Bayern Munich vs Leipzig Prediction: Olmo back to haunt Bavarians at Allianz

Another tumultuous week at Bayern Munich has included the news that head coach Thomas Tuchel will depart the club at the end of the season, following three straight defeats. The ex-Chelsea boss will be looking to arrest that slump in form on Saturday (KO, 17:30), when RB Leipzig visit the Allianz Arena.

Bayern are now eight points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, and only four points in front of third-placed Stuttgart.

The visitors, meanwhile, are in fifth, a point off the top-four, as they look to continue their good record in Bavaria.

Team News

As if Tuchel didn't have enough issues to contend with, an injury to Noussair Mazraoui and a red card to Dayot Upamecano in their 3-2 defeat to VFL Bochum last weekend has further depleted his options heading into Saturday's contest.

The 50-year-old was already without the likes of Alphonso Davies, Sacha Boey, Bouna Sarr, Konrad Laimer, Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry and Aleksandar Pavlovic.

Upamecano was only a substitute himself against Bochum, having arrived during the first-half as a replacement for the stricken Mazraoui. There are a lack of direct right-back replacements now, with one of Eric Dier, Joshua Kimmich or Raphael Guerreiro likely to be deployed there.

Leroy Sane will hope to earn a recall to the starting XI at the expense of Eric Choupo-Moting.

Leipzig, meanwhile, will be without Lukas Klostermann after the defender was injured midway through the first-half of their 2-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach last Saturday. His deputy in that game, Mohamed Simakan, looks set to fill in at centre-back again alongside Willi Orban.

Amadou Haidara was also substituted during that game, and is a doubt for this weekend due to a knee injury. If the Malian doesn't pass a fitness test, Nicolas Seiwald looks a likely replacement.

Another player pushing for a start is striker Benjamin Sesko, with the 20-year-old battling the experienced Yussuf Poulsen for a place next to Lois Openda.

Match Odds

Bayern are 4/6 to win for the first time since February 3, with Leipzig priced at 10/3 for the victory. The draw can be found at 7/2.

Over 3.5 goals, which has landed in five of the last seven games between these sides, is EVS, and it's 8/11 for Harry Kane to score anytime.

Draw or Leipzig & both teams to score - Yes @ 9/5

Bayern have lost their last three and look to be in freefall under Tuchel. With the Bundesliga title slipping away, can the players muster enough energy to beat other top sides in the league, when they still have one eye on the return Champions League game with Lazio in just over a week's time?

Leipzig themselves started the calendar year  off with three straight defeats, but they've turned their form around in the last four games, losing just once, against Real Madrid in the Champions League Round of 16.

Die Rotten Bullen are still outside the Bundesliga top-four, though, and are six points behind third-placed Stuttgart, who have a very winnable fixture at home to FC Koln this weekend. Leipzig won't want that lead to stretch to nine going into March.

They can take confidence from the fact that they are unbeaten in their last four games in all competitions against Bayern, with one of those two wins in that period coming in the league at the Allianz Arena. In fact, Bayern have only won once in their last five home games against Leipzig.

With Bayern missing a host of stars, I think Leipzig can take at least a point on Saturday, but the hosts should still be able to get themselves on the scoresheet; BTTS - Yes has landed in six of the last seven meetings between these sides, including the reverse fixture at the Red Bull Arena in September (2-2).

Dani Olmo to score anytime @ 16/5

The Spain international only has six goals to his name this season, with injuries causing him to miss 18 games, but half of his total came in Leipzig's 3-0 win over Bayern in the DFL-Supercup in August.

That hat-trick was followed by a goal away to Bayer Leverkusen in Leipzig's first Bundesliga match of the campaign, highlighting Olmo's ability to find the net against Germany's elite clubs.

Olmo hasn't scored yet in 2024, but Saturday represents a great opportunity for him to get back in the goals against a side lacking confidence.

The 25-year-old also struck against the Bavarians in the 2022 DFL-Supercup, so he has pedigree against them. 16/5 is an enticing enough price to back him to score at the Allianz Arena for a second time this season.

Check out the rest of our Football Betting Tips here.