RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich predictions and betting tips – Bavarians to march on

We are not even halfway through the Bundesliga season and it is already difficult to see anyone other than Bayern Munich winning the title this term.

RB Leipzig are third in the table, but their eyes are firmly focused on Champions League qualification rather than the championship crown. Who wins this game at the Red Bull Arena?

• Bayern Munich win – 3/5 with 247Bet
• Over 3.5 goals – 5/6 with BetVictor
• Michael Olise to score any time – 6/4 with bet365

RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich odds

Find the latest RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.

RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich predictions

When Bayern Munich appointed Vincent Kompany as their new manager in the summer of 2024, eyebrows were raised and sniggers were audible.

Kompany was not Bayern’s first choice. They tried to hire a whole host of coaches first, from Julian Nagelsmann and Xabi Alonso to Oliver Glasner and Ralf Rangnick. For various reasons, they were unable to agree a deal with any of them.

And so Bayern turned to Kompany, who had a two-year spell with Hamburg as a player to thank. To the former centre-back’s credit, he learned German during his brief time in the Bundesliga. With Bayern only willing to consider Germanophones for the job, Kompany was in luck.

It was a decision laced with risk. The ex-Manchester City man had just taken Burnley down from the Premier League. His stubborn unwillingness to change his style of play following promotion did not reflect well on Kompany, whose reputation took a hit as a result.

Bayern, for their part, were coming off the back of a season in which they were bumped down to third place in the Bundesliga, a remarkable outcome given their dominance of the division over the preceding decade.

Bayer Leverkusen won the title under Alonso in 2023/24, while Stuttgart finished as runners-up. Thomas Tuchel, a much more experienced manager than Kompany, had fallen short, and his successor was under pressure from the get-go.

Fast forward 18 months and it is fair to say Kompany has won over the doubters. He led Bayern back to the top of the Bundesliga tree last term, although a quarter-final exit from the Champions League meant it was not a perfect campaign. 

The Bavarians have gone from strength to strength this time around. They are not merely in pole position to win the title; Bayern are also on course to smash all sorts of records. 

Ahead of Saturday’s showdown with third-placed RB Leipzig, which kick-starts the second half of the season, Bayern are 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga. 

They have amassed 47 points up to now, a joint-record at this stage of proceedings. 

Pep Guardiola’s side also had that many points in 2013/14, but the current Bayern team has scored an astonishing 22 more goals than Guardiola’s did at the halfway mark. Their +53 goal difference makes them the best ever Bundesliga side in the first half of a campaign.

RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich betting tips

It is third and against first in the Bundesliga at the Red Bull Arena this weekend.

Bayern Munich to get job done

“I congratulated the boys a bit, but it’s not a priority for me to have the record. It’s not a title,” Kompany said after the 3-1 victory over Koln in midweek.

“The second half of the season starts tomorrow, and we’ll start again from scratch. We want to win that too.”

With that sort of focus, it is hard to see Bayern Munich dropping points against RB Leipzig, regardless of their opponents’ strengths.

Bayern are crushing anyone in their sights at the moment and Leipzig will struggle to contain their potent attack.

Expect Kompany to be celebrating another victory at 7.30pm on Saturday.

Go for a Bayern Munich win at 3/5 with 247Bet

Expect entertainment in Leipzig

Bayern Munich’s record in front of goal this season is nothing short of extraordinary.

With 66 strikes in just 17 matches, Bayern are averaging 3.88 per 90 minutes. In 82.4 percent of their games, Kompany’s side have scored three times or more.

It is not just that no Bundesliga opponent has kept a clean sheet against Bayern this term, but no one has even restricted them to a single goal.

There have been over 3.5 goals in 76 percent of Bayern’s games in 2025/26, so this feels like a smart selection for their meeting with RB Leipzig.

Back over 3.5 goals at 5/6 with BetVictor

Olise to shine for visitors 

Such is Harry Kane’s brilliance, there is very rarely any value in backing him to find the back of the net in the Bundesliga. Kane finding the net is now taken for granted.

Turn to Michael Olise instead. The France international showed he was a special talent at Crystal Palace, but at Bayern he has established himself as one of the best forwards in world football.

Olise has already reached double figures for Bundesliga assists and he needs one more effort to reach that mark for goals.

With RB Leipzig distracted by the likes of Kane, Serge Gnabry and Luis Diaz, Olise can make it 10 for the season in this one.

Tip Michael Olise to score any time at 6/4 with bet365

RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich predicted lineups

• RB Leipzig expected lineup: Gulasci; Baku, Orban, Lukeba, Raum; Baumgartner, Seiwald, Schlager; Diomande, Cruz, Nusa.
• Bayern Munich expected lineup: Neuer; Laimer, Kim, Upamecano, Ito; Pavlovic, Goretzka; Olise, Gnabry, Diaz; Kane.

Where to watch RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich

• Location: Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany.
• Date and time: Saturday 17th January, 5.30pm.
• How to watch: Sky Sports+.

More Bundesliga predictions

We have plenty more Bundesliga predictions and picks – find our latest betting tips from expert punters in our match preview overview.

More Premier League predictions

We have plenty more Premier League predictions and picks – find our latest betting tips from expert punters in our match preview overview.

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• GambleAware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.