RB Leipzig vs Borussia Dortmund Predictions, Betting Tips, & Match Preview

It’s been seven years in the making but RB Leipzig’s dream of hosting Bundesliga football is now just days away from realisation. RB Leipzig (aka “RasenBallsport Leipzig”) are a side who have risen rapidly through the German leagues and are now playing top flight football for the first time in their short history since being founded by Red Bull GmbH in 2009. After two seasons in the 2. Bundesliga, RB Leipzig finished 2nd last year and earnt themselves a coveted automatic promotion place. RB Leipzig have invested about £20 million over the summer, with 21-year old central midfielder Naby Keita from Red Bull Salzburg and 20-year old striker Timo Werner (13 goals from 86 appearances) from the relegated VfB Stuttgart being their main signings. Though these are signings that will, nonetheless, improve their overall squad strength, they are still very much a younger and less experienced side than most in the Bundesliga. Leipzig narrowly managed to take a point away in their opening 2-2 draw at Hoffenheim, thanks to a 90th minute from attacking midfielder Marcel Sabitzer.

Veterans Borussia Dortmund, who were founded just shy of 100 years earlier than the hosts, have a new all-star cast for the 2016/2017 season. Plenty of new faces were on show in their 2-1 win over Mainz 05 with newly signed centre back Marc Bartra from Barcelona, 19 year old winger Ousmane Dembele from Stade Rennais, Sebastian Rode from Bayern Munich and Andre Schürrle from Wolfsburg all featuring in the starting eleven. Schürrle assisted both of star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s goals, the second of which by drawing a foul for a penalty, and these three points have certainly set Dortmund’s title challenge off on the right foot. Notably, Mario Götze, who “re-signed” for Dortmund over the summer, was absent from the team sheet against Mainz, but should make his “Bundesliga debut” for his former club here.

RB Leipzig and Dortmund have never met competitively before before so we can’t use trends to see how they fared against each other in the past. Dortmund are, however, huge favourites for this fixture priced at 8/15 – unsurprising given the huge difference in squad quality and experience. RB Leipzig and the Red Bull Arena may have been a challenge for any side in the 2. Bundesliga, but Borussia Dortmund are at a much level higher than the East German side and come into this match with far more momentum. Not only did Dortmund win their opener, but RB Leipzig started their 2016/2017 competitive campaign with a deflating knockout from the first round of the DFB Pokal (German League Cup) via penalties to rivals Dynamo Dresden and only scraped a point in their first Bundesliga match. Dortmund have won three of their last six away matches to nil against opponents of a similar, if not better, level to Leipzig and Tuchel’s new combination of Marc Bartra alongside Sokratis in the centre makes their back four as strong as ever.

As such, Borussia Dortmund to win to nil at 2/1 and Borussia Dortmund to win 2-0 at 15/2 are our choice bets for this match.