Absences could hurt Lokomotiv but Schalke may struggle too

BT Sport ESPN, 5.55pm Tuesday

Schalke finished a clear second in the Bundesliga last season but the departure of main man Leon Goretzka to Bayern Munich has hurt the Miners and they find themselves in the relegation zone after six matches.

A 1-0 victory over Mainz on Saturday will have lifted spirits in Gelsenkirchen and they will have a chance to gain back-to-back wins against a Lokomotiv team who have been weakened by the loss of key men.

The Russian champions are without star striker Fyodor Smolov while Igor Denisov and Maciej Rybus both failed to feature in the weekend win over Terek Grozny.

That could help Schalke but the visitors have shortened up in the match betting as a result and there’s no great desire to support a team who are struggling for goals.

This could be a cagey affair and the draw could prove to be a lively runner.

Recommendation
Draw
1pt 9-4 Betfair, Betway

Bet on this game at Soccerbase.com

Team news
Lokomotiv Moscow Fyodor Smolov is sidelined while Maciej Rybus and Igor Denisov are both doubts.

Schalke Amine Harit, Alessandro Schopf, Steven Skrzybski and Benjamin Stambouli are all out.

Key stat
Schalke have won two of their opening eight matches in all competitions.

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