Hertha Berlin vs Schalke 04 Predictions, Betting Tips, & Match Preview

After spending about twenty weeks within the Bundesliga’s top four last year, Hertha Berlin must be asking themselves if they are capable of repeating this effort all the way through to the business end this time around. Hertha took just two points from their last seven Bundesliga matches (D2 L5) and their eventual 7th placed finish, their highest since the 2008/2009 season, and subsequent qualification to the UEFA Europa League, came as a bittersweet end to their campaign. Hertha’s quick exit from the Europa League in the third qualifying round against Brondby to start their campaign means all focus has been on the league. The hosts are one of only two sides, alongside reigning champions Bayern Munich, to have taken the maximum six points from the opening two gameweeks. However, it must be said that Hertha have also had, in our opinion, the easiest start to the Bundesliga season of any team. While matches at home to the newly-promoted Freiburg and away to an FC Ingolstadt side gutted from vultures during the transfer window shouldn’t be tricky fixtures, their wins were unconvincing and add doubt in their ability facing such a tricky fixture.

Schalke, contrastingly, are one of two sides to have taken no points from their opening two fixtures. Schalke were expected to start their Bundesliga campaign out stronger after an impressive preseason under new coach Markus Weinzierl and with a handful of promising new signings. However, difficult fixtures away to a revitalized Frankfurt side followed by hosting reigning champions Bayern Munich last weekend saw them point-less from their respective 1-0 and 2-0 defeats. Schalke’s performances were by no means poor and most would praise the eighty or so minutes they tended defensively to Bayern’s pressure going forwards. Schalke should have every reason to be optimistic in a quick bounce back after this disappointing start.

Though Hertha won 2-0 against Schalke when the two sides last met, the form the Berliners were in during this period of the 2015/2016 season is incomparable to their current run of two “against the run of play” wins against the Bundesliga’s weaker sides. Schalke have absolutely dominated this match-up over recent records, winning twelve, drawing two, and losing just one of the last fifteen meetings. When combining this with the fact that Schalke are simply the better side on paper then the bookies price of 9/5 for the visitors to win here seems incredibly decent value. Schalke’s mid-week Europa League game could see a few changes made to their lineup so using a 0.0 Asian Handicap (AH) on the visitors makes the bet safer. The 0.0 AH still provides decent odds on Schalke to win, but the stake will be refunded if the game ends in a draw.

As such, Schalke 0.0 Asian Handicap at 2.075 and Schalke to Win 2-1 at 9/1 with bet365 are our choice bets for this match.