Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen will be eager to continue their unbeaten runs in the Bundesliga when they clash at Signal Iduna Park on Saturday.
The 2025/26 Bundesliga season resumes this week with Matchday 29 as we go full throttle towards the run-in. The action on Saturday will start with four simultaneous matches, including Borussia Dortmund vs Bayer Leverkusen at Signal Iduna Park.
Borussia Dortmund may be on the cusp of confirming a top-four finish in the Bundesliga after opening a 14-point buffer over fifth-placed TSG Hoffenheim. The Black and Yellows have embarked on a four-match winning run since losing Der Klassiker to Bayern Munich. While winning the league title may not be possible, Niko Kovac’s men will not throw in the towel easily.
On the other hand, Bayer Leverkusen will face a race against time to secure a spot in the UEFA Champions League next season. Kasper Hjulmand’s charges are sixth in the Bundesliga standings, four points behind fourth-placed VfB Stuttgart. Die Werkself may be on a six-match unbeaten run in the league, but they have not won successive games in the top flight since January, which has contributed to their struggles.
Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen have locked horns twice already this season, with each side winning once. The first meeting ended in a 1-0 win for Leverkusen in the DFB Pokal round of 16, while Dortmund won the reverse fixture 2-1 in November. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Borussia Dortmund
Niko Kovac has a new roster issue that is hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Borussia Dortmund head coach may be bereft of the services of four first-team players vs Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.
Karim Adeyemi is the latest absentee, as he will serve a suspension after his milestone booking last week. Additionally, Emre Can and Felix Nmecha are recovering from knee injuries, and the duo remains in the treatment room. Meanwhile, Filippo Mane faces a late fitness test to determine his availability.
Gregor Kobel is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Borussia Dortmund lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. The central defensive unit will feature Waldemar Anton, Nico Schlotterbeck, and Ramy Bensebaini. Julian Ryerson and Daniel Svensson will be the two wing-backs.
The wide duo will take creative charge from the flanks and protect the three centre-backs during the defensive phases. As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Jobe Bellingham and Marcel Sabitzer in the middle of the park. Finally, Serhou Guirassy will lead the line for Borussia Dortmund against Bayer Leverkusen, with Julian Brandt and Maximilian Beier completing the numbers in the offensive unit.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Kobel; Anton, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Ryerson, Jobe Bellingham, Sabitzer, Svensson; Beier, Brandt; Guirassy
Bayer Leverkusen
Unlike his counterpart in the Borussia Dortmund dugout, Kasper Hjulmand has no new issues to worry about ahead of the trip to Signal Iduna Park. The Bayer Leverkusen head coach may be without four first-team players on Saturday.
Arthur (ankle), Lucas Vazquez (calf), and Martin Terrier (hamstring) remain in the treatment room for the away side. Additionally, Hjulmand is sweating over the fitness of Jarell Quansah, who has been recovering from a muscular injury in recent weeks.
Mark Flekken will take his spot between the sticks, with Bayer Leverkusen lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Borussia Dortmund. The central defensive unit will feature Robert Andrich, Loic Bade, and Edmond Tapsoba. Meanwhile, Montrell Culbreath and Alejandro Grimaldo will start as the two wing-backs.
The wide duo will provide width in the final third and protect the three centre-backs. As for the midfield unit, Exequiel Palacios will line up alongside Aleix Garcia in the middle of the park, with Ibrahim Maza and Ernest Poku reprising the more advanced roles. Finally, Patrik Schick will spearhead the Bayer Leverkusen attack against Borussia Dortmund this weekend.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Flekken; Andrich, Bade, Tapsoba; Culbreath, Palacios, Garcia, Grimaldo; Maza, Poku; Schick
Key Stats
- Borussia Dortmund have won 11 of their last 18 meetings with Bayer Leverkusen. Meanwhile, seven of the last ten Bundesliga clashes between these sides have seen four or more goals.
- Bayer Leverkusen are undefeated in their last 6 matches in the Bundesliga (W2 D4).
- Borussia Dortmund have lost just twice in the Bundesliga this season, both times to Bayern Munich. It is the Black and Yellows’ fewest defeats at this stage of a campaign for 60 years.
- Borussia Dortmund have scored at least two goals in their last 14 matches in the Bundesliga.
- Gregor Kobel has the most clean sheets of any goalkeeper in the Bundesliga this season, managing 13 from 28 league games, three more than any other custodian.
Player to Watch
Alejandro Grimaldo
While Serhou Guirassy, Maximilian Beier, and Patrik Schick were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Alejandro Grimaldo as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s Bundesliga clash between Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen at Signal Iduna Park.
The Spanish international has been the most reliable player for Bayer Leverkusen in the final third in recent weeks, having notched a brace of goals and assists in his last two outings, taking his combined number of Bundesliga goal involvements in 2025/26 to 15. So, Grimaldo must be at his best for the away side to take anything from this game.
Prediction
Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen may take heart from the two closely-contested meetings with Borussia Dortmund this season heading into Saturday’s match. Additionally, Die Werkself troubled Bayern Munich a few weeks ago, and Kasper Hjulmand’s men will believe they can spring a surprise on the home side this weekend.
However, the Black and Yellows have been exceptional this season, losing only twice in the Bundesliga thus far. Another defeat is not on the cards, even though Bayer Leverkusen will take the game to Borussia Dortmund. Another odd-goal victory is the most likely scenario, with Serhou Guirassy delivering the goods for Niko Kovac.
