The headline fixture of Matchday 18 in the Bundesliga will see Borussia Dortmund travel to BayArena to face Bayer Leverkusen in what promises to be a very entertaining encounter.
Both teams will be aiming to make it three wins on the bounce when Borussia Dortmund make the trip to Bayer Leverkusen this weekend.
As was customary among the pre-season contenders for a top-four finish, Bayer Leverkusen had a torrid start to the season, winning only one of their opening eight fixtures, leading to Gerard Seoane being relieved of his managerial position.
The appointment of Xabi Alonso was a bit of a gamble. After all, Alonso’s only prior managerial role was as the boss of Real Sociedad’s B team. And he was still a novice taking over a club in a delicate situation. However, fast forward to now, and their decision has already paid incredible dividends.
Early on, results were erratic with only glimpses of a new manager bounce as Alonso became familiar with his squad. But he is starting to get a real tune out of this highly talented and young Bayer Leverkusen squad. And back-to-back wins over Borussia Monchengladbach and Bochum after the mid-season break have propelled Die Werkself to the eighth spot in the Bundesliga and back into contention for a top-four finish.
Though they remain a work in progress, the hosts’ poor start to the campaign looks firmly behind them. And with only seven points separating thems and Borussia Dortmund, they will be hungry for a vital three points that will help them close the gap on Champions League positions.
As for Dortmund, Edin Terzic’s men have turned their fortunes around following the Bundesliga restart in 2023, going from consecutive league defeats before the break to two victories in a row after the hiatus, including a last-gasp 2-1 win at Mainz on Wednesday.
While BVB will be buoyed by the result, there is no time to relax or celebrate as Die Borussen begin the latest round in fifth place, level on points with fourth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt and only two clear of sixth-placed Wolfsburg.
With things incredibly tight at the top of the table, Dortmund cannot afford a slip-up and will be aiming for at least a point against an in-form Leverkusen side at BayArena this weekend. Goals are almost pretty much guaranteed in games between these two teams. But Marco Reus’s strike was enough to secure Borussia Dortmund’s victory on the opening day of the 2022/23 season.
Team News & Tactics
Bayer Leverkusen
𝐂𝐎𝐀𝐂𝐇 ☝️ @XabiAlonso #Werkself I #Bayer04 pic.twitter.com/FhJvSgZd7D
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) January 27, 2023
Xabi Alonso has received a mixed bag of updates on the player availability front. Patrik Schick is nearing a return to the squad after undergoing surgery for adductor issues. Charles Aranguiz will remain sidelined with a calf injury. But Florian Wirtz is finally back to full fitness after a serious ACL injury that prevented him from taking part in the World Cup for Germany.
Alonso looks to have settled well into his first job in senior management. He has not changed things drastically so far, as they already have a mercurial attack that’s fully loaded with player profiles geared toward counter-attacking efficiency.
He has utilised a variety of formations. But a fast-paced, furious style of play has remained the ethos, utilising Jeremie Frimpong and Mitchel Bakker at wing-back. And the latter looks a much-improved player given the freedom to foray forward and engineer opportunities.
It will be vitally important that the two central midfielders in Robert Andrich and Exequiel Palacios, form a solid pairing in the double pivot to keep track of Jude Bellingham’s dangerous runs.
Lukas Hradecky will operate in between the sticks, with the hosts lining up in a 3-4-2-1 setup in front of him. Alonso could deploy the back three of Edmond Tapsoba, Jonathan Tah, and Piero Hincapie as they try to keep things solid at the back.
Moussa Diaby remains a key player for them so far and has been a main provider of goals and assists. Playing more centrally at times, he has more freedom to pick up situations where he can burst through the defence and take his own chances rather than setting up others.
