Bayern Munich vs Schalke 04
The opening game of the season could hardly be more daunting for Schalke, but you have to play everyone at some time in the campaign!
And the first round of fixtures often throws out a few surprises, so maybe now is the time to head to the Allianz Arena to meet FC Bayern…and then again maybe not! Die Bayern are aiming for a ninth successive Bundesliga title after storming to the title in 2020, and they are also kings of Europe, winning the Champions League.
Hansi Flick’s side went on an unbelievable run to blow away the opposition at the end of the 2019/20 campaign, and notably destroyed Barcelona in the semi-final of the Champions League. But it’s 11 against 11 and when Schalke 04 take to the pitch they will believe, quite rightly, they have a chance.
Talking Points
More of the same for Bayern?
The German champions were simply relentless as they stormed to an eighth successive Bundesliga title and Flick, appointed interim head coach, was rewarded with a contract which keeps him at the club until 2023. As well as winning the league and Champions League, Die Bayern also picked up the cup to complete the club’s 13th domestic double. And the 8-2 destruction of Barcelona announced to the world, Leo Messi and all, just how good the Germans are.
They play with pace and skill in equal measure, and are blessed by the most lethal goal scorer in world football. Lewandowski was Europe’s finest striker last season, by some margin, and he’s sure to be a big player in the Bundesliga 2020 highlights again throughout the new campaign. He won the Golden Boot, scoring 34 goals, while Thomas Muller made an astonishing 21 assists while Serge Gnabry contributed 12 goals and ten assists.
Big summer signing Leroy Sane could take his Bundesliga bow, wearing the number 10 shirt following his switch from Manchester City so, one again this is a frightening prospect for any defence.
Schalke’s boss has big ambitions
Since arriving at Schalke in 2019 head coach David Wagner had a season of two halves. He came with a great reputation having managed Huddersfield Town to the Premier League and guiding them to survival, lauded by the British media as the ‘Premier League’s greatest survival story’ and Wagner was noted as ‘a leader of rare charisma and intelligence.’
He started well at Schalke but his team struggled in the second half of the season, disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak, and they had to settle for 12th place.
But the Bundesliga 2020 betting markets see 04 Schalke as a decent bet for a Europa League place, in among the likes of Wolfsburg, Eintracht Frankfurt and Hertha Berlin, and just behind the Big Five. These four teams are all at 151.00 to win the title, and that would be a huge surprise in any case. But stranger things have happened, as any Leicester City fan would tell you after they watched the 5001.00 Foxes win the 2016 Premier League title.
That FC Bayern are as short as 1.14 to retain their title tells you where the smart money is.
Schalke’s 6ft 6in defender Salif Sane is a colossus at the heart of defence and he will be the man tasked with stopping Lewandowski and co, while 23 year old Moroccan international Amine Harit has impressed in the three years since he arrived from Nantes.
23 year old defensive midfielder Suat Serdar has picked up 4 Germany caps and has scored nine goals in 46 appearances since his transfer from Mainz; so this is certainly not a team without hope.
History
Die Bayern have had the better of the meetings between these two sides, winning 39 of the 66 clashes since 1992, with Schalke winning 12 and there have been 15 draws.
The Bavarians did a league double over their opponents last term, 5-0 at home and 0-3 away and they also put Schalke out of the DFB Pokal Cup with a 1-0 quarter-final win.
Die Knappen haven’t won any of their last eight games against Bayern, while the hosts are unbeaten in 11 in this clash.
Add to that the fact the Bayern have won their last nine home matches and Schalke have some work to do to cause an upset.
Betting Tip
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Bayern Munich vs Schalke 04 | Schalke 04 Asian Handicap +2.50 @ 1.92 |
| September 19, 02:30 (GMT+8) |
Can any team stop Bayern? Well BVB, Red Bull, Monchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen will all start with that very intention. But any SBOTOP tips backing against Die Bayern this season will be scarce, if not non-existent; and so the wide range of options with Asian Handicap betting is the way to go.
FC Bayern are at 1.15 to win this opener with the draw at 8.45 and Schalke at 12.60 to spring an almighty surprise.
Flick’s champions are at 1.99 with the -2.50 handicap; so that is the margin we expect.
For a score-line it really could be anything, and 2-0 is the lowest price at a generous 8.20.
So I’m going for the visitors to put up a fight, Schalke’s Sane to have the game of his life and the margin of defeat to be respectable.
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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