Football Results

Two old rivals open the new season in the Bundesliga and as it is common the reigning champion has honour to play the first match. Bayer plays that role for years and its objective in the new season is the same like in the previous one, while Hertha did modestly last year and finished in the bottom half of table. Both teams easily won in the first round of the DFB-Pokal, while last season Bayern won Hertha in Munich by minimal 1-0, but match in Berlin finished as 2-0 for the home team.

Bayern Munich

Bayern starts the race for the eighth consecutive title with a home match against their old rival from Berlin. The Bavarians are, of course, again the biggest favourites to win the title but last season was the last warning that winning the first place requires maximal efforts. They had plenty of problems in the previous season and for the most time they looked in Borussia Dortmund’s back, but near the end they overtook them and won the title, scoring only two points more. They also won the DFB-Pokal, so the season was the success, despite early elimination from the Champions League.

Manager Niko Kovac kept his job and he got three reinforcements. Two reinforcements are meant for defence; Pavard from Stuttgart and L. Hernandez from Atletico Madrid, while the last one goes to attack and that is Ivan Perisic, who was borrowed from Inter Milan. They lost the Super Cup match to Borussia Dortmund 2-0 and that was also a warning, while in the first Cup’s round they routinely won Cottbus 3-1. Perisic is not entitled to play in this match.

Probable lineups Bayern Munich: Neuer – Kimmich, Sule, Pavard, Alaba – Alcantara, Goretzka, T. Muller – Gnabry, Coman – Lewandowski

Hertha BSC

It seems that Hertha subscribed for mid-table positions or somewhere around with one exception when it won the sixth place and qualified for Europa League. Last season it ended up in the 11th place without major oscillations; it played better games at the beginning of the championship and worse near the end. Pal Dardai is no longer the manager after five seasons and Ante Covic will continue where he stopped. The objective is to make one step more and at least to get closer to European positions if they cannot qualify for the Europa League. They played variably in the preparatory period but they won the last one with Crystal Palace by even 4-0.

It was a sign of what can be expected in the first round of the DFB-Pokal where they defeated away lower-league Eichstatt by 5-1. Captain Ibisevic is in good goal scoring form despite his veteran age, and he is the first choice for the top of attack, while Selke has to wait for his opportunity. The biggest reinforcement they brought was also a forward, Lukebakio, who played quite good for Fortuna last season. He will immediately be a starter, while Pekarik, Maier, Dilrosun and Plattenhardt have problems with injuries.

Probable lineups Hertha BSC: Jarstein – Klunter, Rekik, Stark, Mittelstadt – Duda, Grujic, Darida – Lukebakio, Kalou – Ibisevic

Verdict:

It is the beginning of season and Bayern doesn’t seem that can easily stroll through the Bundesliga. At least it looked like that in the Super Cup and DFB-Pokal. Hertha seems solid and perhaps is capable to put up a good resistance in Munich and avoid a sound defeat.

Pick: Asian handicap +2.5 Hertha 1.69 - 69/100 @1XBet