Saturday’s Der Klassiker headlines round seven of the Bundesliga but with this weekend’s action the last before the November internationals, there are scores to settle at both ends of the table as teams look to land a timely blow on their rivals.
Basement Battle at the Open Arena
Rock bottom Mainz host 17th place Schalke on Saturday with both already appearing to be in store for long seasons.
Die Nullfünfer are still to collect a single point in 2020-21, their worst-ever start to a Bundesliga campaign and their home record leaves a lot to be desired, winning just one of their last eight.
Relegation rivals Schalke have not won any of their last 22, an incredible run that stretches back to a 2-0 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach on January 17, a success that looked set to solidify their Champions League hopes.
Last Friday’s 1-1 draw against Stuttgart notched their second point of the season but they still lack inspiration. New boss Manuel Baum is yet to fully implement his gameplan as he looks to break Die Königsblauen’s drought before they match Tasmania Berlin’s tally of 31 winless games set in 1965-66.
He may then turn to Mark Uth, who has scored seven in his last 10 against Mainz but it is tough to pick a winner here.
A first point of the season would be some consolation to the hosts, an outcome available at 5/2, with a scruffy 1-1 priced at 11/2.
Bayern Just Too Good for Dortmund?
Try as you might, it is tough to ignore Saturday’s first Der Klassiker of the season as the top two face off at Signal Iduna Park.
Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich are tied on 15 points, with the Bavarians’ superior goal difference the only thing separating the pair, with the game seeing Germany’s best defence take on its best attack.
Neutrals will be hoping to see a battle between two of Europe’s best strikers, with Erling Haaland scoring 18 in his 20 Bundesliga games since switching from Salzburg in January.
The Norwegian’s record is incredible but pales into insignificance when you consider Robert Lewandowski already has 10 league goals this season.
This is the difference between the sides. Borussia are brilliant but Bayern always seem a step ahead, as demonstrated by last season’s 1-0 post-lockdown win in Westphalia.
Another away victory is 4/5, with former Dortmund man Lewandowski 5/2 to open the scoring on his latest return to his former employers.
Goals Aplenty Between Leverkusen and Gladbach
Finally to Sunday, and of the two games on offer, Bayer Leverkusen’s clash with Borussia Monchengladbach is the highlight.
Bayer head into the weekend a point ahead of Die Fohlen and their duel for the Champions League spots looks set to be just as juicy as last term.
A 2-0 defeat at Hertha Berlin cost Leverkusen dear last term as Gladbach’s three straight wins to end the campaign saw them clinch fourth.
Things are never dull with a Peter Bosz side, the Dutchman having seen three of his team’s last five games in all competitions involve six or more goals.
Gladbach, who beat another top four rival in RB Leipzig 1-0 last Saturday, are also pretty lively. Marco Rose’s side come into this game on the back of a brilliant 6-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk and in their three games prior to that Leipzig victory, they had been involved in a 3-2 victory at Mainz and 2-2s against Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
Both meetings between the sides last term saw away wins and both to score bets come in. Another road success and both teams to net is 7/2, while over 3.5 goals carries value at 17/10.
