The other important game in the top 4 race today will be the one between Borussia Dortmund, who will host an already relegated Holstein Kiel outfit. Dortmund’s late sprint for UCL qualification has put them in a good position to secure it, and with a final game at home, the chances for the Black and Yellows seem good.
Borussia Dortmund Team News
Niko Kovac’s team continued its late bid for UCL football next season, after coming from behind against Bayer Leverkusen in what was Xabi Alonso’s last home game at the Leverkusen helm. Dortmund’s task in the final matchday looks simple on paper – secure a win over an already relegated Holstein Kiel team with a good goal margin. Goal difference might come into play in what ultimately separates Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt, and right now, Borussia’s is worse than that of the Eagles by 3 goals. Judging by the team’s recent results, they do seem capable of achieving that, as Niko Kovac’s men have been undefeated in their last 7 fixtures and have scored at least 3 goals in 6 of them. Although their defending has been suspect quite a bit, Dortmund is now in a position in which they must preferably avoid conceding.
Holstein Kiel Team News
Holstein Kiel gave Freiburg a run for their money last time out, but ultimately failed in their endeavour and lost 2-1. That loss, coupled with results elsewhere, sealed the team’s fate as the second outfit to be relegated to the 2.Bundesliga next season. What remains for the Storks is to put out a good farewell game and possibly do some damage to Borussia Dortmund. Looking at Kiel’s recent away results, such an outcome could be possible, as the Storks are undefeated in their last 3 games on the road, avoiding losses to RB Leipzig, Mainz and Augsburg. What could give more hope for an upset here is that Kiel has won 2 of its last 5 away fixtures, suffering just 1 loss in that period.
Head-to-Head Games
Holstein Kiel won the reverse fixture 4-2, which could lend some credence to an upset here. Although this remains their only win against Borussia, in the other 2 H2H games, the Stork didn’t fare well, as Borussia Dortmund won them both with a combined scoreline of 9-0.
| Rank | Teams | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal difference | Points | Current form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Borussia Dortmund | 34 | 17 | 6 | 11 | 20 | 57 | WWWWW |
| Rank | Teams | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal difference | Points | Current form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Holstein Kiel | 34 | 6 | 7 | 21 | -31 | 25 | DWWLL |
Borussia Dortmund – Holstein Kiel Betting Prediction
Borussia Dortmund’s task is clear – the win here is mandatory. Given the circumstances and the chance that goal difference might come into play when deciding who gets to stay in the top 4, a big win here for Niko Kovac and his men is preferable. Despite defensive lapses in their games, Dortmund has kept on winning and scoring a lot, but their second half against Bayer Leverkusen also showed that this team can be defensively sound, and I believe that Kovac will look to replicate this defensive stability here.
So, with all of that in hand, my pick here is for a Borussia Dortmund -2.5 AH. The Black and Yellows must achieve a big victory here to maximise their chances for a top 4 finish. I believe that they will aim to do just that, and with the last game being at the Signal Iduna Park and in front of The Yellow Wall, motivation isn’t going to be a problem.
Betting Tip: Borussia Dortmund -2.5 AH
Bookmaker: BC.Game
Odds: 1.75
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