Florian Wirtz has also returned and is ready to take up the creative reins of Bayer Leverkusen’s free-flowing attack. With momentum and a strong supporting cast, he will be by far the most dangerous threat to BVB’s weak defence. With Schick still lacking full fitness, Adam Hlozek will continue to lead the line for the hosts. Callum Hudson-Odoi is not currently preferred but remains an exciting bench option.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Palacios, Andrich, Bakker; Wirtz, Diaby; Hlozek
Borussia Dortmund
Similar to his counterpart in the Bayer Leverkusen dugout, Edin Terzic also has a fair few injury concerns. Thomas Meunier is sidelined until next month with a calf injury, while Abdoulaye Kamara is out until February as well. New signing Julien Duranville is still recovering from the injury he suffered late last year and has been ruled out for the Leverkusen clash.
On the flip side, skipper Marco Reus could make his comeback to the squad this weekend after returning to full training following a sickness bout. Meanwhile, Sebastien Haller has made a heroic recovery after testicular cancer.
In-demand midfielder Jude Bellingham is also set to return to squad after missing Wednesday’s game against Mainz through suspension, and will naturally start here in the double pivot alongside Salih Ozcan.
Our weekend plans 💪 pic.twitter.com/aJFn26HkMv
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) January 28, 2023
Giovanni Reyna, who has now scored in back-to-back games, could come into the starting XI for Edin Terzic’s side. The USMNT winger will man the right flank, whereas Donyell Malen will slot in as the left winger.
Julian Brandt will offer his creative expertise from the No. 10 position, and in-form striker Youssoufa Moukoko will be an automatic choice up top, having managed nine goal contributions in 10 league starts for the visitors.
Elsewhere at the back, Gregor Kobel continues to be Dortmund’s first-choice number one shot-stopper. Mats Hummels could be reinstated at the heart of Dortmund’s rearguard alongside Nico Schlotterbeck, flanked by Julian Ryerson and marauding Portuguese full-back Raphael Guerreiro.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kobel; Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Guerreiro; Ozcan, Bellingham; Malen, Brandt, Reyna; Moukoko
Key Stats
- Bayer Leverkusen are currently in the midst of a five-game winning streak.
- Bayer Leverkusen have an unbeaten home record under new boss Xabi Alonso, having won four of their last five games at the BayArena, conceding just two goals along the way.
- Die Werkself have beaten Borussia Dortmund in two of the clubs’ last three clashes at that venue.
- Bayer Leverkusen have scored at least two goals in their last five Bundesliga matches.
- Borussia Dortmund lost five of their last seven away assignments in the Bundesliga.
Player to Watch
Moussa Diaby
Diaby is an obvious candidate for a player to watch here. Florian Wirtz’s absence had an extreme impact on the Bayer Leverkusen attack, as they on the whole struggled for form and definite structure.
Patrik Schick was unable to maintain his high level and at times, the entire attacking game rested on Diaby’s shoulders. Still, he has remained one of the few bright spots in this – by Leverkusen’s standards – weak season, and has played a pivotal role in their recent revival under Xabi Alonso, having managed nine goal contributions in 17 starts in the league.
The mercurial French winger, who is the fastest player in the Bundesliga, has been the subject of heavy interest from Arsenal and Newcastle United. But it appears he will stay put at the BayArena until the summer, which is certainly positive news for Alonso & co.
Pacey and technically gifted with a venomous left foot and the ability to take on defenders for fun, Diaby is arguably one of the best counter-attacking weapons in Europe thanks to his powerful running and turn of speed. He can turn a defensive phase into an attack in the blink of an eye and will be an exciting player to watch against a susceptible Dortmund backline.
Prediction
Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 Borussia Dortmund
For several seasons, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund have both been devoted to playing exciting, entertaining football. And spectators at the BayArena are sure to be thrilled when these two titans clash on Sunday.
This could turn out to be yet another nail-biting affair, as the two sides have always produced goals and are loaded with difference-makers in offensive areas while leaving themselves exposed at the back. A close game is on the cards. But with Xabi Alonso’s side flying at the moment, and considering the home advantage, they should be able to get the better of BVB, who have looked extremely fragile defensively at times this season.
