Schalke v Hoffenheim – Arena AufSchalke at 17:30 Live at BT Sport
Schalke’s meetings with Hoffenheim have traditionally been high-scoring affairs in recent seasons and Saturday’s evening encounter between the two should follow the form book. Indeed, nine of the past 12 contests between the pair have produced Over 2.5 Goals and that’s our proposed play here.
The hosts impressed for large swathes of last weekend’s eagerly-anticipated clash with Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, despite going down 2-1. Domenico Tedesco’s troops gave us good as they got until running out of gas in the final quarter.
All eyes were on Schalke starlet Leon Goretzka pre-match and the midfield mystro certainly passed the audition. Leaving Die Konigblauen for Bavaria in the summer, many were wondering whether the German international would even feature at the home of his new club from the summer.
Goretzka performed with aplomb and even set Franco Di Santo up for Schalke’s leveller. Unfortunately, Thomas Muller soon gave Bayern supremacy once more and Tedesco’s team were unable to find a second equaliser before the end.
A third defeat in five has set a few alarm bells ringing around the Veltins Arena but Die Konigblauen remain only two points off the Champions League places. They’ll expect to bounce back on Saturday evening when Hoffenheim arrive.
Hoffenheim’s inconsistency
The side from Sinsheim bagged a convincing 4-2 victory over Mainz last weekend, Andrej Kramaric bagging a brace. It was only Hoffe’s third Bundesliga triumph since early November and lifted Julian Nagelsmann’s outfit back into the top-half of the table.
Talk of Nagelsmann taking over at Bayern Munich has died down in recent weeks as TSG’s results and performances have dipped. And the visitors’ record of 13 losses in 16 trips to the top-six suggests another reverse could be on the cards this weekend.
However, it’s goals we’re looking for and Hoffenheim have been prolific again this season. The guests have scored in all bar two of their 22 outings with 14 (64%) featuring both sides scoring; the Sinsheim side has crossed the Over 2.5 Goals whitewash in seven away days, including three of four trips to the top-six.
Hosts Schalke has followed suit in seven of their most recent 10 outings, with half even beating the Over 3.5 Goals line. A huge nine of those ties saw both sides score and odds of 1.819 for this meeting to produce three or more goals appeals.
Asian Total Goals Betting Recommendation: Over 2.5 Goals at 1.819
По @MarkOHaire
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