Bundesliga Betting Odds Preview And Tips
There are now just two fixtures remaining in this season's German Bundelisga, but three sides still have realistic hopes of glory.
Schalke lead Stuttgart by a single point, with Werder Bremen only a further point behind in third. Each side has one home and one away game remaining, so matters couldn't be more finely balanced.
Werder Looking to Make Home Advantage Tell
Werder Bremen bounced back from the disappointment of their UEFA Cup semi-final defeat by recording a confidence boosting 4-1 victory away to Hertha Berlin. As the only one of the top three sides playing at home on Saturday, territorial advantage could easily catapult Thomas Schaaf's side to the top of the Bundesliga with just one fixture to follow.
Eintracht Frankfurt are the side visiting the Weserstadion looking to stop Diego, Klose and co, and given their motivation to avoid relegation, they shouldn't be dismissed lightly. The Eagles are four points above Aleminia Aaachen and the drop-zone, so with two games remaining aren't safe. However, it was Aachen that they thumped 4-0 last weekend, turning around a poor run of form for Eintracht. Prior to that crucial win they had conceded 14 goals from five fixtures. Pinnacle Sports price them as under-dogs 2.10 (+1.5) with Werder Bremen 1.833 (-1.5).
Royal Blues Just Two Games from Coronation
Kevin Kuranyi's fifteenth goal of the season earned Schalke three crucial points as they saw off FC Nurnberg at the Veltins-Arena. The Royal Blues are now two games away from their first German title since 1958. With just a one point lead, they cannot afford a slip up in either game, the first of which is away to Borussia Dortmund. 04 fans will be understandably nervous given they have won just one of their last five away fixtures.
It should help their cause that Dortmund have little to play for. They have a mathematical chance of reaching a UEFA Cup place but that would require them to win both their remaining fixtures and other results to go their way. Nevertheless, there will be a cup atmosphere for the game at the Signal Iduna Park, which could lift Borussia to a fourth straight victory, and extend their clean sheet to 360 minutes. Pinnacle Sports rate Dortmund 1.826 (+0.5) with Schalke 2.110 (-0.5).
Stuttgart Aiming for Eight Straight Wins
Stuttgart are the third side in the trinity of sides challenging to be German Champions, and on recent form, their credentials appear the most convincing. Die Schwaben have recorded seven consecutive victories in league and cup, which has taken them to the verge of an historic double. They haven't conceded in their last four games, and have been equally effective on the road as at the Gottlied-Daimler Stadion. That away form resilience will be tested for the final time as they travel to Bochum looking to make up the one point that separates them from leaders Schalke.
Bochum won't be patsies for Stuttgart Bundesliga charge. Marcel Koeller's side are one of numerous clubs vying for the fifth UEFA Cup spot, and should they succeed it would be only the third European adventure in the club's log history. Bochum's recent form is almost as impressive as the visitors. They have won five of their last six league fixtures, scoring 15 times. The Lions share of those have come from the head and boot of Greek forward Theofanis Gekas, the leading Bundesliga striker by some margin. Rumoured to be moving on to better things after this break-through season, Gekas will be out to provide a fitting farewell. Pinnacle Sports price Bochum 1.909 (+0.5) with Stuttgart 2.02 (-0.5).
