Schalke 04 vs Eintracht Braunschweig Prediction 03.08.2024

• Competition: Germany - 2. Bundesliga
• Date: Saturday, 3rd, August 2024
• Kickoff: 19:30 UK / 20.30 CEST
• Venue: Veltins Arena (Gelsenkirchen)

The Veltins-Arena will host one of the opening matches of the 2024-25 2. Bundesliga season on Friday, as Schalke 04 takes on Eintracht Frankfurt.

Despite aiming for direct promotion back to the elite tier of German football last season, Schalke's inconsistency in results saw them end up in mid-table, accumulating a mediocre tally of 43 points. Even with the departure of several players during the summer, the club in royal blue does not intend to give up on their objectives, though they will have to put in much more effort than in the previous campaign to be in conversation for the top three rewarding spots.

Contrary to their weekend rival, Eintracht Braunschweig opens the new 2. Bundesliga season with all different ambitions. Die Lowen’s primary focus will be to retain their place in the second division, having barely escaped dropping down to a lower level of German football over the last two seasons, with the latest campaign finishing only six points clear of the relegation zone. On a brighter note, Daniel Scherning’s team has sparked optimism for the upcoming season through their preparations, as they head into matchday one on the back of six straight wins in their warm-ups.

Schalke 04 vs Eintracht Braunschweig Betting Tips: SCHALKE TO WIN

The Royal Blues' preparations leave much to be desired, as they have been able to grind out just one win from their last five friendlies, so Eintracht certainly enters the opening day of the new campaign with more confidence. Although the preseason period has been beneficial, it will not serve as a basis for determining the winner of this hard-fought contest. Clearly, Veltins-Arena will be a key source of points for the club from Gelsenkirchen, having earned 72% of their points there last season and recording nine out of their total 12 victories at this venue. 

Among other factors, recent head-to-head results give Schalke an extra boost to start the season with flair, as they have emerged victorious in all but one of their last seven encounters with Die Lowen. Despite a commendable display in pre-season, the Braunschweig-based club are viewed as a potential relegation candidate from the Zweite this term, so there are good reasons to back Schalke to claim the full three points in front of a packed Veltins-Arena for the season opener.