B. Monchengladbach vs Bayer Leverkusen prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2024-08-22 18:30.
[p]Borussia Mönchengladbach take part in the Friday-night season opener featuring the champions for the fourth time since the introduction of this game in 2002/03 (D1, L2). Gladbach were the last team to defeat a reigning champion on the first matchday (1-0 vs Bayern Munich in 2001/02) and their own record in Bundesliga openers is positive since then (W8, D8, L5), while at home they are especially strong in such games (W7, D5, L1).[/p]
[p]After a disappointing 2023/24 season (14th), their worst placement since avoiding the drop via the relegation play-offs in 2010/11 (16th), expectations are low. In what is his second campaign in charge, manager Gerardo Seoane, who meets his former club here, believes his current side are “more competitive” now than last term and will be aiming to guide them to a top-half finish for the first time since 2020/21 after making a decent competitive start in 2024/25 with a 3-1 win at Erzgebirge Aue in the DFB-Pokal.[/p]
[p]Bayer Leverkusen collected the third of four possible trophies this calendar year at the weekend with a victory on penalties against Stuttgart in the DFB Supercup. After their sensational Bundesliga title without defeat, they are now part of the official season opener for just the second time this century after losing 3-1 at Bayern Munich in 2017/18, but suffered matchday-one losses at Gladbach in the campaigns either side of that (2-1 in 2016/17 and 2-0 in 2018/19).[/p]
[p]The possible suspension of Victor Boniface for his middle-finger gesture towards their opponents after the shootout against Stuttgart creates a potential headache for boss Xabi Alonso, who not only led Leverkusen to their first-ever Bundesliga crown last season, but also to DFB-Pokal glory and into the UEFA Europa League final, when they suffered their only competitive defeat last term.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Hoping to help lift Gladbach into the top half, new arrival Kevin Stöger enjoyed the best season of his career in 2023/24 with former side Bochum, registering 19 Bundesliga goal involvements (G8, A11). Having scored for Leverkusen in all of his five league campaigns, Florian Wirtz scored and assisted on at least ten occasions in a single season for the first time ever in 2023/24 (G11, A11).[/p]
[p]Hot stat: There have been no goalless draws in any of the last 22 official Bundesliga campaign openers involving the champions. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Daniel vom Bruch[/i][/p]