BK Hacken vs RB Leipzig Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Hacken were always massive underdogs for this Europa League qualifier, but any hope they had of taking advantage of RB Leipzig’s pre-season rustiness were well and truly dashed last week as the Bundesliga side demolished them 4-0 in Germany. It’s going to take something of a miracle for them to overturn such a hefty deficit, and there won’t be many predicting that they will.

The Swedish Allsvenskan side have become semi-regular entrants into these stages of the Europa League over the last five years or so. They first qualified for Europe back in 2007, and have since appeared in four Europa League seasons, although they are yet to make it as far as the group stages.

Hacken have managed to make it a bit further than this on occasion though, reaching the third qualifying round in 2011 and 2014. However, they haven’t faced a side anywhere near the level of RB Leipzig, so their chances of repeating that second round success look to be very slim indeed. It doesn’t help matters that their overall form is poor either. They are winless in their last five competitive games and have lost four of them.

Oddly enough, Hacken are actually the European veterans of this clash. RB Leipzig’s first ever European campaign came last season as they qualified for the Champions League, and while the 3rd placed finish in their group wasn’t what they were hoping for, it did allow them to make it all the way to the quarter finals of the Europa League.

RB Leipzig will be pleased enough with their performance last week, especially with it being their first competitive fixture since the season ended back in May. They saw the newly signed Matehus Cunha score on his competitive debut, and fellow newboys Marcelo Saracchi and Nordi Mukiele performed well enough on their debuts, although the latter was limited to a substitute appearance.

However, the evening didn’t pass without incidence. Despite their overwhelming dominance of the game they still saw Stefan Ilsanker sent off after picking up two bookings, so the Austrian midfielder will have to sit this one out. Even so, we’re expecting the vastly superior Germans to take the victory here, although it’s unlikely to be as comprehensive.

RB Leipzig conceded in 20 of their 24 competitive away days last season, and for all of Hacken’s faults they have actually scored in all ten of their Europa League home matches. Looking at more recent fixtures, the Swedes haven’t failed to find the net on home soil in over a year now, so we like the look of RB Leipzig to Win and Both Teams to Score, alongside a 2-1 correct score predictions.