Match Day 11: Preview and Forecast
For those waiting for the much anticipated showdown between first place Borussia Dortmund and perennial power Bayern Munich...it's showtime!
Der Klassiker is here and this should be one of the more intriguing match-ups in recent history between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. On paper, BVB should be the selection based on its terrific run so far in 2018-2019, but climbing over the Bavarian Mountain that is Bayern is far easier said than done --- even with Die Roten's suspect form so far this season.
With both Niko Kovac and Lucien Favre largely unpredictable in terms of how they align their squads, there are many possibilities for scintillating match-ups in this one. For Bayern, taking advantage of the relative inexperience of Dortmund's center backs should be a top priority. As for BVB, it will certainly look to take advantage of superior play on the wings. With Joshua Kimmich prone to gambling offensively and also suffering from some recent bouts with defensive lapses, Dortmund could create a lot of havoc on the outer edges. As always, Marco Reus will be central to anything BVB does offensively. Make no mistake, this is a statement game for Reus and Dortmund.
Still, it seems like Bayern has been lying in wait for this game. There is no shortage of talent or experience with Die Roten; the squad has just not yet clicked consistently. If Kovac is smart, he will roll out Thomas Muller and James Rodriguez working together in the central midfield, but Bayern's coach has been reluctant to use what seemingly works best behind Robert Lewandowski.
This one should be a pleasure to watch, but the feeling is that Bayern will come out and make a statement with a strong performance.
Prediction: Bayern Munich 3, Borussia Dortmund 1
Not that I've had a dynamic season forecasting these games, but this week is especially tough. aside of the heated Der Klassiker battle above, there is a seemingly endless array of 50/50 game this week. I think I could legitimately go 0-9 (!?!)...
Wolfsburg 2, Hannover 96 2: The Wolves face a tough task in travelling to a desperate Hannover team that needs a win in the worst way. This has all the makings of a hard-fought Hannover win, but something just tells me that the Wolves do enough to earn a draw.
Hertha Berlin 3, Fortuna Düsseldorf 1: Hertha has taken a bit of a step back after an ultra impressive start to the season. After consecutive draws with Mainz, SC Freiburg, and Dortmund, Die Alte Dame was smoked by RB Leipzig last weekend. Luckily for Hertha, F95 has been a cure for whatever ails the teams in the Bundesliga this season. While it's true that Fortuna Düsseldorf is teetering on burying itself even deeper in the table, it does not seem like the squad will have enough to out-gun the likes of Ondrej Duda and Vedad Ibisevic.
Düsseldorf started the season not looking overwhelmed, but that quickly changed and it looks like there is little doubt that F95 is headed toward relegation.
Freiburg 2, Mainz 1: Another match-up that is incredibly tough to call. Breisgau-Brasiliane is coming off a huge, momentum-swinging late draw with Bayern, while Mainz pushed aside Werder Bremen in a 2-1 win. Freiburg's Christian Streich is really a coach that does not get enough credit. With limited talent at his disposal, Streich seemingly wills the team to be competitive week in and week out. Mainz, meanwhile, has also been a tough-out for most Bundesliga teams without having a star-studded roster. This one is going to be a hard-fought, close contest, but perhaps the home field advantage will pay off for Breisgau-Brasiliane? (I hope?)
Hoffenheim 3, FC Augsburg 2: Host Hoffenheim won't have an easy task with Die Fuggerstädter, but Hoffenheim has looked very solid of late in winning its last three games over the likes of FC Nürnberg, VfB Stuttgart, and Bayer Leverkusen. Julian Nagelsmann's squad has been ignited by 18-year old Englishman Reiss Nelson and 22-year old Brazilian Joelinton of late. The duo has combined for nine goals overall on the season and has added an element of youthful exuberance that has bolstered the Hoffenheim offense.
Augsburg has had a prolific offense at times, but would ultimately benefit from a bit more consistency. Philipp Max has not had that prolific of a season statistically so far, but the outside back is still a potent weapon and should benefit from an extended run once the team's star forwards, Alfred Finnbogason and Michael Gregoritsch, start producing a bit more. I'd love to see more from Gregoritsch, who has been battling some nagging injuries, as the Austrian has shown flashed of his potential over the past two seasons, but needs to put forth a better showing on a consistent basis.
VfB Stuttgart 2, FC Nürnberg 1: If Die Schwaben can't win this one, then I think it is time to burn the house down. Stuttgart has reached embarrassing levels of play of late and picking them here is likely dumb. With four straight losses in tow, Stuttgart needs some sort of a boost. Maybe the nearly equally hapless boys from Der Club will be just what Stuttgart needs?
Werder Bremen 2, Borussia Monchengladbach 2: Die Werderaner has dropped its last two games and three of its last five overall, while M'Gladbach sits in second place of the table with three wins, one draw, and one loss in its last five games. Die Fohlen has been great this season; displaying much of the talent and skill that that been evident over the past two years --- only this year all of that talent and skill is being accompanied by consistency.
Bremen has been good, but is starting to fall back a but and looks like it's offense could use a boost. If only there was a red headed American forward waiting in the wings to provide an offensive spark...if only. Anyway, this really should be a fun game to watch and a lot of things lean toward Die Fohlen, but I'm gambling on Bremen showing its grit in grinding out a tie.
Bayer Leverkusen 3, RB Leipzig 2: Leverkusen has been on a roller coaster ride this season, while Leipzig has quietly been pretty excellent. Again, there is no good reason to think that Die Werkself is going to be able to stroll into Red Bull Arena and pull out a victory, but this feels like a game where Leverkusen's young stars show up to play.
Given the talent on the pitch, the pace should be fast and the offensive play should be electric. If not for Der Klassiker, this would easily be the game of the week in the Bundesliga. Expect Julian Brandt and company to pull out a narrow win, but Timo Werner will likely help keep Die Roten Bullen close enough to make this exciting.
One player to keep an eye on is the recently "on fire" Karim Bellarabi for Leverkusen. Bellarabi has four goals in his last three league games and seven in his last five games across all competitions. Bellarabi has been hobbled by a thigh injury of late as he missed Leverkusen's Europa League match against Zurich this week, but if healthy, Bellarabi could be an "X Factor" in this one.
Schalke 2, Eintracht Frankfurt 2: Schalke's on-again, off-again search for its form is seemingly back "on", while Eintracht Frankfurt will be seeking to gain some consistency itself. Schalke will likely be looking to use its midfield and defense to slow down the sometimes frenetic, always pacey, and relatively awesome and potent attack of Die Adler. Die Königsblauen had been better outside the Bundesliga than in it, but at some point Schalke will need to assert itself and prove its mettle in the league. This match against a very game Eintracht Frankfurt squad should give Domenico Tedesco's boys the opportunity to pick up a big win.
It won't be that easy, though. Die Adler has the potential to make life a living hell for any Bundesliga side. With Luka Jovic, Sebastian Haller, and Ante Rebic all disturbingly good at times this season, Eintracht Frankfurt will be looking to keep the pressure firmly on Schalke all game long. Die Adler, in fact, is undefeated in its last eight games, including five in the Bundesliga and should be primed to push aside Schalke, but we think the boys in blue will fight enough to make this one a draw.
Last week's record: 4-5 Season record: 40-50
Note: Predicted ties count as a win if correct and as a loss if there is a winner; conversely if a game is predicted to have a winner but ends in a tie, it will count as a loss.
