RB Leipzig will welcome Bayer Leverkusen to Red Bull Arena this Saturday as both sides battle for three points after midweek European efforts.
Venue: Red Bull Arena (Leipzig)
Key Statistics
RB Leipzig are unbeaten in their last eight competitive games (W6, D2).
The hosts have the best home record in this season’s Bundesliga, winning four and drawing one with a goal difference of +10.
The hosts have scored 3+ goals in each of their last four games.
Leipzig coach Rose has lost four of six games against Leverkusen as a coach, winning two.
Rose-managed sides have conceded at least three goals in four of his six personal H2Hs with Leverkusen (W2, L4).
Bayer Leverkusen are winless in their last six away games in all competitions (D2, L4).
They have conceded 2+ goals in each of their last five away games.
Only Wolfsburg have dropped as many points as Leverkusen’s nine when leading at any stage ahead of this round (W2, D3, L1).
Head to head
In 12 meetings between both sides, Bayer Leverkusen have just two wins, while Leipzig have six wins and four draws.
Latest performances in all competitions
Leipzig: W-D-W-W-W
Leverkusen: D-D-L-L-W
RB Leipzig
After becoming the first team to beat Real Madrid this season, RB Leipzig will return to Bundesliga looking to get back to winning ways when they host fellow Champions League teams Leverkusen.
The Red Bulls had a memorable outing on Wednesday as they inflicted a 3-2 win over European royalty and UCL defending champions Real Madrid at home.
The win made it eight games without defeat for Marco Rose’s men who are enjoying an upturn in fortunes after a poor start to the season that led to the sacking of former manager Domenico Tedesco.
Having given themselves a good chance of progressing to the next stage of the UCL, they will turn their attention to pushing themselves further up the table. The hosts currently occupy the eighth position, four points behind the top four.
With Mainz not in action until Sunday, Rose’s men could end the day in the top six with favourable results in this fixture and others. Having lost just twice in 12 meetings with Leverkusen, they will be confident of getting a win in this game and extending their unbeaten start at home in the league (W4, D2).
Possible RB Leipzig starting line-up
Janis Blaswich; Mohamed Simakan, Willi Orban, Abdou Diallo; Kevin Kampl, Xaver Schlager, Emil Forsberg, Dominik Szoboszlai, Christopher Nkunku; Yussuf Poulsen, Timo Werner.
Injured: Lukas Klostermann, Konrad Laimer, Péter Gulácsi
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Bayer Leverkusen
Like their hosts, Bayer Leverkusen also had a memorable outing in Europe on Wednesday as they travelled to Spain to face the other team in Madrid–Atletico Madrid.
But unlike their hosts, Xabi Alonso’s side could not hold on to snatch a win, twice squandering a one-goal lead to their hosts. But they will be pleased with the result and the heroics of goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky who saved a late penalty to secure one point for the Eternal Bridesmaids and ensured that they still have a chance of playing Europa League football next year.
With that result behind them, attention must sharply turn to this fixture as Leverkusen look to salvage what has been a miserable season.
The visitors are currently on their worst start to a top-flight campaign in the three-points-for-a-win era after taking just eleven points in eleven rounds. They currently occupy a place above the relegation zone with just one point separating them from 16th place Stuttgart.
Squandering leads has been a major contributing factor to Leverkusen’s woes, with only Wolfsburg dropping as many points as the Eternal Xabi’s men’s nine when leading at any stage ahead of this round (W2, D3, L1).
Possible Bayer Leverkusen starting line-up
Lukas Hradecky; Odilon Kossounou, Edmond Tapsoba, Jonathan Tah; Jeremie Frimpong, Mitchel Bakker, Robert Andrich Callum Hudson-Odoi; Patrik Schick, Moussa Diaby, Amine Adli.
Injured: Florian Wirtz, Sardar Azmoun,
Doubtful: Karem Demirbay, Charles Aranguiz, Exequiel Palacios, Karim Bellarabi,
Suspended: None
Prediction
Leipzig 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen
