When the Bundesliga returned last weekend, punters may have been skeptical over whether games behind closed doors in Germany's top flight would produce the same kind of action and drama, while also wondering whether there would be any surprise results. For the large part, everything went as expected with seven of the top eight teams avoiding defeat, five of which recorded victories by varying margins. The big winners at the bottom end of the standings were Hertha Berlin, whose triumph over Hoffenheim has moved them eight points ahead of the relegation zone. With the next matchday just around the corner, will the same consistency remain, or will more teams be competitive having gotten back up to speed?
When assessing the football odds this week, you will notice that Borussia Dortmund, fresh off thrashing Schalke 04, are at a considerably short price to defeat Wolfsburg on away territory. There is no doubting that Lucien Favre's team deserve to be the clear favourites heading into that contest, but respect needs to be given to their hosts, who finished strongly to edge out Augsburg. Despite it being the first game back in two months, Oliver Glasner only used three of his five allotted substitutions, an indication that his squad are already at a high fitness level. That could be the equaliser against the division's second-placed team, so interest should be taken in the draw at betting odds of 4.0.
On the back of those setbacks, Schalke and Augsburg meet at the VELTINS-Arena and we fancy the visitors to earn at least a share of the spoils. You should take into consideration that either side of the enforced break, they have now suffered four successive defeats, but it cannot go unnoticed that Schalke were desperately disappointing in the derby against Dortmund last Saturday. Regardless of whether you fancy Augsburg for a draw or win, the away team are priced in the region of 3.6. Both bets make sense, as does taking lower betting odds and going for Augsburg with a 'draw no bet'.
Freiburg caused somewhat of a surprise last week by earning a draw away at RB Leipzig, and there is an argument that Christian Streich's team were unfortunate not to secure all three points against the title challengers. The draw led to Freiburg dropping down to seventh position, two points adrift of Wolfsburg, but they have an ideal opportunity to get back to winning ways with a home meeting with lowly Werder Bremen. Florian Kohfeldt watched his team be thoroughly outclassed at home to Bayer Leverkusen at the start of this week, and few will fancy them to get anything at the Schwarzwald-Stadion. The home side are only priced at 2.16, but it is big enough to warrant a bet.
For the accumulator lovers, wins for Augsburg and Freiburg, as well as Wolfsburg holding Dortmund, equates to betting odds in the region of 28/1, and we feel that there is plenty of value in a moderate-sized bet being placed on that treble.
