Borussia Monchengladbach vs Borussia Dortmund
For anyone looking at the Bundesliga table who doesn’t follow the German top flight too closely, it would be easy to reach the conclusion this fixture looks like an away banker.
After all, Borussia Dortmund are preparing for the quarter-finals of the Champions League and are a whopping 23 points clear of their hosts who lie in 11th spot domestically – far closer to the drop zone than the race for Europe.
Yet the fact is that this contest could go any way as both teams struggle for consistency.
Talking Points
Dortmund’s past two games perfectly sum up their fans’ (and their own) frustrations.
On Easter weekend, they went to rivals and reigning champions Bayern Munich and won there for the first time in a decade, securing their first Der Klassiker victory since 2019 in the process.
Fast forward a week and they are losing at home to Stuttgart, albeit a team ahead of them in the table and a side on course to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 2009.
The defeat has left Dortmund outside of the top four on goal difference although, even if that is where they end up at the end of the campaign – and in the highly unlikely event they are crowned European champions this season –the prospect of an extra fifth spot in the Champions League looms large.
That is because UEFA is awarding an extra qualification spot to the two best-performing leagues according to its own co-efficient rankings.
There is a complicated points system behind that, but the more victories and further sides progress in European competition, the higher that league climbs in the rankings.
The Bundesliga is currently third, just behind the English Premier League and Serie A in Italy, so it is doubly in Dortmund’s interests to perform well in their last eight tie against Atletico Madrid.
Monchengladbach’s Bundesliga highlights have been ever fewer than Dortmund’s, although in their defence, they have missed the services of their top goal scorer, Alassane Plea, for long spells of the season due to injuries.
A 3-0 home defeat to Freiburg was followed up with a 3-1 win at Wolfsburg last weekend, another example of their Jekyll n’ hyde showings.
The result gave the Foals an eight-point cushion over the relegation play-off berth and, while I do not expect them to get dragged into anything like that, they could do with another few wins before they can afford to relax.
At the time of writing, Dortmund have a European tie to contend with but the hosts’ team news is a little clearer with Florian Neuhaus (Achilles), back in training, Plea doing rehab work on a calf knock and Manu Koné (thigh strain) training on his own.
It’s unclear whether Tony Jantschke (adductor issues) and Christoph Kramer (ill), who both missed the win at Wolfsburg, will be ready to return.
History
This is a classic German encounter with a history that stretches back to 1950.
It was in the September of that year that the sides locked horns for the first time in Oberliga West (the former German top flight).
When they first met in the Bundesliga 15 years later, they produced a nine goal thriller as Dortmund won 5-4 in Monchengladbach – a topsy turvy encounter which went one way then the other before a 73rd minute penalty from Lothar Emmerich settled the contest.
That completed his hat-trick and was his second spot-kick of the game.
A landmark match came in 1995 when a Julio Cesar goal secured Dortmund the German Super Cup at the expense of Monchengladbach.
Overall, Monchengladbach have the edge with 59 successes compared to 36 Dortmund wins and 35 draws.
They have also won their last three home games against Dortmund, including a 4-2 success last term when Jonas Hofmann, Ramy Bensebaini, Marcus Thurman and Kone were the marksmen.
That was also the scoreline in reverse in their meeting earlier this term as Dortmund hit four.
After falling behind to goals from Rocco Reitz and Kone, three goals in 15 minutes from Marcel Sabitzer, Niclas Fullkrug and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens tuned the match on its head before Donyell Malen netted in the final minute to make sure of the points.
Betting Tip
The SBOTOP Bundesliga betting odds naturally edge towards Dortmund but I think the home team will get something out of this, especially as they will be fresher than opponents in the middle of a two-legged European tie.
That is why my *** prediction is 1X2 Draw @ 3.67.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT))
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
