Prediction and odds for the game: Schalke (16/5) v RB Leipzig (5/6)
We are backing the draw at odds of 14/5
When: Saturday 22nd February 2020, Kick-off 5:30 PM
Where: The Veltins Arena
On Saturday evening, RB Leipzig faces a major test of their Bundesliga title credentials as they travel to Gelsenkirchen to face Schalke.
Schalke
Schalke still have hopes of a top-four finish this season after a steady campaign in the debut campaign as boss of David Wagner. However, the Royal Blues have slipped to six points off the Champions League spots in the German top-flight.
A disappointing goalless draw at Mainz last time out means that the home team have now drawn their last three league matches, and failed to win in their last four attempts in the Bundesliga.
One of the biggest problems of late for Schalke has been scoring goals, as they have scored just once in their last four Bundesliga matches.
Schalke have been hard to beat on home soil of late though, as they are unbeaten in ten league matches at the Veltins Arena. The fact that five of those ten unbeaten games have finished in draws has rather dented their top-four challenge.
RB Leipzig
RB Leipzig head into gameweek 23 just a point adrift of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich. Julian Nagelsmann’s team have experienced mixed fortunes of late in the German top-flight.
However, a 3-0 win over Werder Bremen ended a three-match winless run in the top-flight for Die Roten Bullen. They followed up that win with a 1-0 victory at Premier League Tottenham in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
When it comes to goals, RB Leipzig tends to be involved in a lot of high-scoring games. In fact, there have been over 2.5 goals scored in 12 of their last 14 matches in the German top-flight.
Leipzig have been poor on their travels of late, taking just two points from a possible nine in their last three away matches. Rather unusually for Nagelsmann’s team, they have failed to score in their last two away games in the Bundesliga. Die Roten Bullen had previous scored at least three goals in their previous four away matches in the German top-flight.
Conclusion
This is a difficult one to judge. Schalke are difficult to beat at the Veltins Arena, while Leipzig have not been great on their travels of late in the Bundesliga. However, Nagelsmann’s team look to back in form, but we are backing Schalke to hold them to a draw.
We are backing Leipzig striker Patrick Schick to be an anytime scorer, as the Czech Republic international has scored six times in his last ten Bundesliga appearances.
Verdict: We are backing the draw at odds of 6/4 and/or Patrick Schick to be an anytime scorer at odds of 6/4. (All odds are taken from Bet365).
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