Will Schalke continue to miss the boat?
No sooner has the Bundesliga reopened its doors than it’s back to business as usual. After all, the first half of the season is not even over yet. That will effectively only be the case during the week, when the 17th matchday will be played as part of an English week.
This will involve matches that are likely to be close. But if we look at the match between Schalke and RB Leipzig, the tip is relatively clear in favour of the Saxons.
Just over half a year after direct re-promotion, the Knappen are already teetering on the brink of the abyss again and threatening to become a lift team, as they once were in the 1980s. Thomas Reis’ team continues to carry the red lantern, which is not the worst thing for the time being. However, they are already six points behind the relegation place.
So the Schalkers urgently need a win on Tuesday at their home kick-off in the new year. The only problem is that the Bullen are one of the league’s best-formed teams, while the Königsblauen are slipping from one embarrassment to the next. Therefore, there is nothing to doubt about the fact that the forecast between Schalke and RB Leipzig goes very clearly to an away win
The Saxons have caught on extremely well under Marco Rose and have gone on a real run. In the meantime, RasenBallsport are in fifth place, missed the jump to second place with the draw against Bayern, but are at least back on course for the Champions League after a tough start to the season.
Schalke – Statistics & current form
Of course, Schalke will once again be using the familiar slogans of perseverance this season, according to which they will strive to stay in the league as long as this is mathematically possible. However, the results before the World Cup break and last weekend speak a different language. The Königsblauen have lost nine of their last ten Bundesliga games.
Wins are only at home
After all, there is also a positive aspect, as the two wins this season have come at home, including against VfL Bochum, when Thomas Reis was still on the bench at the rivals from the Revier. In general, the Königsblauen have not scored at all against the top teams this season.
Last weekend, however, the Schalkers were actually close to taking something countable home in Frankfurt, even if a 0:3 defeat sounds clear. The bottom team, however, had a lot of game shares, but again revealed the old problems in attack. With 13 goals, the Schalkers scored by far the fewest of all Bundesliga teams. Again, that doesn’t sound rather like playing the odds on the hosts winning a point between Schalke and RB Leipzig.
It is almost obligatory for the league’s cellar children to bring in numerous players in order to somehow still realise their class preservation. Accordingly, the Königsblauen also have numerous stricken and injured players in their bloated squad, which includes Sepp van den Berg, Leo Greiml, Marcin Kaminski, Alex Kral, Rodrigo Zalazar, Dominick Drexler and Sebastian Polter.
Predicted line-up of Schalke:
Schwolow – Uronen, Matriciani, Yoshida, Brunner – Latza, Krauß Bülter, Larsson, Kozuki – Terodde – Coach: Reis
Last matches played by Schalke:
Bundesliga
21/01/2023 – Eintracht Frankfurt 3 – 0 Schalke 04
Friendly club matches
14/01/2023 – Schalke 04 0 – 1 Werder Bremen
10/01/2023 – Schalke 04 0 – 1 1. FC Nürnberg
07/01/2023 – Schalke 04 2 – 2 FC Zurich
23/12/2022 – Schalke 04 2 – 2 Osnabrück
RB Leipzig – Statistics & current form
It wasn’t that Leipzig were unsuccessful with Domenico Tedesco, but now at the latest we know that the switch to Leipzig-born Marco Rose was spot on. Moreover, the coach has the RB DNA in his blood from his time in Salzburg. The Saxons, for example, are now unbeaten in 14 competitive games, or since the beginning of October, and are still in the title race in the Bundesliga, in the Champions League and as defending champions in the DFB Cup.
Bulls undefeated since the beginning of October
Before the winter break, RB won their last three competitive games away from home. So on Tuesday at Schalke, it could be the fourth away win in a row. But the Bullen have to get it if they want to put pressure on Bayern in the championship, because the gap is currently still six points, because they failed to reduce it last Friday with the home game against Munich.
In the first period, FC Bayern was the slightly better team and deserved to take a 1-0 lead, but in the second period, after a few changes, the Bullen took more and more command and consequently came through Marcel Halstenberg to equalise. Afterwards, Leipzig came closer to 2:1, but in the end, the division of points was probably the fair result in this top match.
However, the Saxons also have their personnel worries. Although this does not affect the masses as much as it is the case with the Knappen, but two absolute key players are missing. Keeper Peter Gulacsi is still missing with a torn cruciate ligament. In addition, Germany’s Footballer of the Year Christopher Nkunku is still out of action for a few weeks with a torn ligament. Nevertheless, we maintain that the forecast between Schalke and RB Leipzig must clearly go to an away win.
Predicted line-up of RB Leipzig:
Blaswich – Raum, Gvardiol, Orban, Henrichs – Kampl, Schlager – Olmo, Forsberg, Szoboszlai – Werner – Coach: Rose
Last matches played by RB Leipzig:
Bundesliga
21/01/2023 – RB Leipzig 1 – 1 Bayern Munich
Friendly club matches
14/01/2023 – RB Leipzig 4 – 0 Mlada Boleslaw
02/12/2022 – RB Leipzig 2 – 1 AC Horsens
25/11/2022 – RB Leipzig 6 – 0 Radomiak Radom
Bundesliga
12/11/2022 – Werder Bremen 1 – 2 RB Leipzig
Schalke – RB Leipzig Direct comparison / H2H balance
Five years together stand in the history books of the Bundesliga for Schalke 04 and RB Leipzig. Because the two teams have not met in any other competition, they have played ten matches to date. The direct comparison speaks relatively clearly in favour of the Saxons, who are 6:2 ahead after victories. Two other duels ended in a draw.
In the last three duels, Schalke did not have much to smile about against RB. RasenBallsport won all three duels, recording a goal difference of 12:0, and two of those games took place at Schalke, among others. The last encounter took place in Gelsenkirchen in February 2021. After goals from Nordi Mukiele, Marcel Sabitzer and Willi Orban, the Bullen won 3:0
Schalke – RB Leipzig tip
Schalke are reeling through the Bundesliga. Nine of the last ten league games were lost. Especially in attack, the Knappen have obvious problems with only 13 goals from 16 games. At least there was a sign of life against Frankfurt, even if it was not rewarded with points, but the Schalkers are fighting back and have by no means given up.
Nevertheless, the prospects for a successful English week are rather poor. The direct comparison is clearly in favour of the Bullen and the Saxons are also unbeaten in competitive matches since the beginning of October. The bottom line is that one of the Bundesliga’s teams with the least form will play one of the teams with the most form.
In the last three direct encounters alone, Leipzig have won three and scored a total of 12:0 goals. We think it’s entirely possible that this encounter will also end in similar climes on Tuesday. We have almost no doubts about the away win. We have even decided to play the betting odds on a handicap win (-1.5) for the visitors between Schalke and RB Leipzig.
