Bayer Leverkusen-Borussia Dortmund is a Bundesliga match of the eighteenth day and is played on Sunday at 17:30: TV, formations, predictions.
The Bundesliga has reached the fateful halfway mark and there is the usual crush behind leading Bayern Munich. Two of the Bavarians’ main rivals, however, are the furthest behind in the race for first place (or at least second place): we are talking about Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund, who in the last match of the eighteenth day, the first of the second half of the season, will give life to a thrilling big match.
Edin Terzic’s Gialloneri are paying for too many ups and downs in the league so far and are currently sixth, three points behind fourth-placed Freiburg and five points off the top of the table, which is of course occupied by the Bavarians. The first two matches, however, tell of a significant change of gear compared to the autumn: Borussia Dortmund have beaten both Augsburg and Mainz by a narrow margin since the Bundesliga started again, 4-3 and 1-2 respectively. Two matches that were about to get complicated and that Bellingham and his team-mates managed to straighten out, bringing home six precious and indispensable points to get back into the Champions League zone as soon as possible. On the shields the usual Bellingham, the best player by detachment, but the return of the centre forward Haller, until now struggling with testicular cancer, is also positive.
In the first part of the season Bayer Leverkusen, who until a few days ago were at the bottom of the table, did much worse.
An inexplicable performance for a team built to fight for ambitious goals, which convinced the management to dismiss Seoane and entrust the bench to newcomer Xabi Alonso. Never was a more apt choice. Under the former Real Madrid midfielder, the Aspirins are flying again and arrive at the challenge with Borussia on the wave of five consecutive victories, the last of which against Bochum (2-0). Returning to the top seven will not be easy, not least because the gap to seventh place is still five points. That is why Bayer will have to try to win at all costs in this direct clash.
The prediction
The impressive state of form suggests Bayer Leverkusen should stay with Bayer, although the match against Borussia Dortmund is a good test of maturity for Xabi Alonso and his men. The Aspirins should at least avoid defeat in a match likely to be prolific, with at least three goals in total.
Bayer Leverkusen-Borussia Dortmund matchday squad
- BAYER LEVERKUSEN (3-4-1-2): Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapié; Frimpong, Palacios, Andrich, Bakker; Wirtz; Diaby, Hlozek.
- BORUSSIA DORTMUND (4-2-3-1): Kobel; Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Guerreiro; Bellingham, Özcan; Malen, Brandt, Reyna; Moukoko.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
