Does the Magath effect also work at the BayArena?
A new broom sweeps clean. That’s what they always say when a new coach is hired in football. It is up to Felix Magath to breathe life into this old saying now at Berlin Hertha in order to make a success of the Bundesliga’s relegation battle. Magath will take his place on the Old Lady’s bench for the first time on Saturday in the guest game at Bayer Leverkusen.
Despite the new Hertha coach, the team from Leverkusen must be named as the clear favourites. The Werkself is on a good path back to the Champions League. Gerardo Seoane’s team is currently third in the table with 48 points. Leipzig, Freiburg and Hoffenheim are only three to four points away. Bayer still have to pick up a few points to make it into the top flight.
For Hertha, the situation is almost dramatic, but quite hopeful. At the moment, the Berliners are in the relegation spot. However, there are four teams between 14th and 17th place, separated by only one point. The starting position makes it clear, however, that before kick-off between Leverkusen and Hertha, a prediction on Berlin’s relegation is not unrealistic.
It could get really dramatic in the bottom of the table. The old lady has the chance on Saturday to gain some breathing space with an away win and approach the next tasks with a broad chest. However, we are clearly inclined to place a bet on a home win for the Werkself in the match between Leverkusen and Hertha.
Leverkusen – Statistics & current form
Bayer Leverkusen could have almost bagged qualification for the Champions League. The problem is that Gerardo Seoane’s team is dropping too many points at home. With 23 points, Bayer 04 has scored fewer points at home than away from home (25). Especially at the BayArena, the Werkself still has a lot of room for improvement.
Goal-hungry Werkself
But otherwise, the Rhinelanders are playing a strong season. 66 goals after 27 games are a new club record for Bayer. In the second half of the season alone, Gerardo Seoane’s team has already scored eight times in the last quarter of an hour. It sounds like the odds on more than 2.5 goals will definitely be very interesting in the Leverkusen vs. Hertha match.
After a dry spell of four games without a win, including a Europa League exit against Atalanta Bergamo, Leverkusen at least managed another successful match before the internationals. The Werkself won 2-0 in Wolfsburg, but Leverkusen had to wait a long time for their goals. It was not until the final minutes that Paulinho secured the three points with a brace.
In terms of personnel, there are a few worry lines at Bayer these days. Above all, the club has been hit by the serious injury to Florian Wirtz, who will be out for months with a ruptured cruciate ligament. However, apart from the international, the injured Amine Adli, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Jeremie Frimpong and Andrey Lunev are also missing. Kerem Demirbay is the first player to serve his second yellow ban this season. Patrick Schick, however, could possibly become an option again.
Predicted Leverkusen line-up:
Hradecky – Kossounou, Tah, Tapsoba, Bakker – Andrich, Palacios – Bellarabi, Paulinho, Diaby – Alario – Coach: Seoane
Last matches played by Leverkusen:
Bundesliga
03/20 2022 – VfL Wolfsburg 0 – 2 Bayer Leverkusen
Europa League Final Stage
03/17 2022 – Bayer Leverkusen 0 – 1 Atalanta Bergamo
Bundesliga
03/13 2022 – Bayer Leverkusen 0 – 1 1. FC Köln
Europa League Final Stage
03/10 2022 – Atalanta Bergamo 3 – 2 Bayer Leverkusen
Bundesliga
03/05 2022 – Bayern Munich 1 – 1 Bayer Leverkusen
Hertha – Statistics & current form
For the first time Felix Magath, after overcoming infection and quarantine, will take a seat on the Hertha bench this Saturday. It can be assumed that the team will now be more lively. It’s not for nothing that the Berliners recently had a short training camp in Harsewinkel, and it won’t just have been about team building.
Away not much goes
The Berliners are still in acute relegation trouble and will probably remain so until the end of the season. There has been a glimmer of hope at home recently, but the old lady has been winless away from home for eight games. That hardly sounds like you need to make a prediction on a guest victory in the Leverkusen vs. Hertha match.
However, the 3-0 win against TSG Hoffenheim before the international break was something of a resurrection for the Berliners. After long weeks with numerous failures, Hertha showed in the 3-0 win against Hoffenheim that they are still alive. Niklas Stark, Ishak Belfodil and Lucas Tousart were the goal scorers in Hertha’s important victory.
In terms of personnel, things are looking extremely good. The young Kelian Nsona is the only player who is out due to injury. Apparently all the internationals have returned from their travels unscathed. Vladimir Darida is an alternative in midfield after overcoming an infection. Stevan Jovetic made a half-time comeback for the Montenegro national team and should at least be on the bench.
Predicted line-up of Hertha:
Schwolow – Pekarik, Boyata, Kempf, Plattenhardt – Stark – Richter, Tousart, Ascacibar, Serdar – Belfodil – Coach: Magath
Last matches played by Hertha:
Bundesliga
03/19 2022 – Hertha BSC 3 – 0 Hoffenheim
03/12 2022 – Gladbach 2 – 0 Hertha BSC
03/05 2022 – Hertha BSC 1 – 4 Eintracht Frankfurt
02/26 2022 – SC Freiburg 3 – 0 Hertha BSC
02/20 2022 – Hertha BSC 1 – 6 RB Leipzig
Leverkusen – Hertha Direct comparison / H2H balance
Whenever Bayer Leverkusen play Hertha, the Werkself get nostalgic because it was against the Berliners that Bayer 04 celebrated their first win in the Bundesliga in August 1979. Overall, the direct comparison also speaks in favour of the Rhinelanders. Of the 57 games played so far, Leverkusen have won 27, while Hertha have recorded 15 victories and a further 15 games ended in a draw.
However, the Berliners have a good series against the Werkself. For five games, the old lady is without defeat against the opponent from the Rhine. In the first leg at the Olympiastadion, the two teams shared the points in a 1-1 draw. For a long time it looked like a home victory after a goal by Stevan Jovetic. It was not until the final minute that Robert Andrich equalised for Gerardo Seoane’s team.
Leverkusen – Hertha Tip
On Saturday we will see whether the Magath effect continues to work for Hertha BSC, or whether the home win against Hoffenheim was just a flash in the pan. However, Gerardo Seoane’s eleven has had problems recently and has to do without some important players.
Of course, Hertha also had major sporting worries. Not for nothing did they have to part with Tayfun Korkut. They still have eight away games without a win. On the other hand, the capital city team has not lost to its upcoming opponents in five games. Maybe you can therefore think about placing a bet on a surprising outcome of the match between Leverkusen and Hertha.
We think, however, that the home side will keep the three points in the BayArena. Despite the absences, there are outstanding offensive players available. Goal scorer Patrik Schick should also be back in the squad. Therefore, we expect a few goals and have decided to play the combined betting odds on a home win and more than 2.5 goals between Leverkusen and Hertha.
