Schalke vs Dortmund Prediction, Betting Tips & Preview

Preview

Haydn Cunningham Apr 08, 2016 @ 10:17 pm

A quick glance at the Bundesliga and you’d see Schalke in 7^th potentially underachieving but they sit just 4 points off Hertha Berlin in 3^rd. It is agonisingly close between the clubs competing for the final two Champions League positions but Schalke’s experience could well prove vital in the run in. Schalke didn’t have the best of games returning from the international break as they comfortably dispossessed by newly promoted Ingolstadt 3-0. It was arguably one of their poorest results of the season and has now put them at the bottom of the pile in the mini league table from 3^rd to 7^th. Their goal difference is also the worst out of the 5 clubs as the heavy defeat to Ingolstadt took them down to +1. They’ve lacked a goal scorer this season despite the usually prolific Klaas-Jan Hunterlaar struggling this season. He has just 8 league goals this season whilst all the other Champions League hopefuls have at least 1 forward who has hit double figures already. 

Dortmund showed tremendous fight and character to come from behind against Werder Bremen at home to eventually run out 3-2 victors. Inspired substitutions Tommy Tuchel saw substitutes Shinji Kagawa and Adrian Ramos score minutes after coming on and it swung the points in Dortmund’s favour. They still remain 5 points behind Bayern Munich but with 6 games remaining they’ve given themselves a great opportunity to try and put some pressure on the league leaders. Dortmund are on an incredible run at the moment and have won 12 of the last 13 games in all competitions. The only game they failed to win was against Bayern Munich where they drew 0-0. The club have an emotional game against Liverpool this week where they welcome back Jurgen Klopp who managed the side for 7 successful years. The players will no doubt be eager to put in a performance against their old manager but will need to reserve some in the tank with Schalke just 3 days later. 

Hunterlaar scored 2 of his 8 league goals in the reverse fixture back in November. However, his brace wasn’t enough as Schalke were defeated 3-2. Dortmund have 3 players who are in double figures for goals scored with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leading the way on 23 league goals. The Gabon centre forward will be hoping for personal success as well as team success as he trails Munich’s Robert Lewandowski by just 2 goals for the golden boot in the Bundesliga. 

Schalke are without club captain Benedikt Howedes who has been out since the middle of January. Matija Nastasic and Atsuto Uchida continue to be side lined as they have been since the start of the season. Dortmund will be sweating on the fitness of Ilkay Gundogan who remains a major doubt for Tommy Tuchel. The midfielder has upped the intensity in training in an attempt to play in the Europa League game midweek. 

Schalke

Stats: W-13 L-10 D-5

Recent Form – LWLWW

Borussia Dortmund

Stats: W-21 L-3 D-4                                          

Recent Form - WWWWW

Head-to-head record:

Possible Line-ups

Schalke (4-5-1) – Fahrmann, Junior Caicara, Matip, Neustadter, Aogo, Geis, Goretzka, Sane, Meyer, Belhanda, Hunterlaar

Borussia Dortmund (4-2-3-1) – Burki, Piszczek, Hummels, Bender, Schmelzer, Geigl, Castro, Reus, Mkhitaryan, Kagawa, Aubemeyang

Injury List/Suspended Players

Schalke – Uchida (inj), Howedes (inj), Nastasic (inj)

Dortmund – Gundogan (inj), Subotic (inj)

League Positions