Bundesliga: Bayern are Ready to Start the Hunt

Bayern Munich vs TSG Hoffenheim

Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga title defence enters its second phase on Friday when Thomas Tuchel’s side meets TSG Hoffenheim in the top flight curtain raiser.   

We’re half way through the campaign and the Bundesliga 2024 betting odds make Bayern the favourites to win the title at a SBOTOP price of 1.39, with league leaders Bayer Leverkusen at 2.68. Xabi Alonso’s side had a storming first half of the campaign and they lead Tuchel’s men by four points…and now the chase is on.

Bayern can ramp the pressure up immediately if they can beat Matarazzo Pellegrini’s Hoffenheim on Friday, though on paper this is the champions’ biggest test in January. TSG are in seventh place in the Bundesliga table and they have a European place in their sights and, while Bayern have a fearsome squad of players their visitors have serious quality at both ends of the pitch.    

The Bavarians signed off for the winter break with a 2-1 win over Wolfsburg while Hoffenheim drew 3-3 at home to Darmstadt.

Talking Points

Goals, goals, goals   

My SBOTOP colleague James reckons it’s going to be a record breaking season in the Bundesliga this year, and if Harry Kane has anything to say about it he’ll be bang on the money. The England captain has made an incredible start to life in Germany, scoring 21 goals and threatening to break the all time Bundesliga scoring record. The German top flight has produced over three goals per game this season and it’s a fertile ground for goal-scorers, and the Munich boys are better at finding the net more than anyone else. They have plundered 49 goals from their first 15 games, three more than leaders Leverkusen having played a game less.        

Kane has written the biggest headlines, but with Leroy Sane putting in eight assists and scoring eight goals, and veteran target man Thomas Muller making six assists this is a terrifying prospect for opposition defences. Add into the mix the skill and pace of young winger Jamal Musiala, who, alongside Kane, scored against Wolfsburg, it’s difficult for any team to stop the flow of Bavarian goals.

But that is exactly what TSG Hoffenheim must do on Friday.    

Can Brooks and Vogt keep King Harry quiet?

The visitors have only picked up one victory in the last six league games and Pellegrini will be looking for a strong performance from his players in the toughest arena of all. The TSG boss will be under no illusion that the busiest men on the pitch will be his centre back pairing of John Brooks and Kevin Vogt. These two will hope their wide men can limit the supply coming from Sane and Musiala, but then they need to protect their keeper when Kane and Muller are lurking. 30 year old Brooks holds both German and United States citizenships and he’s starred for the Stars and Stripes since his debut in 2013. After five years at Wolfsburg Brooks spent last season at Benfica, but he has made a successful return to the Bundesliga with Hoffenheim and has been a mainstay in Pellegrini’s team.

Brooks has plenty of pace, is strong in the air and is a tough tackler and his partner Vogt is a real unit, at 6ft 4in, the 32 year old is a commanding presence and he will be assigned to take care of Muller if the Bayern target man makes an appearance.

The Hoffenhein defensive unit needs to be totally on its game and maybe have a little luck but, if they can keep it tight at the back, TSG have players who can hit the opposition on the break.             

Croatian striker Andrej Kramaric is a Hoffenheim legend, scoring 101 goals in 222 appearances and he has six goals from 15 games this season. Alongside him 21 year old forward Max Beier is enjoying a breakout season, scoring six goals from 13 games; he’s strong in the air and neat on the ground. Beier will be challenged by Ihlas Bebou who scored a double in the draw with Darmstadt, and all three are likely to feature at some stage of the game.  

History

The Bavarians have won 21 of the last 32 encounters to Hoffenheim’s four, though last season this game ended in a 1-1 draw as Kramaric bagged a late equaliser.     

With three wins, two draws and a single defeat Bayern went into the break in better nick than Hoffenheim who had won one, drawn two and lost three of their last six.  

Bayern have won six and drawn one of their seven home games so far in the league and they are hotly favoured to keep that streak going.  

Betting Tip

The Bavarians need to put together an impressive set of Bundesliga 2024 results if they are to chase down Leverkusen, and at 1.13 to win this match they should close the gap at the top to a single point.

The draw is at 7.34 and a Hoffenheim win is at 10.60 and while I don’t expect the champions to slip up, I don’t think it will be a walkover.

For a correct score line, 3-1 to Bayern is priced at 9.64, while 2-0 is at 9.16.  

 

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