After securing 3/3 winners last week, Kevin Hatchard’s back with another hat-trick of selections from Germany’s top flight.
Leipzig charge can generate a buzz
Bayer Leverkusen v RB Leipzig
Sunday 17 April, 18:30
Live on Sky Sports and Betfair Live Video
RB Leipzig’s incredible 2022 continued on Thursday, as they swept into the semi-finals of the Europa League with a 2-0 win at Atalanta. The outstanding Christopher Nkunku scored both goals, and now has an astonishing 30 in all competitions. With a DFB Cup semi-final coming up against Union Berlin, it really could be an extraordinary end to the campaign for Die Roten Bullen.
Bayer Leverkusen have been hit hard by injuries, with Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong out for the rest of the campaign, and they fell short against Atalanta in the UEL. They are at least on course for Champions League qualification, which was the main goal all along in coach Gerardo Seoane’s first season at the helm.
When the big hitters in the Bundesliga meet, there tends to be goals. Bayer lost 5-1 to Bayern, their two games against Borussia Dortmund each featured seven goals, and they won 3-1 at Leipzig. As for the Red Bulls, they recently lost 3-2 at Bayern and won 4-1 at Borussia Dortmund, and their other game against Bayern ended in a 4-1 defeat.
I’ll go for Over 3.0 Goals on the Goal Lines market here at 2.0811/10. If there are three goals in the game, our stake is returned, but a livelier game sees us secure an odds-against pay-out.
Back-to-back wins for BVB
Borussia Dortmund v Wolfsburg
Saturday 16 April, 14:30
Live on Betfair Live Video
Borussia Dortmund need a miracle to stop Bayern Munich winning a tenth consecutive Bundesliga crown, but the mathematics aren’t yet fully against them. Die Schwarzgelben are nine points off top spot with five matches left, but they face the demoralising prospect of Bayern beating them to guarantee the title in Der Klassiker in Munich next week.
Dortmund played pretty well in last weekend’s 2-0 victory at Stuttgart, as Julian Brandt scored a brace. Brandt had been thrown into the fray early, after poor Gio Reyna suffered a season-ending muscle injury barely a minute into the game. Mats Hummels and Mahmoud Dahoud were also injured in the first half of that game. BVB have been plagued by muscle injuries all season, leading some to question the medical regime at the club.
Donyell Malen and Raphael Guerreiro are also out, but star striker Erling Haaland hopes to play despite an ongoing ankle problem. The rising Norwegian star’s campaign has been heavily disrupted by injury, and he has only been able to make 16 league starts. Unsurprisingly, he has still scored 16 goals in the top flight.
Wolfsburg’s 4-0 hammering of Arminia Bielefeld last week has surely put the team on the cusp of safety, as they are eight points above the dropzone with five games left. They could probably lose the last five games and still stay up. Their general form is poor, with three defeats in the last four games, and their record against BVB is appalling. Die Wölfe have lost their last seven games against Dortmund, and they haven’t beaten them since the DFB Cup final of 2015.
I’ll back the hosts -1.0 on the Asian Handicap here at 1.855/6. Roared on by a full crowd, even a patched-up Dortmund should have enough to take the three points here.
Frankfurt will be all partied out
Union Berlin v Eintracht Frankfurt
Sunday 17 April, 16:30
Live on Sky Sports Football and Betfair Live Video
Eintracht Frankfurt produced one of the greatest results and performances in their history on Thursday, as they won 3-2 at Barcelona to knock the Catalan giants out of the Europa League. SGE will now face West Ham in the semi-finals, having been knocked out by Chelsea at the same stage in 2019. Tens of thousands of Frankfurt fans made the trip to Barcelona, and were richly rewarded.
The Eagles were absolutely outstanding at Camp Nou, but the physical and mental toll of that effort could be apparent when they visit the German capital on Sunday. The Eagles have only won three of their last 12 league matches, and they are five points behind Union in the race for Europe.
Union are on a high after securing back-to-back wins, including a 4-1 derby success against a pitiful Hertha Berlin last Saturday. Their home form remains hugely impressive, with seven wins in their last 11 league games, and their only defeats in Köpenick this season have been against Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
I’ll happily back the hosts to win against drained visitors here at 2.26/5.
Source: Betfair German
