Bayern Munich Opens the New Bundesliga Season on Friday

Bayern Munich have dominated the German Bundesliga with an iron fist over the last couple of years. The reigning champions are still head and shoulders above their counterparts and credited with the first chance to win another trophy. Not surprisingly, they were the ones chosen to play in the opening match of the new season. On Friday at 7 pm U.K. time they will meet Hoffenheim in a match they are expected to win. bet365 Sports has ample coverage of this game and all Bundesliga matches played this weekend.

Schalke 04 and Leverkusen Play on Saturday

Two of the main candidates for a Champions League berth this season will play on the road on Saturday. Schalke 04 travel to Wolfsburg for a match scheduled at 2:30 pm UK time and they are credited the first chance. 888 Sport sees them as narrow favorites to prevail and offers odds of 17/12 on their victory. Both teams have exceeded expectations during the campaign of friendly games played in July and August.

Leverkusen takes on M’Gladbach in the most exciting match of the day, three days later. They have alternated victories and defeats recently, but won the last head to head games against Borussia. That’s why Winner Sports has them priced at 7/5, slightly better than the odds of 7/4 for a home win. There was a high number of draws recorded between these two teams in M’Gladbach so a draw is always worth considering at odds of 13/5 with the same bookmaker.

Dortmund and Leipzig Chase Elusive Glory

Bayern Munich are unlikely to stumble this season and they’re expected to add another trophy to their collection. Dortmund and Leipzig are the main challengers in the new Bundesliga season and they meet in the opening round. This is the most exciting match of this weekend and it is scheduled at 5 PM UK time, on Saturday. Dortmund have home pitch advantage and are priced at 6/7 by 888 Sport. Those who bet on the visitors will enjoy odds of 7/2 if Leipzig causes an upset and win on the road.

Also on Sunday, at 12:30 UK time, Mainz and Stuttgart play in a local Derby in a perfectly balanced game. Intertops Sportsbook offers identical odds of 7/4 on the hosts and visitors to prevail. Mainz won the last two games and scored three goals on each occasion. Overall, when these two teams met, plenty of goals were scored regardless of venue. The hosts have won most of the friendly games played earlier this month, but Stuttgart enjoys an undefeated run as well.

A new Bundesliga starts this week and the real competition is for the places on the podium. There’s such a big difference between Bayern Munich and the rest of the pack, that the name of the winner is almost known in advance. At the same time, the race is as intense as ever among the teams threatened by the specter of relegation. The newly promoted teams have spent a lot of time in the German first division and they will give their new colleagues a run for their money.