Bundesliga Matchday 34 betting preview: Wolfsburg stun the champions
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Thank you, trailblazers.
The Bundesliga was the first major European league to resume following the lengthy pandemic-induced suspension, and it went off without a hitch. With the world's eyes on Germany, the league drew up the blueprint for the rest to follow, and we are eternally grateful.
The final matchday of the season may be rather anti-climactic with most storylines settled, but there are still a few loose ends to be tied up that provide us with a bit of value.
Bayern Munich (-130) at Wolfsburg (+280), Draw (+330)
Champions Bayern Munich head to Volkswagen Arena for the final matchday of the season with precious little to play for. Die Roten long ago wrapped up the title, Robert Lewandowski secured the golden boot and is too far off Gerd Muller's all-time Bundesliga single-season scoring record of 40, and the club will undoubtedly have one eye on next weekend's DFB Pokal final against Bayer Leverkusen.
Completing the domestic double will be the target for manager Hans-Dieter Flick, who won't want to risk injuries to any of his key players in this meaningless finale. We already saw a handful of youth players feature for Bayern last week, and I'd expect an even greater number here.
That opens the door for Wolfsburg, who would secure a spot in the Europa League group stage with a win - any other result opens the door for Hoffenheim to leap ahead of them. This is eerily reminiscent of two years ago when Bayern, who had the title comfortably wrapped up, lost 4-1 on the final day to Stuttgart, who were fighting for Europe.
Pick: Wolfsburg (+280)
Hertha Berlin (+725) at Borussia Monchengladbach (-290), Draw (+440)
Just a quick glance at the table would suggest a routine Gladbach victory Saturday. A win would secure the hosts a top-four finish and a place in next season's Champions League, while Hertha have little to play for sitting in 10th place.
Well, the same was said last week about Hertha's match with Leverkusen, yet the Berlin side comfortably won 2-0, putting a serious dent in Leverkusen's top-four bid. Bruno Labbadia's in-form side is playing loose while closing out the season strong, and, most importantly, the club is healthy.
The same can't be said of Gladbach, who will be without top scorers Alassane Plea and Marcus Thuram. Those are two big losses for Marco Rose's side, which will likely be a bit tense here given the magnitude of the occasion. A point is all Gladbach need to secure fourth place, and with their big guns missing in attack, you get the sense they'll be happy with just the one. Don't expect the hosts to take many chances to push for a winner, as a defeat would be devastating for their Champions League hopes.
Pick: Draw (+440)
Fortuna Dusseldorf (-110) at Union Berlin (+300), Draw (+255)
This is another case of a side just needing a point, as a draw will keep Fortuna out of the automatic relegation spots and send them into the playoff. It's been a strong end to the season for Fortuna, who have lost just two of their eight matches since the restart, with the defeats coming against Bayern and Dortmund.
Union - who have already secured their top-flight status - will be cooperative opponents. It will be far from a pretty match, with Fortuna carefully securing a point and Union providing little resistance. A low-scoring draw is in the cards at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei.
Pick: Draw (+255)
(Odds source: theScore Bet)
Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.