Bundesliga Tips: Bayern to flex their muscles | OneFootball

German Bundesliga

Harry Kane scored Bayern's winner on Saturday night

There's a rare set of midweek fixtures coming up in the Bundesliga, and TV commentator Kevin Hatchard has three tips for us.

Leaders to make a flying start

Bayern Munich v HoffenheimWednesday 15 January, 19:30Live on Sky Sports

Having lost their long-held German title to Bayer Leverkusen last term, Bayern Munich are once again having a punch-up with Xabi Alonso's team at the top of the table. Both teams won tough away games at the weekend (Leverkusen won 3-2 at Borussia Dortmund on Friday night, and then Bayern edged out Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-0 on Saturday evening), and the gap between them after 16 matchdays is four points.

Although there was scepticism about Vincent Kompany's ability to handle a job of this magnitude, the former Burnley and Anderlecht boss has made a largely excellent start as the coach of the rekordmeister. Bayern have won 12 of their 16 league games, and they already have an extraordinary goal difference of +35. At home, they have won all but one of their league matches, and the exception was a 1-1 draw against the champions Leverkusen.

I don't expect ailing Hoffenheim to put up much of a fight here. The men from Sinsheim have failed to win their last eight competitive matches, and new coach Christian Ilzer hasn't won since his opening game in charge back in November. It's difficult to see the pattern of play Ilzer is trying to implement, and his team was truly awful in Saturday's 1-0 home defeat to Wolfsburg.

TSG have already leaked 29 goals, and I think Bayern will take them apart here. You can back Bayern to win both halves at 19/20 - that has paid out in four of their seven home matches in the league, and six times in 16 top-flight games overall. The other way you could go is to back Bayern to score twice in the first half at 6/5 on the Sportsbook - that has also paid out in six of Bayern's league games.

Union to snap winless streak

Union Berlin v AugsburgWednesday 14 January, 19:30

These are tough times for Augsburg. The Swabians have lost four of their last six league games, and they are just three points above the relegation zone. Considering Augsburg are pretty ambitious these days and are targeting a top-half finish, they are well below expectations, and the pressure could soon build on coach Jess Thorup. In their last away game, FCA were embarrassed 5-1 at second-bottom Holstein Kiel, and overall they have lost nine of their last 11 on the road.

Union Berlin are also on a poor run, having lost six of their last eight league matches, a run that cost coach Bo Svensson his job. His replacement Steffen Baumgart made a losing start, as the former Köln and Hamburg boss suffered a 2-0 defeat at Heidenheim on Saturday.

However, I think Baumgart will pick up his first win on Wednesday. It's a cliché, but there's always something special about a floodlit home game in Köpenick, and Union have only lost one of their last eight games. That was against the champions Bayer Leverkusen, and they have managed home wins against Borussia Dortmund and Freiburg this term, so they are certainly capable of overcoming an ailing Augsburg side that's low on confidence.

I'll back the hosts to win at 1.94.

Guirassy to make his mark

Holstein Kiel v Borussia DortmundTuesday 14 January, 17:30Live on Sky Sports

Although Borussia Dortmund have clearly underperformed in their first season under new coach Nuri Sahin, they haven't exactly had a lot of luck in terms of personnel issues. Friday's 3-2 defeat at home to Bayer Leverkusen was their first home reverse in the league this term, and an illness bug meant they had to field a makeshift back four.

Youngsters Yannik Luhrs and Almugera Kabar had to make their maiden Bundesliga starts, and full-back Julian Ryerson looked deeply uncomfortable at centre-back. That defence simply couldn't cope with the champions, conceding three goals in the first 19 minutes.

There was at least a positive, as star striker Serhou Guirassy scored his first league goal since early November. That was the Guinea international's 50th Bundesliga strike in his career, and I think he can find the net again on Tuesday evening.

Holstein Kiel have one of the weakest defensive units in the division, having leaked a league-high 41 goals in 16 matches. A lack of Bundesliga experience has cost them again and again, and I think they'll struggle to contain Guirassy. I'll back the former Stuttgart goal-getter to score at 10/11.

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