Verdict: Total goals over 3.5
Best odds: 21/20
Bookmaker: Unibet
Round 23 of the 2021-22 season is up this weekend in the Bundesliga, and despite the two teams called Borussia being rather far apart in the table right now, their encounter on Sunday, when Monchengladbach travel to Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park, will be among the more interesting contests.
Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund supporters have probably grown very frustrated in recent years, constantly staring at the back of Bayern Munich as the Bavarians beat them to the league title season after season. There are 12 rounds of the current campaign still to be played and the gap is only six points wide, but the sad fact is that Dortmund don’t seem able to pull themselves together when it could matter most.
The year is not yet two months old, and Marco Rose’s team have already suffered three shocking defeats in three different competitions. The disaster started with getting kicked out of the DFB-Pokal in the round of 16 by second-tier side St. Pauli, followed after a while by a 2-5 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, and took one step further earlier this week when Rangers beat them 2-4 in the first leg of their clash in the Europa League play-offs.
All three of those matches come into their last-six run ahead of the Sunday clash with Gladbach, though it should be said that Dortmund won the remaining three fixtures, all in the league; 5-1 at home against SC Freiburg, 2-3 away to Hoffenheim, and 0-3 against Union Berlin in the German capital. The attacking section of the team obviously isn’t problem, but Dortmund simply must do better at the back if they are to even hope to stay in the title race for long.
Team News
The big question at the moment is, of course, whether Erling Haaland will achieve a sufficient level of fitness after recovering from the muscle issue which kept him out of the last two league games. The Norwegian sensation has scored 16 league goals in 14 matches so far and his presence would be incredibly important for the team, but if he’s not ready in time, Donyell Malen is the man most likely to lead the line upfront again.
Rose also has significant issues in fullback positions. Raphael Guerreiro is certain to start on the left, with Marcel Schmelzer out for a while yet with a knee injury. As far as the right defensive flank is concerned, the season is over for Mateu Morey Bauza (ACL), while Thomas Meunier is a doubt having missed the Union Berlin and Rangers matches through a knock. Centre-back Manuel Akanji started those matches on that flank and didn’t exactly cover himself in glory, so Rose could opt for a more recognized option in Nico Shulz, even though Shulz mostly plays on the left.
Midfielder Abdooulaye Kamara is out with an ankle injury, but Rose won’t have any problems there with the likes of Axel Witsel, Jude Bellingham, Emre Can and Mahmoud Dahoud at his disposal.
Borussia Monchengladbach
The situation is worse for Gladbach this season. Having played in the Champions League where they reached the knockout stages and eventually finished eighth in the Bundesliga, the team formerly run by Dortmund boss Rose are currently in 13th place with 26 points, just four above the relegation play-offs place currently occupied by FC Augsburg. Hertha Berlin (23) and Arminia Bielefeld (22) are squeezed in between. Greuther Furth with 13 points at the bottom have already been written off, but VfB Stuttgart with 18 still have a reasonable chance.
It’s too late for Gladbach to dream of a place in Europe for next season, but if they can manage to stay out of relegation conversation, that will at least be something.
The last-six run of results for Adi Hutter’s side is an interesting read, full of surprises. It starts with a shocking 1-2 victory over Bayern in Munich, but then came two home defeats by the same scoreline, to Leverkusen and Union Berlin, with a 3-0 hammering away at second-tier side Hannover in the DFB-Pokal set in between. It ends with a 1-1 draw away to Arminia and a 3-2 win at home against Augsburg.
Team News
Hutter is without his captain, midfielder Lars Stindl, who won’t be back in action any time soon having picked up a medial collateral ligament injury. Centre-back Mamadou Doucoure hasn’t played at all this season, first through an Achilles tendon tear, and now with muscular problems.
Conclusion
Dortmund are clearly the favourites to win this contest, at least on paper, even if Haaland misses out. But with their recent disorganized defensive performances in mind, anything is possible. There should be plenty of goals, whichever way the tide turns.
Verdict: Total goals over 3.5
Best odds: 21/20
Bookmaker: Unibet
- Soccer News Like
- Be the first of your friends!
