The German Bundesliga will finally be back from the winter break this week and the action resumes on Friday with a big match-up between RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich. The Red Bulls closed out 2022 in great form and will hope to beat Bayern for the first time since 2018.
Bookmaker William Hill has the odds at 1.91 for both teams to score Friday and the game not finishing with a draw.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: January 19th, 7:30 A.M. (EST)
Leipzig had an awful start to the campaign but a managerial change has given the team a big boost. They haven’t lost a single game since October and a run of six consecutive wins across all competitions includes a 3-2 triumph over Real Madrid in the Champions League. Can they now take down another European giant?
Based on form, Leipzig’s chances in the fixture look promising but manager Marco Rose will need to get a result without top scorer Christopher Nkunku. The French forward is nursing a torn knee ligament and isn’t expected to play until March. Nkunku leads the Bundesliga with 12 goals and has tallied 17 goals and six assists across all competitions in 29 games.
The injury bug hasn’t been kind for Bayern either as Manuel Neuer’s season is over with a broken leg and Lucas Hernandez and Sadio Mane won’t be available on Friday. That’s three big pieces missing for Bayern and the team’s rhythm is bound to be disrupted by the multiple forced changes in the lineup.
Bayern also headed into the winter break in great form, recording 10 consecutive victories. Julian Nagelsmann’s men had a disappointing start to the league campaign but have started to cruise to an 11th consecutive Bundesliga title. There’s a four-point advantage over second-placed Freiburg and Leipzig comes at third with a six-point deficit.
The two meet for the second time this season after going head-to-head in the German Super Cup in July. Bayern stormed to a three-goal lead in the game and ended up 5-3 winners. They have now won four straight matches against Leipzig, scoring 15 goals during the run.
Timo Werner provided the match-winner the last time Leipzig was able to beat Bayern in March 2018. Can he repeat the feat on Friday? Werner is healthy again after missing the World Cup with an ankle injury and has been in good form when healthy during his comeback campaign in Leipzig, producing nine goals and four assists in 19 appearances.
