RB Leipzig vs Hertha BSC

RB Leipzig and Hertha BSC are set to face each other in a tasty-looking Bundesliga fixture at the Red Bull Arena.

Leipzig’s bid to advance into the Champions League knock-out stages received a crucial boost in midweek as they claimed an all-important 2-0 win away to fellow Group F second-place hopefuls Celtic. Following a mixed three-game start to his managerial career at ‘Die Roten Bullen,’ Marco Rose has seemingly found his feet, with Leipzig taking the field unbeaten in four straight competitive matches (W3, D1). However, the home side’s indifferent five-match Bundesliga form (W2, D1, L2) forms part of their equally underwhelming league start (W3, D3, L3) and keeps them stuck in the lower reaches. Yet after being victorious in ten of their 12 Bundesliga meetings with Hertha (D1, L1), Leipzig should feel confident about building on their eye-catching three-game winning league streak on home turf.

In the meantime, visiting Hertha BSC and Freiburg shared the spoils in an enthralling 2-2 draw last weekend, making the visitors’ four Bundesliga stalemate on the trot. ‘Die Alte Dame’ wouldn’t mind another identical outcome against more heavily fancied opposition, though it would be the first time since 2005/06 that they’ve drawn five successive Bundesliga matches. Worryingly for head coach Sandro Schwarz, his men have picked up just one league victory in 2022/23 (D5, L3), their worst top-flight start since 2009/10. The main reason behind Hertha’s abysmal Bundesliga form is a lack of concentration that has seen them drop a league-high eight points from winning positions this season (D4). If that’s not enough to concern the visiting camp, Schwarz’s men have conceded an alarming average of 3.75 goals per game across 12 Bundesliga encounters against Leipzig.