On Sunday evening, third-placed Bayer Leverkusen will host fourth-placed RB Leipzig at the BayArena in a mouthwatering showdown between two teams vying for second place with kickoff at 8:30 pm.
Despite picking up seven points from their last nine games, Bayer Leverkusen head into this crucial clash against Leipzig, far from their best form.
In those last three matches, Die Werkself narrowly beat poor sides Wolfsburg and Hertha Berlin before being held to a goalless draw by VfL Bochum last weekend, with just one win and four defeats in a poor six-game run preceding this spell.
Gerardo Seoane’s side was perhaps fortunate to come away with a point from the newly-promoted Bochum, too, with plenty of nervy moments during an even encounter.
Florian Wirtz’s season-ending injury and Patrik Schick’s continuing injury problems have been tough for Bayer 04 Leverkusen, but the Bundesliga club has not been as explosive since the winter break.
Meanwhile, Domenico Tedesco’s men continue to impress as each week passes by. After a comfortable 3-0 win over Hoffenheim, Die Roten Bullen then won 2-0 in Bergamo against Atalanta on Thursday, with the German side progressing to the semi-finals of the Europa League courtesy of a 3-1 triumph on aggregate.
On Wednesday, they’ll face Union Berlin in the German Cup semi-finals before their Bundesliga clash with Leipzig.
Bayer Leverkusen vs RB Leipzig Head to Head
Both sides have 11 games against each other with hosts taking two wins while visitors with five wins. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
- VfL Bochum 0-0 Bayer Leverkusen
- Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Hertha
- Wolfsburg 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen
- Bayer Leverkusen 0-1 Atalanta
- Bayer Leverkusen 0- 1 FC Koln
Away
- Atalanta 0-2 RB Leipzig
- RB Leipzig 0-3 Hoffenheim
- RB Leipzig 1-1 Atalanta
- Borusia Dortmund 1-4 RB Leipzig
- RB Leipzig 0-0 Frankfurt
Bayer Leverkusen Team News
Although Wirtz has continued to miss for Leverkusen since Schick’s return, the striker’s recent two matches have been a welcome boost, despite failing to find the back of the net since returning.
RB Leipzig Team News
Ahead of Friday’s encounter, Tedesco has been able to rotate his side well during their busy fixture schedule since the turn of the year, with the significance of the match meaning that Lukas Klostermann could start in place of Mohamed Simakan.
Prediction and Odds
We predict the visitors will win, as their recent performances have been more consistent and carry momentum from some exceptional outings.
- RB Leipzig Win
- Goals Over 2.5
- Both Teams to Score
