RB Leipzig vs Borussia Dortmund
Another week has passed, and Borussia Dortmund have inched closer to Bayern Munich, as they’re still the most in-form team in the Bundesliga. Niko Kovac’s men have now won six consecutive league games, and as a result, they’re only six points behind their Der Klassiker rivals in the German top-flight standings.
BVB’s feet must stay on the gas pedal when they face RB Leipzig at the Red Bull Arena on Saturday night, while hoping that Bayern Munich slip up against Eintracht Frankfurt.
On the other hand, RB Leipzig’s recent form has been mixed, having recorded a loss, a win, and a draw in their last three. Following a 2-2 draw against VfL Wolfsburg, Ole Werner’s men dropped to fifth in the table with 40 points, two points adrift of the Top 4.
The match between Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig is easily the standout fixture of Matchday 23, and SBOTOP is here for the preview.
Talking Points
Gruda saves RB Leipzig’s blushes
Because he wasn’t getting enough opportunities under Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton this season, Brajan Gruda moved to RB Leipzig on loan during the winter transfer window. It took him some time to adjust to his new surroundings, but the 21-year-old attacking midfielder finally found his feet, and he scored the crucial equaliser against VfL Wolfsburg last time out.
After Mohamed Amoura and Yan Diomande exchanged goals in the second half, Mattias Svanberg put VfL Wolfsburg ahead in the 78th minute, and it seemed that the Wolves would steal three points at the Red Bull Arena. But Gruda had other plans, as he chipped the ball into the net after a failed clearance by VfL Wolfsburg for his first goal in an RB Leipzig uniform.
Because of his superb score, Gruda is expected to start again in the middle of the park against Borussia Dortmund, likely alongside Xaver Schlager and Christoph Baumgartner, their top scorer with eight goals and six assists this term.
Yan Diomande and Romulo Cardoso also pose a huge threat in the final third for RB Leipzig, with eight and six goals this season. However, Romulo has been scoreless in his last five, and head coach Ole Werner hopes the Brazilian forward ends his drought this weekend.
Borussia Dortmund are severely compromised defensively
Borussia Dortmund will likely be without two of their top centre-backs against RB Leipzig, as Nico Schlotterbeck, Emre Can, and Niklas Sule are injured. According to head coach Niko Kovac, it’ll take Sule longer to recover among the three, without specifying an exact timeframe.
Kovac had to deploy a makeshift back three in their 2-0 win against Atalanta in the Champions League yesterday. 18-year-old Luca Reggiani drew his first start, joining Waldemar Anton and Remy Bensebaini in the rearguard, while Julian Ryerson and Daniel Svensson are the wing-backs.
In contrast, BVB shouldn’t have much trouble in the final third, especially since Serhou Guirassy is back at his best. After scoring only once in 12 matches, the Guinean striker has six in his last six.
History
RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund have split their last 19 Bundesliga meetings, with both sides notching eight wins and three draws. However, the Red Bulls are undefeated in their last five home games against the Yellow Wall.
These two sides shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw last October at Signal Iduna Park, as Christoph Baumgartner and Yan Couto exchanged goals early in the first half. Before this, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund exchanged wins in their last two.
As noted, BVB are on a six-game winning streak in Germany. The last time they enjoyed such a run was three years ago under Edin Terzic, when they equalled the club record of eight consecutive Bundesliga victories.
Betting Tip
The Bundesliga 2026 odds expect RB Leipzig to go toe-to-toe with Borussia Dortmund this weekend. Since they’re playing at home, RB Leipzig have the slight edge at 2.26 to win, whereas Borussia Dortmund are at 2.66, and a draw is pegged at 3.52 in the 1X2 market.
Despite their injury woes, it’s hard to go against BVB due to their superb run of Bundesliga 2026 results. Niko Kovac’s men still have enough quality in midfield and in the final third to see this through, though they’ll be pushed to the limit.
Besides our recommended bet, punters may consider adding Under 3.50 at 1.73, Under 3.25 at 1.95, and Total Goal 2-3 at 2.25 to the parlay. Moreover, a Correct Score of 1-1 – the result of their previous league encounter – offers a tidy payout of 7.80.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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