Football Bet of the Day: Weakened Leipzig set to slip up

Borussia Dortmund v RB Leipzig
Saturday February 04, 17:30
Live on BT Sport

Hamburg picked a fine time to finally discover a collective backbone, while Bayer Leverkusen picked a fine time to end a 20-match scoring sequence away from home in the Bundesliga. A 1-0 victory for the hosts last night did us few favours.

Undaunted, we take on the game of the weekend in Germany, as title challengers RB Leipzig visit Borussia Dortmund.

Leipzig are where Dortmund want to be, hot on the heels of the leaders Bayern Munich. While Die Roten Bullen are only three points behind the champions, BVB are nine points further back.

Ralph Hasenhuttl's top-flight debutants were swept aside 3-0 at Bayern just before the winter break, and although they bounced back with fine home wins against Eintracht Frankfurt and previously unbeaten Hoffenheim, I think they could be in for a difficult evening at Signal Iduna Park. A flu bug has spread through the RBL camp, and key players will be missing. Top scorer Timo Werner, midfield lynchpin Diego Demme and outstanding forward Marcel Sabitzer have all been sidelined, while playmaker Emil Forsberg is still suspended. Although Leipzig still have excellent players like centre-back Willi Orban and midfield dynamo Naby Keita, they don't yet have the depth to cope with losing so many star performers at once.

Dortmund were dreadful in last week's 1-1 draw at Mainz, but at home they are a different animal. Since Thomas Tuchel picked up the coaching reins, Die Schwarzgelben haven't lost at home in the league, and they are still the only side to have overcome Bayern in the Bundesliga this term. Teenage wing wizard Ousmane Dembele is raring to go after a couple of games out of the starting line-up, and star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hoping to add to his 16 league goals.

There is so much to like about Leipzig's style of play and their inspirational coach Hasenhuttl, but this could be a rude awakening against a side that has won 23 of its last 29 home matches in the Bundesliga.

Recommended Bet
Back Borussia Dortmund -1.0 on the Asian Handicap at 2.1411/10