MAXIMUM POINTS FOR THE CHAMPIONS
Defending champions and this season’s firm favourite in all football bet predictions Bayern Munich,have started the new campaign where they left off in May, collecting maximum points from their opening five matches. Last weekend’s 3-0 defeat of SV Darmstadt 98 brought their goals scored tally to 15 but coach Pep Guardiola is not getting carried away and sees Tuesday night’s visitors as a major threat to the defence of his Bundesliga crown. In German international striker Thomas Müller they have a goalscoring phenomenon; His current tally for the season already stands at six and with the brilliant Brazilian midfielder Douglas Costa supplying the ammunition, don’t be surprised if he adds to his tally on Tuesday. The best online betting sites currently have him priced at *4.50 to score the first goal and *1.90 to be an anytime goalscorer.
BEWARE OF THE “WOLF” AT THE DOOR
Tuesday night’s visitors Wolfsburg are themselves unbeaten in the current campaign, having only dropped points on the road at FC Cologne and Ingolstadt. Having lost two of their most high-profile players during the summer transfer window, Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and Croatian playmaker Ivan Perišić, the club from Lower Saxony used part of their cash injection to prise highly rated German international midfielder Julian Draxler from out of the clutches of Schalke 04 and the early signs are that he will be a huge hit with the fans at the Volkswagen Arena. A good start in their opening group game in the Champions League has also given cause for optimism ahead of Tuesday’s huge test in Munich.
TEAM NEWS
With Franck Ribery, Holger Badstuber, Mehdi Benatia and Arjen Robben still out injured, the sheer depth of Guardiola’s squad becomes clear as he sticks to his tried and trusted 4-3-3 formation. Xabi Alonso and Thiago will likely return to the three man midfield with Polish striker Robert Lewandowski (rested last weekend), favourite to return to the starting XI ahead of Mario Götze.
Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking is forced into a change at left-back with Christian Träsch replacing the unfortunate Vieirinha. Josuha Guilavogui and Maximilian Arnold will both be looking for a starting place in the holding midfield role alongside Luis Gustavo, with the former possibly getting the call. Ex Bayern defender Dante makes a quick return to Bavaria after his summer move and new signing Draxler is expected to line-up just behind the lone striker Bas Dost – The best gambling sites have priced him at *6.00 to open his account for his new club at the Allianz Arena.
PROBABLE STARTING XI’S
Bayern Munich (4-3-3) Neuer; Bernat, Alaba, Boateng, Lahm; Vidal, Xabi Alonso, Thiago Alcántara; Costa, Lewandowski Müller
Wolfsburg (4-2-3-1) Benaglio; Rodríguez, Dante, Naldo, Träsch; Gustavo, Guilavogui; Draxler, Kruse, Caligiuri; Dost
HEAD TO HEAD
Bayern Munich have won 32 out of their last 37 home Bundesliga games and have won their last 17 home games against Wolfsburg in all competitions. The visitors have kept a clean sheet in their last three league encounters and have drawn their last three matches on the road. The Bavarian giants have scored at least two goals in 14 of their last 15 home games against Tuesday night’s visitors in all competitions. The betting exchanges are offering odds of 1.800 on a home win from an Asian Handicap of -1.5.
*MATCH BETTING
Bayern Munich 1.25 Draw 5.75 Wolfsburg 13.00
*odds courtesy of Bet365
By Steve Mitchell (@barafundler)]]>
