Last week I opted to perm the draw and the away side in the first leg of my weekend betting preview on the basis that \u201cI couldn\u2019t bear to go out in the first leg\u201d. I should have known in that instant that I had cursed myself to that exact eventuality.<\/p>\n
Although my Syndicate went on to land 5\/8 legs, not a complete disaster, failing to make it to the Saturday was frustrating and I\u2019m determined to fare better this week in the Rollover Pick 8<\/a> and return to winning ways. Read on for my weekend betting preview and join my Syndicate here<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fri, 19:30<\/strong><\/p>\n Leipzig\u2019s hopes of finishing second were dealt a huge blow by their home draw with bottom-of-the-table Paderborn last week, a match they finished with ten men. Coincidentally their opponents this week, Hoffenheim, suffered the same fate of losing a man before drawing against a side in the bottom three.<\/p>\n Neither will take much confidence from those results and, although I\u2019m half expecting a reaction from Leipzig here, I\u2019m not confident enough in a side who have drawn five of their last seven games, a sequence of results that has removed them from the title race.<\/p>\n Hoffenheim are patchy as well and, given that I\u2019m still sore about losing in the opening leg last week, I\u2019ll take the draw as well as the away side and hope lightning doesn\u2019t strike twice.<\/p>\n Verdict: Draw & RB Leipzig<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sat, 14:30<\/strong><\/p>\n Two sides in dire straights. 12th<\/sup> and 14th<\/sup> respectively in the league, 16th<\/sup> and 18th<\/sup> in the form table. Neither side has won since the restart and Union, in particular, will be looking over their shoulders at the relegation zone.<\/p>\n It\u2019s one of those games that could really go any way. A win for either side could kickstart their season but, for me, the draw is a strong runner. Although the lack of fans has largely negated home advantage, I can\u2019t ignore the fact that Union are the worst away side in the league have still lost their two away games since returning 4-0 and 4-1. Therefore I\u2019ll take a chance on Koln as well.<\/p>\n Verdict: FC Koln & Draw<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sat, 14:30<\/strong><\/p>\n Had this game occurred last week then I would have been all over Wolfsburg for the win. However, Freiburg\u2019s victory over Borussia Monchengladbach, two places above Wolfsburg in the table, makes things slightly harder to predict.<\/p>\n However, I\u2019m going to stick to my guns and take Wolfsburg for the win here. Freiburg haven\u2019t won consecutive league games since the opening matches of the season when they beat Mainz and Paderborn, two sides that will probably end up being relegated. They\u2019ve failed to repeat the trick since and, keeping in mind that their win last weekend was against ten men and their first victory in five attempts, I\u2019m happy to oppose them against a Wolfsburg side in good nick.<\/p>\n Verdict: Wolfsburg<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sat, 14:30<\/strong><\/p>\n The two sides at the foot of the table meet and a victory for either could condemn the other to the second tier.<\/p>\n Surprisingly, in their 11 combined games since the restart the pair have only lost four times with Paderborn only tasting defeat once in five. That they drew the other four though tells it\u2019s own story.<\/p>\n Paderborn haven\u2019t led for a minute in any of the five matches and have scored just three times, so will be sized up by a Werder Bremen side who have beaten mid-table opposition in Schalke and Freiburg in that time.<\/p>\n My theory in this one is that Paderborn simply have to win and, therefore, sitting back and relying on their defensive resilience isn\u2019t enough. They need to demonstrate more ambition which could open them up to Werder counter-attacking. I\u2019m going to take the away side to send Paderborn packing.<\/p>\n Verdict: Werder Bremen<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sat, 14:30<\/strong><\/p>\n Hertha have been playing very well in recent weeks and I tipped them to upset Dortmund last week by claiming at least a draw. They didn\u2019t manage it, losing 1-0, but it took Dortmund until the 58th<\/sup> minute to break them down and, against a side who have scored an average of 2.7 goals a game this season, it wasn\u2019t the worst result.<\/p>\n Frankfurt were on a good mini-run of seven points from three tough games until they came up against 15th<\/sup>-placed Mainz last week and lost 2-0 at home. Go figure. Was it a mere blip or has that embarrassment dented their confidence?<\/p>\n Hertha are a side I really like and I\u2019m going to give them another go here. Eintracht have only avoded defeat in five of their 15 away games and I\u2019m hoping that record worsens further, although will add in the draw to be safe.<\/p>\n Verdict: Hertha Berlin & Draw<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sat, 17:30<\/strong><\/p>\n Bayern need two more wins to wrap up the Bundesliga title, although one would be enough if Dortmund slip up.\u00a0 My theory is that they\u2019ll go all out to achieve those wins quickly before easing off to focus on the Champions League instead. At that point, they\u2019ll probably become opposable in the league.<\/p>\n Until then, it\u2019s difficult to mount much of a case against them and my argument for Monchengladbach was dented severely when they let me down so badly last week.<\/p>\n My big issue, though, is that as per normal the huge majority of pool units will be on Bayern and, as such, when they eventually do slip up, not backing any other selection will be a huge wasted opportunity within the pool. So I\u2019m going to back Bayern and the draw, fully expecting them to win but hoping that they take their eye off the ball.<\/p>\n Verdict: Bayern Munich & Draw<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sun, 13:00<\/strong><\/p>\n We\u2019re off to sunny Spain for the penultimate leg as La Liga makes a triumphant return to action. With little in the way of form to go on after such a long lay off and both sides within a few places of each other in the league, it\u2019s not a leg I\u2019ve got much time for.<\/p>\n Inevitably Atletico will have their backers but, despite knocking Liverpool out of the Champions League, they\u2019ve had an average season and find themselves in sixth and in a three-way scrap for the Champions League places. I\u2019ve got perms to use up so am not going to risk anything on what is unknown. Therefore I’ll just back all three selections and hope that the one with the fewest units attached lands.<\/p>\n Verdict: Athletic Bilbao & Draw & Atletico Madrid<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sun, 17:00<\/strong><\/p>\n You have to go back to January 17th<\/sup> to find the last league win for poor Schalke who have had a bizarre season. They were third after 13 games\u00a0 but, after beating Borussia Monchengladbach on that day in January, their season has unravelled. Schalke have failed to win in the 12 games since, drawing five of them.<\/p>\n They\u2019ve conceded 26 in that run and scored just four, demonstrating just how absurdly low on confidence in front of goal they are. It has been relegation form and, were it not for their strong early season form, they could be bang in trouble right now.<\/p>\n Leverkusen have won three and lost two since the restart. They score for fun and their games are action-packed. Although they are prone to poor defensive performances, against goal shy Schalke they shouldn\u2019t have many problems and I think they\u2019ll win with ease.<\/p>\n Verdict: Leverkusen<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Did you enjoy our weekend betting preview? Join the Syndicate<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\nWeekend Betting Preview<\/h2>\n
Hoffenheim vs. RB Leipzig<\/h3>\n
FC Koln vs. Union Berlin<\/h3>\n
Wolfsburg vs. Freiburg<\/h3>\n
Paderborn vs. Werder Bremen<\/h3>\n
Hertha Berlin vs. E Frankfurt<\/h3>\n
Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Monchengladbach<\/h3>\n
Athletic Bilbao vs. Atletico Madrid<\/h3>\n
Schalke vs. Leverkusen<\/h3>\n
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