Schalke 04 vs Borussia Dortmund
It’s always a big deal whenever fierce rivals Schalke and Borussia Dortmund collide. But this upcoming edition of the Revierderby will have some added importance.
Both sides are in the middle of what has been a very competitive battle at the top half of the Bundesliga. The top nine sides are currently separated by just two points, with Dortmund — still one of the top title contenders according to the Bundesliga 2019 odds — currently fourth at 15 points and Schalke seventh at 14 points.
The winner of the derby will not only gain three crucial points as well as bragging rights, but they will also deal their rivals a significant setback in the chase for top spot in the table.
Talking Points
Schalke suddenly slumping
Schalke were one of the hottest teams in the league not that long ago. They had won three matches in a row, with victories over Paderborn, Mainz, and most impressively, RB Leipzig away from home.
They seemed well on course for a fourth win on the bounce, but they could only draw against struggling Koln after they conceded a stoppage-time equaliser. They followed up that result with another disappointing showing away to Hoffenheim, which they lost 2-0.
Schalke still have a gaping problem in terms of getting consistent goals from their strikers. Veterans Guido Burgstaller and Daniel Caligiuri have yet to score this season, while teenage forwards Ahmed Kutucu and Rabbi Matondo have just a goal each.
Luckily, their midfielders have helped supply the goals. Amine Harit is the team’s leading scorer with four goals thus far, with Suat Serdar close behind with three. Harit was instrumental in their recent three-game winning run as he provided four goals and two assists.
However, Schalke can’t keep relying on their midfielders for goals and will need their forwards to step up at some point.
Manager David Wagner also needs to shore up the team’s defence, especially since they’re finding it hard to score. They have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last five league matches.
Dortmund still searching for consistency
Borussia Dortmund are still finding consistency hard to come by in the Bundesliga this season. They’ve won back-to-back games just once thus far, and those came in the first two games of the season against Augsburg and at Koln.
They recently suffered three 2-2 draws in a row, all of which coming despite having a 2-1 lead. Their draws against Eintracht Frankfurt and Freiburg were especially heartbreaking after they gave up own goals in the final few minutes on both occasions. They also drew at home to Werder Bremen.
Although, they did come right back and defeat league leaders Borussia Monchengladbach 1-0 at home. Marco Reus scored the only goal to deal his old club the loss.
Reus has been ruled out of Dortmund’s clash against Inter Milan in the Champions League due to the flu, but he might be able to recover in time to play in the derby.
Jadon Sancho missed the Gladbach match after he was suspended for returning late from international duty and should also return to the line-up.
Meanwhile, star striker Paco Alcacer remains a bit of a question mark as he continues to recover from an Achilles injury. Despite missing the past three games, the Spaniard is still the team’s co-leading scorer with five goals. Stay tuned for the Bundesliga 2019 updates about his status ahead of the match.
History
The recent history of the Revierderby has been quite competitive. Dortmund have won just four of the last 15 meetings, with Schalke winning five, with six draws. Moreover, Dortmund have won just once in their last seven games against Schalke.
Schalke dealt Dortmund’s title chances a huge blow last season when they won 4-2 at Signal Iduna Park. Daniel Caligiuri bagged a brace as Dortmund finished with just nine men after Marco Reus and Marius Wolf were both sent off within five minutes of one another.
Betting Tip
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Schalke 04 vs Borussia Dortmund | Schalke 04 Asian Handicap +0.25 @ 2.08 |
| October 26, 21:30 (GMT+8) |
SBOBET odds for this match are quite even. Dortmund are slight favourites at 2.11, Schalke are priced at 3.35, while a draw is 3.40.
But recent history has favoured Schalke in this fixture, and that’s where I’m leaning toward on the Asian Handicap. I have doubts about Dortmund’s form at the moment, and the fact that they will be coming off a tough trip to Milan in midweek also won’t help. That’s why I can see Schalke once again getting either a draw or a win in this first Revierderby of the season.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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 = €20 (Highly confident) |
= €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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