Soccer Germany Bundesliga Prediction

Stuttgart vs B. Monchengladbach - Match Preview

⚽ 29 April 2023 - 13:30 GMT +0

Although Stuttgart have a DFB-Pokal semi-final to look forward to in midweek, this game is arguably much more important for the club as they’re embroiled in what has been described as the “tightest relegation battle of all time” by the Bundesliga. The Swabians have done well to come from behind in the previous two rounds to maintain a three-game unbeaten streak (W1, D2), although their work is far from complete with a two-point gap to safety ahead of the round.

The fact that Stuttgart hasn’t won at home since February may be a concern (D1, L2), as will the fact they’re yet to defeat any of the current top-ten sides including opponents Borussia Mönchengladbach in league action (D5, L12). However, Stuttgart can take solace knowing they’ve picked up ten of a possible 12 points across the last four home league H2Hs, with last season’s 3-2 result proving crucial as they survived by just one point!

Entering this round 11 points above the bottom three and as many from the top six, Gladbach has little to play for in the final five rounds other than a top-half finish. Even so, Daniel Farke’s Foals have the opportunity to register their first winning league double over Stuttgart since 2015/16 following a handsome 3-1 win in the reverse fixture.

Farke’s men had a four-game unbeaten run ended by the slimmest of margins in a 1-0 defeat to Champions League-chasing Union Berlin in the last round. They could be in for another tough test of their top-half credentials here after winning just one of their seven away league games against sides beginning the round below them (W1, D2, L4).

📋 Players to watch: Stuttgart full-back Borna Sosa set up his side’s only goal in the reverse H2H and also assisted in their latest win. Consequently, he’s now just one assist shy of equalling his best return in a Bundesliga season (A7). Gladbach will be without the influential Marcus Thuram through injury, so they may look to Alassane Pléa for an outlet. The Frenchman had assisted in Gladbach’s only two victories since the beginning of February.

⚡ Hot stat: Stuttgart’s tally of eight opening goals this season is amongst the fewest of all Bundesliga clubs, whilst they have gone on to lose or draw half of their league games when doing so (W4, D2, L2).

Union Berlin vs Bayer Leverkusen - Match Preview

⚽ 29 April 2023 - 13:30 GMT +0

Union Berlin bounced back from a small dip in form to pick up their first win in four competitive outings last round (D1, L2) by defeating Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-0. They return home here looking to maintain one of only two remaining unbeaten home records in this season’s Bundesliga (W9, D5) whilst keeping a grip on a place inside the division’s top three.

The gap between them to Freiburg in fourth was just two points at the conclusion of the last round, so securing another victory here could be crucial to their Champions League aspirations. Revenge will be an added motivation, too, as opponents Bayer Leverkusen handed Union their heaviest defeat of the season (5-0) back in November. But the hosts might take some comfort from the fact that was their only defeat from each of the last five Bundesliga H2Hs (W1, D3).

Leverkusen are eight points adrift of their opponents but are still on course to qualify for continental football next season. They finished the last round in sixth and their endeavours have been boosted by an impressive run of eight league games without a loss (W6, D2) - only Mainz can match being undefeated for such an extended period. That unbeaten stretch extends to 13 games across all competitions, shedding light on why manager Xabi Alonso is fast being regarded as one the most exciting young managers in Europe.

This contest is set to put Leverkusen’s resolve to the test, particularly as they’re winless in their four away games against teams currently sitting above them in the Bundesliga table (D1, L3). Their struggles in those matches are highlighted by the fact they scored just one goal in total across the four games and trailed at the half-time break in each.

📋 Key battle: Thanks in part to his clean sheet last time out, Union Berlin goalkeeper Frederik Rønnow finished the last round with the best save percentage in the league (83.3 %). Trying to get the better of him will be 20-year-old youngster Adam Hložek who has two goals and an assist across his last two Leverkusen competitive appearances.

⚡ Hot stat: All but one of the last seven H2H competitive matches produced 3+ match cards.

Schalke vs Werder Bremen - Match Preview

⚽ 29 April 2023 - 16:30 GMT +0

Thomas Reis is trying to keep spirits high at Schalke, despite a disastrous run of three defeats in four games (W1) that have plunged his side back into the Bundesliga relegation zone. The manager insists “everything is still possible” in their battle to beat the drop, but concedes his side “have to do better” after a horrific 4-0 defeat at Freiburg last weekend.

The Royal Blues, who have spent most of the season in the bottom three, looked set to pull clear of danger when they went eight games without defeat (W2, D6) between January and March. One of those victories came at the VELTINS-Arena, where they have lost just one of their last six games (W2, D3), but they still have the worst home record in the German top-flight after losing seven of their 15 outings (W4, D4).

Looking to add to that miserable record are Werder Bremen, who knows a thing or two about a relegation battle, given they went down from the Bundesliga two years ago, before being promoted last season. The visitors will surely show no signs of remorse though, as a win here would leave them on 38 points, which has proved to be the minimum number of points required to finish above the bottom three in each Bundesliga campaign since the switch to three points for a win in 1995/96.

Being in the top flight for 2023/24 has always been the aim for Ole Werner’s side, who took a big stride towards completing that goal by beating Hertha Berlin 4-2 last time out, ending a six-game winless run in the process (D2, L4). They may well be confident of making it back-to-back victories as well, as they have won more Bundesliga games against Schalke than any other club (46), including six of the last eight (D1, L1).

📋 Key battle: Schalke goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow may be looking to keep just his third clean sheet in 12 H2Hs (W4, D2, L6). Werder forward Niclas Füllkrug, who is back in training after injury, will have other ideas though, especially as he has netted a career joint-high seven goals against the Royal Blues, with each of those strikes coming in his last five H2Hs (W3, D2).

⚡ Hot streak: Werder Bremen have conceded at least twice in seven successive games, with each match seeing both teams score.