In-form Leverkusen will come up against a rejuvenated Borussia Dortmund at the Bay Arena on Sunday, with the match kicking off at 16:30 GMT.
Xabi Alonso’s men will be looking to make it six wins on the trot as they seek to keep their good vein of form running.
Edin Terzić and his Dortmund charges, who have won their last two Bundesliga assignments, will be looking to halt Leverkusen’s run of form as they seek to string together a run of wins to climb the table into Champions League places.
Key Highlights
Leverkusen’s Winning Run
Xabi Alonso’s men have won their last five consecutive outings in the Bundesliga. They have scored 14 goals while conceding just three.
This run demonstrates a fine balance for Leverkusen that gives them a robust platform to attack the opposition while remaining secure at the back. Alonso’s charges have kept three clean sheets in this run.
All three Leverkusen clean sheets in their last five outings were kept when playing at home. This augurs well for the clash with Dortmund on Sunday.
Leverkusen will focus on overcoming the challenge posed by a rejuvenated Dortmund side that has won their last two matches.
Dortmund’s Inconsistency Issues
Edin Terzić’s men have won their last two matches in the Bundesliga. However, their form has been inconsistent. They have won three times over the last five fixtures while losing twice.
The two losses in this run came away to Wolfsburg (2-0) and away to Borussia Monchengladbach; this highlights a challenge for Borussia when playing away from home. This is relevant given their latest away fixture will be away to the in-form Leverkusen.
Edin Terzić will be looking to shade his side’s away blues with an energetic and dynamic performance at the Bay Arena as they seek to halt Leverkusen’s good run of form and steady climb up the table.
Injury Report
Leverkusen
Xabi Alonso will be without the services of central midfielder Charles Aránguiz for the home clash against Dortmund on Sunday. The experienced 33-year-old has been nursing calf problems since October 20th, 2022. He has missed nine matches already this season; a date for his return has not been set yet.
Leverkusen will also be missing influential center-forward Patrik Schick recovering from adductor problems. The 27-year-old has been out of action since November 3rd, 2022.
Borussia Dortmund
Right-back Thomas Meunier is recovering from a torn muscle fiber. He has been sidelined since January 12th, 2023. Therefore, Edin Terzić will not be able to call upon him for the away match against Leverkusen.
Otherwise, Edin Terzić will have the rest of the squad’s complement available for selection. This will be crucial for the gaffer as he looks to get the best team against Leverkusen on Sunday.
Possible Lineups
Leverkusen
L. Hradecky; J. Frimpong, J. Tah, E. Tapsoba, P. Hincapie; R. Andrich, N. Amiri; M. Diaby, F. Wirtz, C. Hudson-Odoi; A. Hlozek
Borussia Dortmund
G. Kobel; R. Guerreiro, N. Schlotterbeck, N. Sule, J. Ryerson; S. Ozcan, E. Can; D. Maten, J. Brandt, K. Adeyemi; Y. Muokoko
Prediction
Leverkusen and Alonso will look to implement their dynamic approach to play by combining robust pressing, a strong structure, dogged defending, and lightning-fast attacks down the wings.
Dortmund will seek to dominate possession. Edin Terzić will have them looking to win the ball as soon as they lose it through pressing.
Both teams will be looking to play on the front foot, control the tempo of the game, and possession of the ball during the match.
With their current form, Leverkusen are the favorites to win the match, take all three points, and extend their winning run to six on the bounce in the Bundesliga.
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