A hapless Hamburg will look to avoid extending their three-game losing streak when they welcome last-placed Borussia Mönchengladbach for what could be looked back on as a decisive leg in the relegation battle.
Match News and Current Form
Hamburg’s season has been a tale of famine and feast, with two separate three-game losing streaks bookending a three-game winning streak from matchdays four to six of the Bundesliga. Despite losing twice to Frankfurt in one week to be eliminated from the DFB-Pokal, the nine points they have collected after eight rounds is a higher total than at the same stage of any of Hamburg’s last four top-flight campaigns, one of which ended in relegation (2017/18). A return home should give them a boost as they are seeking to record three straight Bundesliga wins here for the first time since 2018, when they came out on top 2-1 against none other than Gladbach in the third game of the stretch.
Gladbach are stuck to the foot of the table after following up their first league win of the season with a goalless stalemate against Paderborn, but they should have a sense of renewed optimism since they are now unbeaten in three straight competitive games. This is not new territory for the Foals, who were also rock bottom after eight rounds last season and with even fewer points than their current four, before recovering to finish in midtable. Hoping for a similar resurgence, Gladbach must channel the spirit which saw them come from behind to win in their most recent away game at Stuttgart (3-2) to end their three-game losing run on the road.
Head-to-Head History
Hamburg have faced only four sides more often than their 102 top-flight matches against Gladbach (W40, D28, L34). At home, Hamburg haven’t lost any of the four Bundesliga H2Hs across the last decade (W3, D1).
Hot Stats and Streaks
Hamburg’s eight league games were all won by the team that scored first (W3, L5).
The first half was not the highest scoring half in any of Hamburg’s last seven league games.
Gladbach scored first in only two league games this season and went on to lose both.
Seven of Gladbach’s eight league games this season produced over 2.5 goals.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Terem Moffi has scored in back-to-back games for Hamburg for the first time since joining the club, with both of those goals serving as team openers in eventual 3-1 defeats. Shūto Machino jointly leads the way in the Bundesliga for Gladbach with two goals, with each of those strikes extending his run of goals scored beyond half-time for the club to five.
Yussuf Poulsen is one of a number of players in doubt for Hamburg, while Hugo Bolin remains absent for Gladbach with a muscle injury.
For all the latest team news, please check the Flashscore match centre.
Betting Analysis
Given Hamburg’s slide and Gladbach’s apparent resurgence, it may be worth backing Borussia Mönchengladbach to win against the odds.
Author: Matthew Billon