Bayer Leverkusen will welcome Borussia Dortmund onto their home turf on Sunday in the Bundesliga. The hosts are in brilliant form with five wins in their last five outings, while Dortmund have also won both of their last two games.
Bayer Leverkusen have won all of their previous five matches and are looking in great touch. Xabi Alonso has turned the team’s fortune around and made them a strong team. Leverkusen have scored 13 goals in the last five games while conceding only three. Their recent form gives them a real edge.
Borussia Dortmund, who had a complicated end to 2022, have started 2023 on the right note as they have won both of their games in January. They have also looked good and have managed to come back and win both games, but they will also be aware of the goals they have conceded.
Now we look at some stats that could predict the match’s outcome.
Season so far
The visual above shows the percentile rank of both Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund compared to other teams in the Bundesliga. Borussia Dortmund have better stats than Leverkusen in possession, final-third entries, recoveries, and shots per game. Leverkusen, on the other hand, have done well in passing accuracy, high press success, and goals per game. They have recovered well since the appointment of Xabi Alonso as a coach and are looking dangerous.
Goalscoring threat
Bayer Leverkusen have scored 13 goals in the last five matches, all of which they have won. They are winning games and scoring an average of 2.6 goals per game, which is brilliant. Their forward line looks in great touch and has taken a total of 55 shots, out of which 23 were on target. They have scored five goals in their last two games and are in great form. They will be looking to extend their winning streak against Dortmund.
While Leverkusen are in great form and have racked up many goals in recent games, Borussia Dortmund aren’t doing that badly themselves either. They have scored six goals in their last two games and have managed to turn matches around in clutch situations. The visitors have attempted a total of 38 shots in the last two matches, with 15 of them on target. They will be confident and will be trying to extend their winning streak to three.
High Pressing and High Regains
The two visuals above show the high regains of Bayer Leverkusen from the last five matches and of Borussia Dortmund from the last two matches. The hosts have made around 31 high regains 52 counter-pressing recoveries and 16 dangerous recoveries. They are ranked higher than Dortmund for high press success and have recovered possession in some dangerous positions, including inside the penalty box. Dortmund, on the other hand, even though they are not ranked that high for high press success, have made 22 high regains, 43 counter-pressing recoveries, and nine dangerous recoveries. However, a major difference to be noted is that Leverkusen have recovered a little bit better on the field than Dortmund.
Key Players
Moussa Diaby has picked himself up midseason and is in the form of his life. He has scored seven goals this season and is a constant threat on the right wing. His fast dribbles are almost unstoppable and are crucial for Leverkusen. He is one of the key players in their attack and will play a key role on Sunday.
Giovanni Reyna didn’t have the best start to the season. But the youngster has turned things around with two crucial match-winning goals for Dortmund in the last two games. Reyna scored a stunner in the 78th minute against Augsburg and in the 93rd minute against Mainz to give Dortmund two wins in a row.
Betting Analysis
Looking at the 1×2 market, the odds stand in favour of the hosts, as the odds for them are placed at 2.45, while those for the visitors are placed at 2.74. Whereas, the overlines are expected to flourish especially looking at the recent records of both teams.
Team News
Bayer Leverkusen will be without Patrik Schick and Charles Anranguiz, as they are both out due to injuries. However, the return of Florian Wirtz to the starting lineup would be a boost for them.
Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, will miss the services of Marco Reus, Thomas Meunier, and Abdoulaye Kamara, all of whom are out with injuries. But like Leverkusen, they have a key player fit to play in the form of Sebastien Haller.
Bayer Leverkusen have done brilliantly well to turn their fortune around as they go out in search of their sixth consecutive win. Borussia Dortmund, who have won the last two games in great fashion, will also be raring to go in what promises to be a great clash.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
