Jon's Picks (8 Live)
Dortmund at home demand respect. Playing in front of the Yellow Wall can be brutal, and now that Dortmund is done with the Champions League group stage, they can focus on their domestic campaign. Especially now that Bayern Munich have once again dropped points, I'm expecting Dortmund to come out in a big way. They're playing the worst team in Bundesliga. Heidenheim are dead last on the table, only 17 goals to their name, while conceding 42. Expecting a 3-0/4-0 beatdown for Dortmund.
This match has given us fireworks in the past, and I'm expected something similar Sunday morning. Over 2.5 goals has now hit in their last five head-to-head fixtures. Not only that, but over 3.5 goals has also hit in all five of those matches. I was expecting this line to be set higher, especially with Deniz Undav, Jamie Leweling, and Vincenzo Grifo in form. I like BTTS as well if you want to get that juice down!
Stuttgart and Freiburg are both flying high in Bundesliga this season. Stuttgart are fifth on the table unbeaten in their last five, while Freiburg are seventh on the table with only one loss in their last five. Both teams have tremendous attacks, but Stuttgart has revenge on the mind. When they played the reverse fixture Freiburg won 3-1 at home, picking up three goals after the 80th minute. Stuttgart will bring this back to home and are expected to get revenge, as well as three points.
Bayern Munich faced their first loss of the Bundesliga season last matchday to Bavarian rivals Augsburg. I was at the match in Allianz Arena, so I accept the fact that I was indeed the jinx. Now that I'm out of Germany, and now that manager Vincent Kompany has made it abundantly clear that result isn't acceptable, I'm expecting a violent bounceback from Bayern Munich. They met earlier this season and Bayern battered them 5-0, in a match that could have been even worse. This is a chance to let out some frustrations, and I expect Bayern to win by 3+ goals.
Bayern Munich, the champions of Germany, the best attacking team in Europe, the team with 72 goals in 19 games, lost last week. They didn't just lose 2-1. They lost to a Bavarian rival, and a team that was sitting in the relegation zone. After a loss like that, I fear for whatever poor sap has to take on Bayern Munich in the next matchday. That poor sap happens to be Hamburg. Bayern Munich don't lose multiple in a row and they bounce back in violent ways. I expect Kane, Diaz, Olise and Karl to all start, and for Bayern Munich to win this match 5-0.
Hoffenheim is having themselves one heck of a season! The club barely finished outside the relegation zone last year, 15th on the table, and now they're sitting all the way up at third only behind Dortmund and Bayern. Much of their success has been contributed toward their domination in front of their home fans. They've won their last six home matches straight, beating teams like Leipzig and Leverkusen. No reason to start fading them now!
Right now in the German Bundesliga, the top four placed teams are guaranteed a spot in Champions League next season. Bayern Munich have pretty much already claimed the first spot, so there's three more up for grabs. Leipzig sits in fourth place right now equal on points with Stuttgart. Playing against a 16th on the table Mainz side is not a match they can afford to drop points on if they want to be a UCL caliber team. I expect them to handle business, and return to winning ways.