RB Leipzig vs Borussia Dortmund
RB Leipzig are looking like legitimate Bundesliga title contenders once again this season. The Red Bulls are on a run of eight matches without defeat and sit just two points behind leaders Bayern Munich.
However, Leipzig are set to have a tough stretch of games, which begins with a massive matchup against Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund have star striker Erling Haaland back in the fold after his recent injury absence. And they will now look to put a significant dent in Leipzig’s Bundesliga 2021 odds of winning the title by becoming the first team this season to leave the Red Bull Arena with all three points.
Talking Points
Leipzig defence, home form remain formidable
RB Leipzig put together one of their most impressive performances in their first game back from the break as they beat a dangerous Stuttgart side 1-0 away from home.
Leipzig completely bossed the match, outshooting the home side 22-10, including 8-1 in terms of shots on target. Emil Forsberg missed a first-half penalty, but Dani Olmo scored in the second half to seal all three points.
Meanwhile, the Leipzig defence – led by Dayot Upamecano – once again showed why it is by far the best in the Bundesliga as they kept Stuttgart’s prolific attack quiet.
Leipzig have now kept four consecutive clean sheets since their 3-3 draw against Bayern Munich and have conceded just 9 goals in the league overall.
Leipzig were still a bit short-handed against Stuttgart, particularly in attack, with the likes of Christopher Nkunku and Justin Kluivert still dealing with ankle injuries.
But Julian Nagelsmann will get a significant boost now that new signing Dominik Szoboszlai now eligible to play. The young Hungarian is unlikely to start, but his versatility could be a useful weapon off the Leipzig bench against Dortmund.
Leipzig did not look particularly sharp in their last home game as they were surprisingly held to a 0-0 draw by relegation strugglers Koln. But after coming off their break, the Red Bulls should be much more energised to face Dortmund.
That draw against Koln snapped Leipzig’s 100 per cent record at home this season. They had won all six of their league games at the Red Bull Arena, scoring 16 goals while conceding just 3.
Dortmund need young stars back in form
After ending 2020 with a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Union Berlin, Borussia Dortmund started 2021 with a fine 2-0 victory over Wolfsburg.
Erling Haaland got the start as he returned from a month-long spell on the sideline due to injury. The Norwegian failed to score in his 81 minutes of play, but Jadon Sancho finally did. The English winger put the finishing touches on the win as he went on a lightning-quick counterattack to score in the 90th minute.
It was the first league goal of the season for Sancho, who, according to Dortmund CEO Michael Zorc, has suffered a dip in form due to the constant speculation linking him to a move to Manchester United in the summer.
Haaland’s return, coupled with Sancho’s confidence-boosting goal, comes at just the right time as Dortmund take on the most formidable defence in the entire league.
Meanwhile, Dortmund’s own defence still looks a bit vulnerable; while they kept a clean sheet – their first in eight games – they still conceded a whopping 21 shots to Wolfsburg at home.
This will also be caretaker manager Edin Terzic’s first big test as he takes on one of the best young coaches in Europe in Nagelsmann. It remains to be seen whether Terzic can outsmart his counterpart in terms of the tactical battle.
History
Borussia Dortmund have the slight 4-2 edge in wins over RB Leipzig in their 10 total Bundesliga meetings. Although, it should be noted that BVB are unbeaten in their last five against the Red Bulls, with three wins.
Two of those wins have come at the Red Bull Arena, including last year’s 2-0 victory in the penultimate match of the season. Haaland scored both goals in that Dortmund victory.
Betting Tip
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RB Leipzig vs Borussia Dortmund | 1X2 RB Leipzig @ 2.47 |
| January 10, 01:30 (GMT+8) |
SBOTOP odds for this match are understandably close. Leipzig are narrow favourites at 2.47 and Dortmund are priced at 2.74 to pick up the away victory. Meanwhile, a draw is 3.35.
While these two teams are quite evenly matched, I believe the Red Bulls still have the slight edge. They are at home, where they have been excellent this season. They also have a superior manager in Julian Nagelsmann, who should have his side set up to exploit Dortmund’s weaknesses in defence better than Dortmund caretaker Terzic.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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 = €20 (Highly confident) |
= €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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