Bundesliga: Batshuayi is Back as Race for Top Four Begins Here

Borussia Monchengladbach vs Eintracht Frankfurt

If you were a Bundesliga betting man or woman – and I suspect some of you reading this are – then my money would be on the current top three remaining the same between now and the end of the campaign.

That’s not to say champions Bayer Leverkusen cannot overhaul leaders Bayern Munich. The Bavarians may be big favourites and hold a six point lead but you can’t write off a team which, remember, went unbeaten domestically throughout the whole of last season and lost only one match at home and abroad out of a total of 52 contests.

Further behind them though, I also think Eintracht Frankfurt – Europa League winners in 2022 – can hang onto third place, even though they recently lost their talisman Omar Marmoush.

That means the race for the fourth and final guaranteed Champions League spot is probably the most realistic berth left – and it’s wide open with just four points separating RB Leipzig in fourth place and Borussia Dortmund in 11^th spot.

 

Talking Points 

One of those sides, seventh place Borussia Monchengladbach, welcome Frankfurt on Saturday teatime, fresh from a 2-1 win at Stuttgart, courtesy of a late goal from Tim Kleindienst.

The question now is can they defeat a fellow rival after losing three times in a week to Bayern Munich, Wolfsburg, and Leverkusen just a few weeks ago.

By contrast, Frankfurt have overcome the loss of Marmoush to produce some fine results since the turn of the year, including a 2-0 home success over Dortmund in mid-January.

Dino Toppmöller’s team did need a late header from substitute Can Uzun to secure a point at home to Wolfsburg last time out. But since then, they have brought in a frontman who this SBOTOP writer believes will excite their followers and deliver Bundesliga 2025 highlights.

The deadline-day signing of Belgium striker Michy Batshuayi from Galatasaray – he has put pen to paper on a permanent deal through to the summer of 2027 – could help fill the gap left by the Egyptian. Especially if the 31-year-old can replicate the kind of form he showed when he enjoyed a short loan spell in the Bundesliga with Dortmund, scoring seven times in 10 appearances during the second half of the 2017/18 campaign.

Frankfurt are unbeaten in their last seven matches against Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga – their longest such run against them since 1987. I can see that run continuing this weekend.

 

History

Historically, these two have always been evenly matched. Monchengladbach have tasted victory 38 times, Frankfurt have 42 successes and there have been 31 draws.

Their most famous meeting was in the 1980 UEFA Cup Final. The all-German affair finished 3-3 as Frankfurt won the trophy on away goals. An 81^st minute goal from Fred Schaub settled the second leg after Monchengladbach won their home tie 3-2 with a double from Christian Kulik and a goal from a young Lothar Matthaus. Harald Karger and Bernd Holzenbein replied for the eventual winners.

It was in 2019/20 when either side last secured a league double in their meetings as Monchengladbach won their fixtures 4-2 at home and 3-1 away. Last season, this game ended 1-1 when Robin Hack gave the home side a lead before Eric Dina-Ebimbe equalised.

Frankfurt won 2-1 on home soil earlier in the campaign after the most dramatic finish you could imagine. Trailing to a Max Wober header, Aurelio Buta equalised in stoppage time before Robin Koch grabbed a 97^th-minute winner.

They also won at home earlier this season, a 2-0 success, courtesy of Hugo Larsson and Marmoush, who recently moved to join English champions Manchester City.

 

Betting Tip

There is hardly anything between these sides with the Bundesliga 2025 betting odds.

The five-point advantage Frankfurt have over the hosts is perhaps best summed up by odds on the away team of 1X2 @ 2.43 and Monchengladbach 1X2 @ 2.48.

With Asian Handicap odds you can back third-placed Frankfurt -0.25 @ 2.25 and the hosts -0.25 @ 2.26. Yes, it’s that close. A repeat of their 1-1 draw from the corresponding contest last term is an option @ 7.10 with Correct Score.

There’s only been two goalless draws between these sides in the past quarter of a century – and both occurred in 2016/17 – so a repeat of a rare scoreline will earn you a tidy pay day of @ 19.00.

Among the goal options are Over 3.25 @ 2.08, Total Goals 0-1 @ 4.64, 2-3 @ 2.16, and 4-6 @ 2.55.

I expect a few goals, and I anticipate honours even, so I am plumping for a draw.

   

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