Bundesliga Betting: Bayer to seriously challenge Bayern

German Football / Ben Lyttleton / 23 August 2010 / Leave a Comment

Michael Ballack has added some invaluable experience to Leverkusen's ranks

"Also, the return of fit-again striker Patrick Helmes, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, midfielder Simon Rolfes and Renato, who scored against Dortmund, will make Jupp Heynckes' team harder to beat. Last week they were ([17.5]) for the
title and already have come in to ([12.0])."

Ben Lyttleton talks us through all the action on day one of the Bundesliga season and tells us why a Bayer Leverkusen side that has welcomed back favourite son Michael Ballack could push defending champions Bayern Munich all the way.

The Bundesliga season got underway this weekend and, as always, there were plenty of talking-points: late drama at Bayern Munich, another defensive collapse by Werder Bremen and a return to action for Michael Ballack, whose Bayer Leverkusen side could provide the greatest challenge to Bayern's crown.

The champions, German Cup holders and Champions League runners-up did not have things going all their own way in Friday night's clash against Wolfsburg: after going ahead through Thomas Muller, Bayern let in an equalizer from Edin Dzeko in the second-half and a draw looked on the cards until Bastian Schweinsteiger connected with Franck Ribery's cross for an injury-time winner.

The result was harsh on Wolves boss Steve McClaren, whose second-half decision to bring on Zvjezdan Misimovic changed the game. Wolfsburg are ([22.0]) for the title but that price will drift if they sell Dzeko, their top scorer for the last two seasons, before the transfer window closes. Dzeko has made no secret of his desire to leave and was linked with Manchester City before Wolfsburg¹s £40m price-tag scared them off. McClaren has made Dzeko captain in the hope that he will stay, and as it looks more likely that he might, then now is the time to back him to finish Bundesliga top-scorer at ([9.2]). In nine days, if he is still at Wolfsburg, that price is bound to be shorter.

The current name at the top of the scoring charts is Ruud van Nistelrooy, whose brace in Hamburg¹s 2-1 win over Schalke has left him ([7.2]) favourite to finish top scorer. Given his injury record in recent years, he may not play enough matches to top that table over the season, but his presence certainly explains Hamburg's short ([2.14]) price for a top-three finish.

The result of the weekend was at Hoffenheim, where another Bosnian forward found his scoring form: Vedad Ibisevic hit 18 in 17 games in 2008 before a knee injury ended his season. He bagged 12 last season and another one as Hoffenheim came from behind to beat Werder Bremen 4-1 with all four goals coming in a 23-minute first-half spell. Bremen's defensive woes once again trouble them and they struggled in their first game since selling Mesut Ozil to Real Madrid. Once again, the bet with Bremen is in the Over-Goals market: the price is ([2.44]) for Over-3.5 goals in Saturday's match against FC Cologne.

The biggest story of the weekend though, aside from the winning starts for newly-promoted St Pauli and Kaiserslautern, was Ballack's return to action for Bayer Leverkusen in an impressive 2-0 win at Borussia Dortmund. Leverkusen were title contenders last season, going unbeaten for the first 24 games until a disastrous run of just three wins in their last 12 games ruined their hopes.

This season the side has more experience thanks to Ballack (and Sami Hyypia, who was a key performer for them last season). Also, the return of fit-again striker Patrick Helmes, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, midfielder Simon Rolfes and Renato, who scored against Dortmund, will make Jupp Heynckes' team harder to beat. Last week they were ([17.5]) for the title and already have come in to ([12.0]). Expect that price to shorten given their fairly comfortable run of games at the start of the season.

Next week, Ballack will be back in the headlines as Germany begin their Euro 2012 campaign with a tough tie in Belgium. All eyes will be on coach Joachim Loew, who has to decide whether to keep World Cup skipper Phillip Lahm as captain or return the armband to Ballack. The rivalry between Bayern and Leverkusen could be the one to watch this season.