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Dortmund started the season on a high note, winning 4-0 away at Augsburg after a performance just short of brilliance. The Champions League finalists have made it clear that Bayern will have a tough challenge from them this season. Even if Dortmund lost Gotze, they are still very strong, a well balanced team, and the players who were signed in the off season (Pierre Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan) are fitting in just perfectly. After demolishing Augsburg and also beating Bayern 4-2 in the Supercup, Borussia seems in perfect form at the moment and they could not have an easier game (on paper) on their hands today.
Gundogan will miss this game for the hosts, but they will get back important players Weidenfeller and probably Mkhitaryan. Here is the probable line-up for Dortmund for this game, basically the best available without Gundogan:
Weidenfeller – Großkreutz, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer – Bender, Sahin – Blaszczykowski, Aubameyang, Reus – Lewandowski
Braunschweig is the worst team in the league, by far. They are theoretically sure to be relegated and even to finish on the last place. The quality is just not there for them in this strong Bundesliga season. The visitors were not so bad in the first round (0-1 at home to Werder) but they still lost, and now they are playing a team much better than Werder. Braunschweig probable starting eleven:
Petkovic – Elabdellaoui, Bicakcic, Correia, Reichel – Theuerkauf – Kruppke, Kratz, Caligiuri, Boland – Jackson
An interesting thing is that Braunschweig plays some similar football to Dortmund. Their coach has Jurgen Klopp as his mentor, so this really reduces the chances for Dortmund to be surprised today. With Borussia`s attacking capability, this could get ugly for Braunschweig. After scoring 4 against both Bayern and Augsburg, nothing short of a big victory is expected today for the hosts. Anything else would be almost shocking and surely illogical.
I am not afraid to take a big handicap here, especially after seeing Dortmund play in the first round. Something in the region of 3-0 is expected.
Pick: Dortmund (-2.25)
Odds: 1.87 @ Pinnacle
Stake: 8
Possible profit: 6.96
Event date: 18 August
