Will Gladbach jump into the top half of the table?

Germany’s probably most popular podcaster Tommi Schmitt has been a Borussia Mönchengladbach fan since he was a child. The 34-year-old native of Detmold is in the stands at almost every home game and cheers on his favorite club. Together with professional footballer Christopher Kramer, who recently appeared several times on Schmitt’s soccer podcast “Copa TS”, the comedy award winner had every reason to be happy last week. Despite many prophecies of doom, the team from the Lower Rhine has played a satisfactory season so far and has impressed first and foremost at Borussia Park, where Tommi Schmitt will certainly be present again on Sunday

With FC Augsburg, a kind of favorite opponent travels to the tranquil Rhineland. The Foals have not lost any of their last eight Bundesliga home games against the Fuggerstädter. There are many indications that this streak will continue after the coming weekend. The odds on a home win in the Gladbach v Augsburg clash are currently the lowest on the three-way market. Thanks to the good results in front of a home crowd already indicated, the chances are good that Gerardo Seoane’s team might even be able to dream of the European Cup places with the next three-pointer

Gladbach – statistics & current form

For Borussia Mönchengladbach, the start to the new soccer year 2024 could not have gone better. Less than 30 seconds had passed when Robin Hack put his foals 1:0 ahead in their home match against VfB Stuttgart last weekend. Just a few minutes later, the same player increased the lead to 2:0, laying the foundations for a 3:1 victory that definitely not all experts would have expected beforehand. The birth of his first child certainly seems to have spurred Robin Hack on, as the new signing from Arminia Bielefeld has been involved in four goals in his last three starting appearances. By comparison, only a certain Harry Kane has scored more in the same period.

In general, however, coach Gerardo Seoane’s team deserves praise, because after initial difficulties, which were to be expected in view of the huge upheaval in the summer, the team from the Lower Rhine has increasingly found its feet. In the form table for the last ten match days, Borussia are in a good seventh place, ahead of Borussia Dortmund, TSG Hoffenheim and VfL Wolfsburg, among others. In total, Borussia only gained two points less than VfB Stuttgart, for example, in the aforementioned period. With a nine-point lead over the relegation zone, Gladbach can now look towards slightly higher spheres in the standings

Will Gladbach deliver another offensive spectacle?

Hack, Plea, Reitz and Co. have been incredibly uncomfortable opponents recently, especially at home. After three defeats in their first three home games of the Bundesliga season, the Foals have recently gone six consecutive home games without defeat. 14 out of a possible 18 points were scored in the process. Also impressive: they scored at least two goals of their own in all six home matches mentioned. Only the top four teams in the German top flight and Heidenheim, who are strong at home, have scored more goals in front of their own fans than Borussia Mönchengladbach.

However, the very attractive attacking soccer, which works through many automatisms/principles and at the same time brings the individual class of the individual players to the fore, continues to be at the expense of the defense. Only in the 4:0 home win against Wolfsburg did Seoane’s team not concede a goal. Otherwise, the team in tenth place behind bottom-placed Darmstadt has the weakest defense in the Bundesliga. In 16 of 17 league matches involving BMG, more than two goals were scored. The odds of over 2.5 for the Gladbach v Augsburg match therefore also appear to be of interest.

Especially because, as already mentioned, anchor player and captain Julian Weigl will have to watch on due to his fifth yellow card. The former Dortmund man is Borussia’s best tackler, so his presence and defensive understanding will be missed by the occasionally wild-looking Foals. However, this absence increases the likelihood of a high-scoring game.

Predicted Gladbach line-up:

Augsburg – Statistics & current form

Jess Thorup, the Danish coach of FC Augsburg, could still be satisfied with the first games under his management. Three wins and three draws were on the books for Maassen’s successor after six league games. In the meantime, however, the Fuggerstädter’s form curve is clearly pointing downwards. Starting with the 2-0 defeat at SV Werder Bremen, FCA have collected just one point in their last four matches – a 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund.

Three wins, four draws and three defeats in a total of ten Bundesliga matches for Thorup reads average at best. However, it must be mentioned that the former FC Copenhagen coach has definitely given the twelfth-placed team, who currently have two points fewer than Borussia Mönchengladbach, new impetus. The style of play has changed, the approach has become more brisk and the FCA professionals cannot be blamed for their commitment. However, they are still lacking consistency and the necessary bit of luck to be rewarded in the long term for their positive development and generally very hard work.

Augsburg’s weakness on the road persists

The best example of this came in the previous week’s match, when the southern Swabians had the unbeaten leaders from Leverkusen on the brink of losing a point, posed problems with a good defensive performance and ultimately lost 1-0 due to a last-minute goal against. The FCA presented themselves as absolutely capable and, with a similarly courageous performance, should by no means be without a chance in the Rhineland on Sunday.

However, it must be noted that the Fuggerstädter have not really pulled out all the stops away from home this season. They have just one win in eight away matches in the Bundesliga. Two draws and five defeats round off the record. 17 goals conceded corresponds to an average of more than two goals per away game. In six of the aforementioned eight matches in opposing stadiums alone, keeper Dahmen, who is the only Bundesliga keeper still waiting for his first clean sheet this season, had to make at least two saves.

Predicted Augsburg line-up:

Gladbach – Augsburg head-to-head comparison / H2H result

As neutral soccer fans, we have fond memories of the first leg of the first matchday. Gladbach and Augsburg drew 4-4 in a crazy game. Although we probably won’t see eight goals on Sunday, given the aforementioned impressions of the second leg between Gladbach and Augsburg, it seems a good idea to predict at least three goals in the course of the game.

In addition, the pendulum is swinging slightly in the Foals’ favor, who have now not lost to FCA in eight (!) BL home games and have picked up 20 out of a possible 24 points in this period. Only against Werder Bremen do Gladbach currently have a longer unbeaten streak at home than against Augsburg

Gladbach – Augsburg betting tip

Two mid-table teams face each other at the end of matchday 18 in the Bundesliga. While Borussia are in tenth place with 20 points, FCA are currently in twelfth place with 18 points. However, form is more important than the current position in the table. Both teams performed well in the previous week. The team from the Lower Rhine rewarded themselves with a 3:1 win against Stuttgart, while Augsburg narrowly lost 1:0 to Leverkusen.

However, the main reason why lower odds are being offered on a home win in Sunday’s match between Gladbach and Augsburg relates to the Foals’ strength at home and the Fuggerstädter’s weakness on the road. Seoane’s side are unbeaten in six home league games (4-2-0) and have not lost any of their last eight home matches against FCA. They, on the other hand, have just one away win and have conceded more than two goals per game in the German top flight

We have therefore decided that, in view of the bold approaches of both coaches and the goals conceded statistics, we want to bet on at least three goals on the one hand and, on the other, include the slight advantage in favor of Robin Hack and Co. in our main bet. In the end, the bet between Gladbach and Augsburg is 1X & Over 2.5, which is offered at Betano at maximum odds of 2.10.