The German Bundesliga continues with round 30 match-ups this weekend. The stage is set this Sunday (April 23rd) for a fierce clash between league rivals RB Leipzig and FC Schalke 04, who will do battle at the Veltins-Arena. Things are heating up in the German soccer league as we get set to draw the curtains, on what has been an exhilarating campaign. The tired and shaken up FC Schalke team will host the high-flying RB Leipzig team in the last meeting of the German Bundesliga Round 30. The hosts will try to bounce back from the mid-week Europa League quarter-finals knock out, while the visitors are riding a 4 game winning streak going into this match-up. On that note, we have prepared an exclusive game analysis in order to exploit some easy betting picks. Let’s take a closer look.
FC SCHALKE 04 vs. RB LEIPZIG
3-Way: 1: FC Schalke +210; X: +256 Draw; RB Leipzig +150
Spread 0: FC Schalke +125; RB Leipzig -130
Total +2.5: Over -110; Under +110
FC SCHALKE 04
The FC Schalke 04 is currently sat around the mid table position, on the 11th place at this late stage in the tumultuous campaign, lying moderately safe 7 points clear of the relegation play offs, having accumulated 37 points from 29 games.
The club has currently claimed victory a total of ten times this season, but have lost more, experiencing defeat on twelve separate occasions overall in the German Bundesliga. Although Schalke lost their last competitive league encounter with Darmstadt 98 (1:2), the mid-table team will with no doubt draw confidence from the fact that they are unbeaten in their last five home matches, winning four, and being held to a stalemate (1:1) by top four side Borussia Dortmund.
At home, under the Veltins- Arena lights Schalke 04 has only lost four times out of 15 matches played, making the 04’s colosseum a daunting prospect to visit for any side.
Retrospectively, the team’s league record away from home this season has been utterly woeful. Throughout the season, Schalke 04 has only managed to scrape a meagre two wins from 14 league matches played on the road. Goals have been going in from all angles at home. Currently, Schalke’s strike force is the 5th most lethal in the Bundesliga, notching up a mighty 27 goals from their fifteen home appearances this season. Schalke have netted 4o times at home, and 32 away, giving them a grand figure of 72 net-busters for the campaign, the 15th highest in the league.
The “Royal Blues” could possibly show signs of dejection, after their valiant display against Ajax, which saw them crash out of the Europa League quarter-finals, after winning the second leg of the tie (3-2). The Royal Blues fought bravely, managing to open up the second half with two goals sending the game into the Extra period. The home team managed to even score in the extra time making it an overall 3-2, which, at that point, meant that the Blues where on step closer of reaching the next stage. However, the Ajax team bounced back with two goals in the extra time, making it clear who will advance into the next stage and crashing all hopes of the home team. Unfortunately, the Schalke team had nothing to show for their herculean efforts.
Schalke’s main goal threat and top scorer comes in the form of creative talent Guido Burgstaller, who has dispatched 9 goals so far throughout the 2017 german league. The Austrian midfielder is enjoying a prolific season for the “royal blues”, recently finding the net in the most recent scirmish over the VfL Wolfsburg, where they hammered the star-struck, home team (1:4). Coming in a close second is Goretska, who trails two goals behind his fellow team-mate, with a total of 7 goals.
Coach Markus Weinzierl will have to rotate the squad ahead of Saturdays clash, after Thilo kehrer’s suspension, following his dismissal against Darmstadt last Sunday. Another notable absentee is the chelsea Loanee Baba Rahman, who sustained a knee injury and will be out for several months. Tenacious defender Naldo is expected to be injured for the remainder of the season, with a groin injury. Furthermore, Choupa-moting is a doubt after a strong challenge on the Cameroon international left the forward afflicted by severe bruising to his left knee.
RB LEIPZIG
The RB Leipzig had a dream start to the season. The high flying side were riding an unstoppable wave of form, that had seen them string together a colossal seven match winning streak, eclipsing champions Bayern Munich at the top of the table, with a margin of three points.
Now, the rampant Leipzig are still going strong, and have been in irresistible form of late, requiring just two wins out of their next five games to cement a place amongst Europe’s elite.The high flyers now reside in the second place, 8 points adrift of table-topping champions, Bayern Munich, who have regained the top spot.
Ominously for Schalke 04 fans, Sundays visitors currently possess the 2nd best away record in the Bundesliga, (W7,D3,L4) playing runners-up, only to the imperious Bayern, who hold the top spot at the present time. So, it is likely that the championship contenders will present a challenging obstacle, for the “The Royal Blues” to overcome this Sunday.
Second place Leipzig are currently on an excellent run of form, unbeaten in their previous four league outings, which contained two emphatic (4:0) thrashings dished out to weary opponents Darmstadt 98, and more recently, FC Freiburg.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann has virtually no injury concerns going into Sunday’s hotly anticipated clash of the titans. Leipzig enter the contest on Sunday, with a fully intact squad, with the exception of right back Lukas Klostermann, who is expected to be out of action for at least several weeks, with a cruciate ligament injury.
Conditioning could be a concern for Schalke 04, after the demoralizing epic Europa league loss in the midweek. In contrast, Leipzig should be fully replenished ahead of this weekend’s mouth-watering showdown, having had no mid-week obligations.
RB LEIPZIG vs. FC SCHALKE 04 PREDICTION
With the automatic champions league qualification set firmly in their sights, and only an attainable 6 points away, Leipzig has got everything to play for heading into Sunday’s clash. Retrospectively, Schalke 04’s heads will be hanging low, after their mid-week misery in the Europe competition. It is difficult to see how Coach Markus Weinzierl will galvanize the troops, ahead of this weekend’s skirmish. In my view, RB Leipzig will be too-hot to handle for the dwindling side Schalke 04, and I predict a 2:1 victory for the Red Bulls.
MY PICK: RB Leipzig (+150)
Additional Pick: Both teams to score YES -139
