BATE Borisov +130 Favorites to Win Belarus Premier League Ahead of Matchday 4

• Despite getting off to slow start, BATE are the current favorites to win the Belarusian Premier League this year
• They’re followed by Dynamo Brest, who have +200 odds to win it all this season
• Who’s the best bet to win the Belarus top flight? Read on to see the odds and our prediction

With all of Europe’s top five leagues at a standstill because of COVID-19, the Belarusian Premier League is taking center stage as they head into Matchday 4 this weekend.

It’s been a disappointing start for two of the league’s powerhouses though. Dynamo Brest and BATE Borisov have both won just once this term so far, sitting in 10th and 11th spot, respectively.

Brest dethroned their Belarusian rivals last year for their first-ever BPL title, breaking BATE’s 13-year streak of winning the league. So far, Energetik BGU has been the most impressive side, winning all three fixtures thus far. Despite their torrid start to the season, they have just +1200 odds to finish in the top 3 by the season’s end.

Belarusian Premier League Odds

Odds taken Apr. 7

Can BATE Win Another Title?

Kirill Alshevsky’s side finished five points behind Dinamo Brest last season in second place. You would think they would be hungry to win yet another title this season, but they have been in lackluster form so far. They were beaten by Energetik BGU by a score of 3-1 on Matchday 1, then lost to Slavia Mozyr the following week. Their only victory was last weekend, narrowly beating Rukh Brest 1-0, who’re a newly promoted side.

They’ve netted just three goals in as many matches so far while conceding five. To boot, all the teams they’ve played were in the bottom half of the table last season. However, it’s still very early in the season. There is still loads of time to turn things around and find themselves. This team has been about the only relevant squad from Belarus on the European stage over the last ten years, appearing in the Europa League in recent memory and the Champions League in the early 2010s.

Their attacking trio of Stanislaw Drahun, Maksim Skavysh, and Ihar Stasevich accounted for 34 goals last season, but have yet to create much havoc in the final third this term. Once they begin to link up again, it’s going to play a huge part in their success moving forward.

BATE face FC Minsk this weekend, who currently sit in third place.

Dynamo Brest Looking to Build Off Impressive 2019

Brest if fresh off their first-ever league title in 2018-19, but they’re also in poor form so far this term. They did lose one of their leading scorers to BATE in the offseason though, with Pavel Nyakhaychyk leaving the club for their rivals. But, Dzyanis Laptsew is still with Dynamo and will be looking to build off an impressive debut campaign in their title-winning season last year where he bagged 12 goals.

This side is relatively the same as last season, but they’ve lacked the attacking flair they possessed a year ago. Brest lost just once in 2018-19, while scoring a league-best 70 goals in just 30 fixtures. So far, Sergey Kovalchuk’s men have scored just three goals in three appearances.

Marcel Licka led Dynamo to a historic season in 18-19′, but the Czech parted ways with the club, with Kovalchuk taking over. A new coach always means new tactics, so it’s difficult to predict how this season will play out for the current title-holders.

However, they have enough quality in their squad to finish in the top five this year. Nothing less would be acceptable for Dynamo Brest fans after such a brilliant result at the end of 2019.

BATE, Brest, Energetik BGU are Best Bets for top Three

I do believe BATE Borisov will find their form sooner rather than later. They’ve been a powerhouse in Belarus for many years now and I don’t see them slipping up this term. By adding a striker of Nyakhaychyk’s quality from Brest, It’s going to give them even more firepower on the attack.

Dynamo Brest meanwhile, are getting used to life under a new gaffer. Although I don’t believe they’re going to beat out BATE for the league title, they should finish in the top three.

Energetik BGU have been a pleasant surprise to begin the season, winning all three fixtures while conceding just one goal. They’ve looked fundamentally sound all over the pitch. They should keep up their impressive form, but I don’t see them winning the BPL. However, I do see them finishing in the top three.

As for the winner, BATE will capture their 16th Belarusian Premier League title this season despite their rough start.

Pick: BATE Borisov +130