firepower, I’m backing Die Werkeslf to come through for all three points.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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 = €20 (Highly confident) |
= €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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