Wolfsburg vs RB Leipzig Predictions, Betting Tips, & Match Preview

Last season was thought to be something of an anomaly for the 2014/2015 runners up, with their best ever year in European competition contrasted against season-long inconsistency in the Bundesliga. Now, that’s not so sure. Coach Dieter Hecking has made some necessary transfers over the summer, but Wolfsburg are yet to see the best from their new signings. Striker Mario Gomez, who scored 26 goals in 33 appearances for Besiktas last season, is yet to open his account and with every passing week the pressure is building on him.  Also, Wolfsburg haven’t taken all three points from a match since their opening 2-0 win away to Augsburg. 0-0 draws against Cologne, Hoffenheim and Mainz were acceptable results, however, the 5-1 demolishing defeat at home to Borussia Dortmund and the squandered lead in their 2-1 defeat against (then) bottom of the table Werder Bremen is a sub-par run of form that leaves them closer to the relegation zone than the European places.

Bundesliga newcomers RB Leipzig, contrastingly, are the first promoted club in history to go six matches without defeat and are already being talked up as genuine European candidates, following their run which has even seen them beat Borussia Dortmund. Leipzig have clearly made some wise-investments over the transfer window (see team news), spending about £20 million in total with they quickly built solidity and form taking the Bundesliga by storm. Leipzig come into this off the back of a 2-1 win at home to Augsburg which has pushed them up to 5th place and just one point behind 2nd placed Hertha BSC.

Despite their poor overall form, Wolfsburg come into this as slight favourites for the bookies at 11/8. With the momentum the away side have at the moment, the price of 19/10 for the away win is actually pretty tempting. However, we feel a low scoring outcome is the safer bet here because of the following: Wolfsburg forward woes have seen them fail to score in three of their last five matches (three of their six matches so far this season have ended 0-0). Despite Leipzig running riot against struggling sides like Hamburg, where they won 4-0, it must be noted that they have only scored one in three of their matches against more defensively solid sides, for example, in the 1-0 win against Borussia Dortmund or the 1-1 draw away to Cologne. While Wolfsburg are clearly struggling for goals, if you remove the “anomaly” of their 5-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund, they have only conceded two goals over five matches this season – one of the best defensive records in the Bundesliga.

As such, under 2.5 goals at 19/20 and RB Leipzig to win 1-0 at 9/1 are our choice bets for this match.