RB Leipzig are back on track for Champions League football after securing back-to-back wins in the last two rounds. Meanwhile, Holstein Kiel already know they are getting relegated.
While some of the main contenders for the Top 4 have experienced a drop in form, RB Leipzig found their form at the best possible time. Mainz's recent defeat opened the doors for them, and the Red Bulls snatched a phenomenal 2-3 win away at Wolfsburg.
Beating Holstein Kiel is mandatory, as RB Leipzig probably have the toughest schedule in the Bundesliga for the final four rounds. The Red Bulls have yet to meet Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern Munich, Werder Bremen, and Stuttgart.
As for Holstein Kiel, their season is practically over. The team sits dead last with 18 points, with five rounds to go. St Pauli are 11 points ahead, and even five wins in a row are almost never going to be enough to make up that passive.
How the bookies view it: RB to bring the three points home
Bookmakers expect an easy outing for RB Leipzig and gave them a considerable betting advantage. You can pick the Red Bulls at 7/20. The draw is available at 19/4, while you can also opt for Holstein Kiel at 13/2. But considering that the visitors have only one away win this season, betting on the upset is hardly a good choice.
Recent head to head: An ancient rivalry got renewed this season
RB Leipzig and Holstein Kiel have a rich history between them that dates back to their days in the Regionalliga North over 10 years ago. The teams hadn't met each other in a decade before this season and the Red Bulls won the reverse fixture 0-2. The overall picture shows five wins to two in favour of the hosts.
Players to watch: Sesko can regain his confidence with a goal
Benjamin Sesko has not had the best season when compared to the previous two, but has had his best performances when playing at home. Five of his last six goals for the team were scored at the Red Bull Arena. He also scored the opening goal against Holstein Kiel in the reverse fixture, so he is already familiar with the feeling of scoring against this opponent. Given that the next month will probably be the hardest of the season, he needs to gain some confidence ahead of the tough clashes.
Probable line-ups
RB Leipzig: Gulacsi, Klostermann, Bitshiabu, Orban, Baku, Vermeeren, Haidara, Raum, Baumgartner, Openda, Sesko
Holstein Kiel: Weiner, Komenda, Becker, Zec, Porath, Remberg, Rosenboom, Tolkin, Gigovic, Bernhardsson, Machino
Anything else catch the eye?
The Red Bulls look like a completely different team under Zsolt Low, at least offensively. The team scored 3+ goals in back-to-back games for the first time since October. But we can't turn a blind eye to their defensive performance, which suggest we can expect Holstein Kiel to score in this clash.
The visitors have the weakest defence in the league but still managed to score in the majority of their fixtures. Holstein Kiel had 22 overs in 29 rounds this season and only Bayern Munich have a higher average goals per match. This clash has the potential to be one of the unexpected highlights of this round and we will test out both goal markets.
This German Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and Holstein Kiel will be played on and kick off at 14:30. Check below for our tipsters best RB Leipzig vs Holstein Kiel prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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