WE'RE delighted to welcome German Football expert Raphael Honigstein to the site for the season thanks to our partner Unibet.
You may know Raph from his excellent work on BT Sport where he shares his knowledge of the European game and we're hoping he can make some of that know-how pay for us on MrFixitsTips. Best of luck Raphael!
Dortmund v Hannover (Sun 12.30pm)
To call BVB’s last-16 Europa League exit at Salzburg disappointing doesn’t do it justice. The trip to coach Peter Stöger’s home country was nothing short of disastrous for the Black and Yellows.
Devoid of any sense of imagination and joint-up attacking play, they sleep-walked to a 0-0 draw that is up there with German football’s worst embarrassments against its smaller neighbours to the south. Truth be told, it had been coming.
Stöger might still be unbeaten in the league since taking over from the hapless Peter Bosz before Christmas but Dortmund’s football has been mostly poor throughout his reign. Crashing out of the Europa League increases the pressure to qualify for the Champions League via the Bundesliga, where Dortmund are still well-placed in third.
At home against the Lower Saxons they are clear favourites to pick up all three points but the sense of confusion that reigned at Salzburg, coupled with an injury to Marco Reus and a surprising attack on Mario Götze by Stöger (“he didn’t show us what we wanted to see”) might well make this a nervy affair against Andre Breitenreiter’s well-organised, dogged side.
Raphael's Tips
- Dortmund 1, Hannover 1 (8-1, Unibet)
- Philipp to score first (11-2, Unibet)
- Hannover draw no bet (19-4, Unibet)
Leipzig v Bayern Munich (Sun 5pm)
Ralph Hasenhüttl’s men are going through a lean spell in the league. Four games without a win (two draws, two defeats) have seen them slump out of the Champions League places in recent weeks.
Qualification for the Europa League quarter-finals by way of a decent 1-1 draw away to Zenit on Thursday has temporarily lifted spirits ahead of the visit of league leaders FC Bayern but a home defeat in the Red Bull Arena would threaten Leipzig’s chances to play internationally next season and put a further dampener on the mood.
Bayern, who have had two days more to recover after their successful trip to Istanbul (3-1 win at Besiktas), can play without pressure, by contrast.
Leipzig’s stuttering attack – Werner, their best striker, has not found the net in seven league games – will meet a Bayern defence that hasn’t conceded for three consecutive games.
It all points to one of those regulation, playing-at-80-per-cent-wins that the Bavarians have effortlessly cobbled together since the return of Jupp Heynckes, even if the champions-elect will continue their rotation policy. A clean sheet for the away side looks a decent bet here.
Raphael's Tips
- Leipzig 0, Bayern 2(8-1, Unibet)
- Muller to score first (5-1, Unibet)
- Both teams to score – NO (13-10, Unibet)
Munich-born Raphael Honigstein writes about football for Germany’s biggest broadsheet, Süddeutsche Zeitung, the Guardian, ESPNFC and his tips appear here thanks to our football partner at MrFixitsTips, Unibet. They're making a big splash in the UK betting scene and if you join them today you can claim up to £30 in Welcome Bonuses when you deposit and place your first bet.
Munich-born Raphael Honigstein writes about football for Germany’s biggest broadsheet, Süddeutsche Zeitung, the Guardian, ESPNFC and others. He’s a regular pundit on BT Sport’s European Football Show and the author of “Englischer Fussball: A German View of Our Beautiful Game”. His favourite food is Schnitzel, predictably.
