January 11, 2024. 7:30 p.m. Monchengladbach. Borussia Park Stadium.
Bundesliga. Day 16
Injuries : Nathan Ngumu, Frank Onora (?) – Sasa Bui, Hiroki Ito, Josip Stanisic, Tarek Buchmann, Jamal Musiala, Joao Palhinha
Suspension : Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
The highlight of Matchday 16 of the Bundesliga will undoubtedly be the clash in Monchengladbach between local Borussia and Bayern Munich. The Bavarians sit at the top of the table, four points ahead of Bayer, who will have to work hard to defend their champion status this season. Meanwhile, Gladbach is fighting fiercely for a place in the Champions League zone, traditionally coveted by almost half of the league’s participants. The ‘Fohlen’ concluded the winter break in eighth place, just three points behind third-placed rivals, and three points ahead of eleventh-placed Wolfsburg. The excitement is far from over in this race, and the same goes for the title battle.
Borussia
In their last match before the winter break, Gladbach managed to win against Sinsheim, although it was through a bit of luck, having scored two goals from just one real chance, while their opponents had five chances . The victory marked their second consecutive victory after a crushing 4-1 victory over Holstein. However, head coach Gerardo Seoane must not get carried away as his side have scored and conceded regularly in their last four games. Bayern, on the other hand, definitely plan to score rather than let their opponents find the net. Ahead of the clash with the league leaders, Seoane said: “We need to be bold but not reckless. It is crucial to control the situation and press the opponent at every opportunity as we are unlikely to dominate possession on Saturday against Bayern.”
It is worth noting that Seoane surprisingly benched Kevin Stoger, one of the team’s leaders, in the last few games, which had a positive impact on the team’s performance! Several German experts and journalists have theorized about the move, but overall it has been well received. Without Stoger, Alassane Plea flourished, as he had previously struggled to connect with Stoger, the epitome of a lone striker. Additionally, it was evident that Stoger often disrupted his teammates’ rhythm, affecting their concentration. It will be interesting to see if Seoane reintroduces Stoger for this crucial match against Bayern or if he continues his current approach.
Before the league resumed, Borussia played a friendly against Dutch side Nijmegen, ending in a 2-2 draw. The meeting took place in Monchengladbach, where the hosts have a remarkable record: five wins in their last six matches.
-Bayern
The Munich giants also played a friendly, crushing Austrian side Salzburg 6-0. Vincent Kompany scrutinized all the players at his disposal. Michael Olise scored twice, while Eric Dier, Thomas Muller and 18-year-old Danish striker Asp-Jensen each scored, with Guerreiro providing two assists. Joshua Kimmich also contributed with a goal and an assist, although his future at Munich remains uncertain with his contract expiring next summer, and Liverpool are keen to acquire him. Additionally, Davis could leave, and there is confusion around Muller’s situation, while potential new arrival Djokeresh is having an excellent season in the Portuguese La Liga.
Before the Bundesliga break, Bayern entered the festive period in excellent spirits after pulverizing Leipzig 5-1. It was exactly the result they needed after a defeat to Mainz. Reflecting on his first half in charge of the Munich team, Kompany said: “Yes, I have experienced it all – victories and defeats. We can celebrate the former and learn from the latter. Either way, I feel at home here and move forward with confidence… The important thing is not to fear, to take everything calmly and to learn from experiences After our match against Barcelona, we secured seven consecutive victories. wounded will come back, we will be even better.”
Bayern is already boasting an exceptional performance: having scored 47 goals (10 more than the nearest rival) while only conceding 13 (seven fewer than the nearest rival). However, it cannot be said that the team is completely balanced, as evidenced by unexpected defeats against Bayer (although they are a champion team) and Mainz. Therefore, Kompany certainly has areas for improvement.
Borussia vs Bayern: Predictable Lineups
For Gladbach, Frank Onora’s participation in the match is uncertain, while Nathan Ngumu is injured. The main loss for the visitors is Dayot Upamecano, who is suspended; however, given his occasional slips of the tongue, his absence might not be as significant as it seems. On the other hand, although Bayern under Kompany concede the fewest goals, the center of their defense causes the most concern, meaning any missing representative poses a major problem. Additionally, potential absentee Sasa Bui, capable of playing as a central defender if necessary, joins Hiroki Ito, Josip Stanisic and Tarek Buchmann on the injured list. Therefore, Eric Dier should feature in the starting XI. It is likely that Jamal Musiala and Joao Palhinha will also miss the match. Musiala, moreover, is close to signing a new contract with the club, having also made certain financial concessions in this regard. Well done – he will surely make up that amount in due time.
Borussia vs Bayern: Author’s Prediction
The visitors are undoubtedly the big favorites for this match, with their odds for victory not even reaching 1.5. On the other hand, there is a reasonable reason to believe that the hosts will not be easy to break through and may well score a goal. The bet on “Both Teams Score and Bayern Win” offers attractive odds of 2.41. For a combo, Borussia’s individual total exceeding 0.5 or the common “Both Teams Score” at 1.53 will suffice.
