German Bundesliga
2026-08-29 - RB Leipzig vs Borussia Monchengladbach
A Sports Betting Pick by Niko
Football; Germany: Bundesliga
Red Bull Arena – Leipzig
Saturday, 29th August 2026 - kickoff 15:30 CET
RB Leipzig
Martín Demichelis could hardly have asked for a better competitive debut as RB Leipzig’s new head coach.
RB Leipzig raced into a 2-0 lead inside six minutes against Eintracht Trier before eventually winning 6-0 away in the DFB Cup. Six different players scored, with Brajan Gruda and Willi Orbán getting the early goals, while Conrad Harder, Antonio Nusa and Ezechiel Banzuzi added to the score after the break.
The bigger positive was how RB Leipzig played rather than simply the scoreline. They pressed aggressively, created plenty of chances and kept going after the game was already won. Gruda was particularly lively and looks like an interesting player to watch under coach Demichelis.
The Christopher Nkunku situation is another reason for optimism. RB Leipzig have agreed a loan deal with AC Milan that brings the former fan favorite back to the club after three years away.
However, Nkunku should not be treated as a guaranteed starter here, so RB Leipzig will probably rely on the attacking group that dismantled Trier in the cup game.
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach also made a flying start to the competitive season, beating fifth-tier Schott Mainz 5-0 in the DFB Cup. Hugo Bolin scored twice, while Daiki Hashioka, Lukas Ullrich and teenage substitute Wael Mohya also found the net.
That result continued an excellent pre-season in which Eugen Polanski's side won all seven of their friendlies, including a win against Aston Villa.
The big question is how that form transfers to a much tougher opponent. Borussia Mönchengladbach finished in the bottom half of the table last season with 38 points and scored just 42 league goals.
Striker Tim Kleindienst is back to fitness after missing much of last season, which is a major boost, although he did not feature in the cup win last week.
There has also been plenty of change around the squad. The club icon Nico Elvedi left for Leeds United, while Rocco Reitz has joined RB Leipzig after more than a decade at Borussia Mönchengladbach. The Foals have brought in 10 new players, including returning center-back Ko Itakura, so this is still a team finding its feet.
One stat is particularly hard to ignore before this game – Borussia Mönchengladbach have never won away in Leipzig. Their 10 previous visits have produced six defeats and four draws.
Overall, RB Leipzig lead the Bundesliga head-to-head 11-4, with five draws. The most recent meeting also went RB Leipzig's way, 1-0 at the Red Bull Arena in April.
The Betting Verdict
RB Leipzig are around 1.55 favorites in the current market, with Borussia Mönchengladbach around 5.25 and the draw around 4.60. That tells you the basic story. RB Leipzig are expected to win, even though the straight home price is not especially generous.
RB Leipzig’s cup performance showed plenty of attacking intent, while Borussia Mönchengladbach have also looked sharp going forward during pre-season and the cup. This could be more open than the short home price suggests.
RB Leipzig have the stronger squad, home advantage and a very good record in this matchup.
Borussia Mönchengladbach should have enough to make them work, but I expect Demichelis to start his Bundesliga reign with a home win.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
RB Leipzig 2-1 Borussia Mönchengladbach
BEST BETTING TIP :
Take RB Leipzig to win at odds of 1.55 at Bet365
