Football betting tips: Bundesliga
1.5pts RB Leipzig 3 or more corners at 11/10 (bet365)
1pt RB Leipzig 5 or more corners at 6/1 (Sky Bet)
At the start of the week, this column did not exist and there were no plans for it to exist either.
In fact, the same applied when I woke up on Wednesday morning, but a broadcasting announcement made less than 72 hours before the new Bundesliga season began sprung me into life.
The German top-flight is making a push to attract an English audience this season with the likely aim of increasing the television rights revenue in the future. To do that, they've made games accessible to watch for all.
How do I watch the Bundesliga for free in the UK?
Every Friday, a game will be on free-to-air. The BBC are the broadcaster with that week's contest available to view on the BBC Sport website, app and on BBC iPlayer.
Alongside that, The Overlap YouTube channel has rights for watchalong-style shows, as does, errr, Mark Goldbridge's channel, you know, that Manchester United bloke.
Not only that but the Bundesliga's own YouTube channel live streams games, with the entire 2. Bundesliga schedule for this weekend set to be broadcast. Football for free is always worth celebrating.
Saturday's late kick-off will remain on Sky Sports while Sunday's games go to Amazon Prime. The top line is though that you'll be able to get a fix of football to kickstart your weekend without an expensive monthly subscription service.
Even with the more 'popular' subscriptions, we now have access to a whole host of Bundesliga games in the UK. It's becoming one of the most accessible leagues here.
It's also great that it's the Bundesliga. I've been a fan for a number of years anyway but it's a brilliant league to watch if you haven't previously. Most teams can attack, most can't defend - you get goals.
Goals per game averages: 24/25 season
- Bundesliga: 3.13
- Ligue 1: 2.98
- Premier League: 2.93
- LaLiga: 2.62
- Serie A: 2.56
Whether or not this column stays in the long-run remains to be seen. Those sitting above me in the hierarchy to seek permission from in Sporting Life towers are all away on holiday, so, as Shaun Williamson, or to give him his government name, Barry from Eastenders famously sung, we're gonna do it anywaayyyyy.
Let's just enjoy it while it lasts, starting with a great match-up to get us going.
Bayern Munich vs RB Leipzig
- Kick-off: Friday, 19:30 BST
- TV: BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport
- Live odds, form and stats
We return to your scheduled programming. Bayern Munich enter the campaign as champions - a one-off concession to Bayer Leverkusen kept as just that.
Leipzig, meanwhile, had their worst season since promotion to the Bundesliga in 2016. A campaign which ended in seventh means they'll have no European football to contend with as they aim to push back into the top four.
Ole Werner is the man tasked with making that happen having opted to leave Werder Bremen for the position. We could well see a change in approach on the pitch because of it.
Leipzig were a low-crossing side last season. The 16.56 per game average saw them take 4.74 corners per game and while Bremen actually finished the campaign with the same figure, their 19.62 crosses attempted suggests it should have been more.
Werner's also now got better players to work with, even after the departure of forward Benjamin Sesko to Manchester United.
Bremen had far more balance when it came to attacking down the flanks. Leipzig demonstrated a preference to look down their left. Even if Bayern didn't concede loads of CORNERS, I'm still happy to take LEIPZIG 3+ at 11/10 and LEIPZIG 5+ at 6s.
We saw this new style in Leipzig's German Cup victory over lower league outfit Sandhausen last weekend. They attempted 27 crosses and took nine corners.
There's also the potential for corners from shots deflected or turned behind. Bremen averaged 12.6 shots per game last season, higher than Leipzig's 12.0.
We're hoping for that system to be implemented at Werner's new club but the prices are attractive on low enough lines. Even away at Bayern, they're worth backing.
Odds correct at 1500 BST (20/08/25)
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