Borussia Monchengladbach vs Schalke 04
Borussia Monchengladbach and Schalke 04 are set to lock horns in the opening week of the much-anticipated Bundesliga.
They will kick off their respective campaigns at the beautiful Borussia Park, where Monchengladbach have been nearly invincible especially at last season’s earlier stages.
Both of these clubs will feature newly-minted managers who plan on bringing their clubs to new heights and it sure won’t be easy as time goes on.
Today, SBOBET reviews these clubs and examines on what to expect from the both of them this Saturday.
Talking Points
How will the new managers fare this season?
After failing to meet expectations last campaign — both Gladbach and Schalke brought in new faces to man the helm for their respective squads –as reported in the Bundesliga 2019 news.
The Foals went out and got Marco Rose, ending Dieter Heckling’s three-year tenure. Rose is a two-time Austrian league champion and is a renowned figure in the UEFA Europa League. He is known for his high-tempo, attack-minded style as seen back in Red Bull Salzburg.
Apparently, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is a huge fan of the German. In fact, the two have been together way back in their playing days suiting up for FSV Mainz 05.
Meanwhile, David Wagner has his eyes set on restoring order for a Schalke squad that almost fell to relegation the last time around.
Wagner has experience managing Borussia Dortmund II and Huddersfield Town – where he guided them to the Premier League.
Change may bring good omen for these clubs moving forward. And it will be interesting on how these managers go up against each other in their respective Bundesliga debuts.
Can Alassane Plea step up to the plate for the Foals?
With Thorgan Hazard leaving town, this opens up opportunities for Alassane Plea – who emerged as the team’s top scorer last season. The French skipper scored 12 total goals for Gladbach last season.
Plea oozes with potential especially with his fine, quick play. And with guys like Lars Stindl and Raffael getting at the wrong side of 30, the captainship is only his to lose.
He will definitely thrive in Marco Rose’s high-tempo attack, especially with his high fitness levels. The 25-year-old can form a lethal core with fellow youngsters Marcus Thuram, Breel Embolo, and Florian Neuhaus — who is expected to make strides this year
Once they get it going, Monchengladbach’s Bundesliga 2019 odds of finishing at the top four will increase dramatically.
Schalke aiming for a top-half finish
The Royal Blues’ 2019 campaign was a miserable one for the fans as they finished at four points above the relegation play-off spot.
One of their highlights last season, however, was when they dashed Borussia Dortmund’s title hopes in a 4-2 Revierderby victory towards the season’s end. That game was the perfect way to salvage a horrible season for Schalke as they maintained their top-flight status.
The squad bolstered their middle by signing Ozan Kabak, Benito Raman, and Jonjoe Kenny. Weston McKennie, on the other hand, will be the player to watch for the Royal Blues.
The American skipper played in 33 matches for Schalke last season in where he scored his first goals for the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League. He was the main man behind Team USA’s finals run to the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
McKennie is a versatile footballer, as he can play in the midfield and in defence giving David Wagner a variety of options. He will be of big help to striker Guido Burgstaller and goalkeeper Alexander Nubel – who will replace Benjamin Stambouli as the club captain.
David Wagner will have the daunting task of bringing Die Knappen to a top-half finish, but their recent transactions suggest that they’re on their way there.
History
The Foals have been unbeaten against the Royal Blues in their last five encounters, winning both games last season. They’ve also posted 21 clean sheets in 46 home matches against Schalke, which was more than any other team.
Schalke’s last win in Borussia Park was last May 2013, where Julian Draxler scored the marginal goal of the match.
Marco Rose never lost at home as a first-team coach in the pro football ranks (W42, D10).
Betting Tip
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Borussia Monchengladbach vs Schalke 04 | Borussia Monchengladbach Asian Handicap -0.25 @ 1.80 |
| August 18, 00:30 (GMT+8) |
History suggests that Gladbach will assert its mastery over Schalke at 2.07 odds, and it is very likely to happen again in this match.
Expect the Foals to give an all-out effort for their fans in Borussia Park and the same is expected for the Royal Blues.
I would give the edge to Gladbach since Marco Rose’s system looks to be a better fit for the players. This looks like a 1-0 win in favor of Die Borussen.
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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