Dortmund vs Nuremberg: Bundesliga Title Chase Continues for BVB

Dortmund vs Nuremberg: Bundesliga Title Chase Continues for BVB

Borussia Dortmund vs Nuremberg

After failing to get all three points in their draw with Hoffenheim, Borussia Dortmund will now look to get back on track as they continue their bid for the Bundesliga title.

Lucien Favre’s men are still undefeated after four league games, but they had quite a scare over the weekend as they trailed for the most part against the Sinsheimers before settling for a 1-1 draw behind a late Christian Pulisic equaliser.

Sure enough, BVB can no longer afford to lose any more points if they want to stay in the hunt for the German top-flight trophy. However, while newly promoted Nuremberg look easy preys on paper, Favre and his charges cannot underestimate Der Club after their big win over Hannover.

Talking Points

Dortmund are currently in third place with eight points out of a possible 12. However, while they will be happy with that fairly bright start to the season, they cannot relax yet as Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin are ahead of them in the standings.

In fact, Bayern now have a four-point lead over Dortmund as they remain unbeaten in the Bundesliga with four straight wins, the latest a convincing victory over last year’s runners-up Schalke 04.

BVB know that any more slip-up could jeopardise their attempt to dethrone the reigning champions, so they need to get maximum points when they host Michael Kollner’s new boys.

Fortunately for Dortmund, they have the talent and weapons to do so, especially with Pulisic continuing his rise as one of the league’s best players and most reliable strikers.

Pulisic is often seen as the future of not only USA football but also of BVB, and he is showing that he’s ready to take that role with Dortmund. The 20-year-old has been pivotal for the team in their last two games, twice scoring late to help BVB.

In their Champions League match with Club Brugge, the American sensation came off the bench in the 69th minute and scored 16 minutes later to fire Dortmund to an opening victory in the tournament. He then followed it up with a rescue act in their high-profile match with Hoffenheim, grabbing the Bundesliga 2018 highlights with a leveller six minutes before time.

With the way Pulisic is playing, Dortmund will be happy to know they have someone they can rely on when the going gets tough.

Not to mention that they also have the likes of Axel Witsel, Marco Reus and rising teenage phenom Jadon Sancho who can also produce when it matters.

Nuremberg know very well the threat their opponents bring, but they will be hoping to carry the momentum they have following their win over Hannover—the team that, interestingly, held Dortmund to a goalless draw in Matchday 2.

Their victory over Die Roten was a bit controversial after the visitors’ Miiko Albornoz was sent off midway through the first half. Nevertheless, a win is still a win, and they will be looking to display the same spirited performance when they visit the famous Signal Iduna Park.

History

This match-up at Signal Iduna will be the first meeting between the two sides since 2014.

Nuremberg spent the last four years at 2.Bundesliga before getting promotion last campaign when they finished second in the competition.

Dortmund, however, dominated for the most part in their encounters from 2010 to 2014, with the club winning all but two of their nine league meetings during that stretch. The other two that didn’t end up with a Dortmund victory were both 1-1 draws.

The only win over Dortmund that Nuremberg can show over the last eight years is a 4-2 friendly win way back in 2012. The last time Nuremberg actually beat BVB in the Bundesliga was in 2007—a 2-0 victory at Max Morlock Stadion.

Betting Tip

Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.09

While Nuremberg have a fighting chance, especially if they show the same defensive intensity they had against Hannover, I still agree with the Bundesliga 2018 odds that put Dortmund as the overwhelming winners.

SBOBET also favours BVB to come out on top, with the club given a huge handicap on Asian Handicap betting just to even the playing field.

Dortmund have everything they need to succeed here, and while they still have a lot of work to do defensively, I believe they can handle a team that averages only one goal per game. Besides, Nuremberg haven’t faced a top-five team yet.

I predict BVB to win in a one-sided affair, though my tip is a Total Goal 2-3 as it provides the best value.

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

Do you want to be informed about bookmakers' latest promotions? Click  and subscribe!