Bundesliga Betting Analysis - Matchday 9 Preview
4th Oct 2007, 18:39
It wasn’t a good week for German sides in the Champions League, with both Werder Bremen and Stuttgart losing at home. Schalke’s victory away to Rosenborg on Wednesday night provided the first points for any of the three Bundesliga teams participating in the competition. Though this has fuelled the debate that the Bundesliga is losing ground on Europe’s major leagues, last week’s domestic results – producing an average of 3.9 goals – show German football nonetheless, remains hugely entertaining. It is also hugely popular with bettors, who should take advantage up to 60% better Bundesliga odds with PinnacleSports.com.
Nurnberg Facing Huge Task at Allianz Arena
FC Nurnberg are finding it tough living up to the success of last season, when they finished sixth in the league, lifted the German Cup for the first time in 45 years and thereby qualified for the UEFA Cup. Hans Meyer’s side have failed to win any of their last six league fixtures, and on the back of that poor form travel to leaders, Bayern Munich on Sunday. The Franconians’ last game saw them concede three times at fellow strugglers Bochum, and on that evidence Munich could have a field day.
The Bavarians are defending a 100% home record, having scored twelve times at home, for the concession of just a single goal. Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni are the division’s most potent strike-partnership, with fourteen goals between them. The dynamic duo must sense the opportunity to increase that tally against FCN, who recently lost Argentine defender, Javier Pinola, until Christmas. Though current circumstances mitigate against the visitors, Ottmar Hitzfeld’s side took just one point off Nurnberg last season, failing to score, including a goalless draw in this fixture. Nevertheless, PinnacleSports.com making Bayern Munich favourites, 1.901 (-1.5 & -2), and Nurnberg 2.030 (+1.5 & +2).
What Next from Eight Goal Bremen?
Last weekend Werder Bremen equalled the club’s record win with a 8-1 home hammering of Armenia Bielefeld, but were brought crashing back down to earth five days later in the Champions League. Bremen were beaten 3-1 by Olympiacos in front of a packed house at the Weserstadion, with all the visitors’ goals coming in the final 17 minutes of the game. Coach, Thomas Schaaf, was understandably disappointed, and must regroup his troops for the trip to Duisburg on Saturday.
MSV are finding life tough in the Bundesliga, having gained promotion from the second tier last term, by finishing third. The Zebras currently sit in the relegation zone, having lost four consecutive league games, conceding twice in each defeat. Coach, Rudi Dommer, was forced to field a make-shift defence last weekend at Hannover 96, with injuries to Fernando, Julian Filipescu, Michael Lamey and Tobias Willi. In contrast Bremen are boosted by the likely return to league action of Torsten ‘Alpha Wolf’ Frings and Tim Borowski, influencing PinnacleSports.com’s Asian Handicap price with Werder Bremen 1.893 (-0.5 & -1) and MSV Duisburg 2.040 (+0.5 & +1).