Bundesliga 2021/22 Matchweek 26 betting picks & value plays

Bayern Munich face a tough road test against a red-hot Hoffenheim squad this Saturday in Matchweek 26 of the 2021/22 Bundesliga season. That matchup along with Bayer Leverkusen vs FC Koln and Greuther Furth vs RB Leipzig are featured in this weekend’s Bundesliga soccer betting picks.

Hoffenheim vs Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich (19-2-4) played to its first draw since the opening week of the 2021-22 season in a 1-1 match at home against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. The low-scoring game marked the second straight match in which Bayern’s high-powered offense was held to only one goal. Hoffenheim (13-4-8) meanwhile earned a 1-0 road win over FC Koln on Sunday, improving to 4-0-0 over its last four matches in the process. Now Hoffenheim returns home, where it is 8-2-2 with a +14 goal differential this season.

This is a tough match to predict. Hoffenheim is playing great, but its recent wins haven’t come against opponents of Bayern Munich’s caliber. Bayern rolled to a 7-1 win over RB Salzburg in UEFA Champions League play on Tuesday and beat Hoffenheim 4-0 when these clubs last met in October. A play on Bayern Munich as -1 favorites feels like a good one; this will often result in a push if Bayern wins by one goal, but a win by two or more goals seems more likely than a draw or loss.

Bayer Leverkusen vs FC Koln

Bayer Leverkusen (13-6-6) continued its recent stretch of strong play with a 1-1 draw on the road against Bayern Munich, bringing the club’s record to 5-1-1 over its last seven matches. FC Koln (9-9-7) fell to 2-2-3 over its last seven matches with a 1-0 loss at home to Hoffenheim since having gone 3-0-0 in a three-game stretch prior to this recent skid. Koln has been struggling on offense with only six total goals scored over the club’s last seven games.

All systems should be a go on Bayer Leverkusen as a 1-goal favorite at home. Each of the club’s last four wins have all come by two goals or more, and FC Koln’s recent 3-1 loss to RB Leipzig and 4-0 loss to Bayern Munich have exposed the team’s defensive struggles against high-quality offenses. Look for a victory in the neighborhood of 3-1 or 4-1 for the home team in this one.

Greuther Furth vs RB Leipzig

RB Leipzig (12-5-8) had a three-match winning streak snapped in a 1-1 draw at home against SC Freiburg on Saturday. Despite the disappointing result, Leipzig is still 6-1-1 over its last eight matches, with all but one of those wins coming by two goals or more. Greuther Furth (3-5-17) suffered a 2-1 loss on the road to VfL Bochumm falling to 1-1-3 over its last five matches since compiling a 1-3-0 undefeated streak in its previous four matches.

All three of Furth’s losses over its last five games have come on the road. The club has put together an impressive 2-3-0 undefeated record over its last five matches at home. It’s worth noting however that all but one of those home games have come against teams in the bottom half of the Bundesliga table, with the win over ninth-place Mainz 05 as the only exception. Going up against a top-tier club like RB Leipzig, look for Furth’s recent luck at home to run out this Sunday.