Borussia Monchengladbach will welcome Bayer Leverkusen to their home turf in their first match of the year as the Bundesliga returns. The hosts, who are sitting in the eighth position, have 22 points from 15 matches, while Bayer Leverkusen sits in the 12th position with 18 points from 15 matches.
Borussia Monchengladbach have won six matches this season and have been in form at home. But they have won only two matches in the last five games and will be hoping to turn it around.
Bayer Leverkusen, on the other hand, have turned their season around under Xabi Alonso. He has brought the team together, and they have won their last three matches in the league. They will be looking to start the year on the right foot.
Now we look at some stats that could predict the match’s outcome.
Season so far
The visual above shows the percentile rank of Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen compared to other teams in the Bundesliga. The hosts have better stats in possession, high press success, goals per game, and passing accuracy, while the visitors have better stats in touches in the opposition penalty area, crosses per game, and accurate passes. They also have better stats in the final third of entries.
Attacks
The visual above shows the efficiency of counterattacks by different teams in the Bundesliga. Borussia Monchengladbach have better efficiency in counterattacks and have launched an average of 2.93 counterattacks per game, with 41% of them leading to shots. At the same time, Bayer Leverkusen have launched an average of 3.33 counterattacks per game, with 42% of them leading to shots. Leverkusen have found new gear under Xabi Alonso and have looked dangerous in recent matches.
When it comes to goals, Monchengladbach once again have a better statistical record as they have scored 28 goals this season with an average of 1.87 goals per game. However, Bayer Leverkusen is not far behind, as they have scored a total of 25 goals with an average of 1.67 goals per game. Out of the 25, nine came in the last three matches.
Defensive discipline
The visual above shows the defensive duels won by different teams in the Bundesliga. Bayer Leverkusen has a slight edge over the hosts here, as they have won 55% of the defensive duels they have participated in. The visitors contest an average of 59.93 defensive duels per game with a success rate of 63.5%. The hosts, meanwhile, take part in an average of 56.2 defensive duels per game with a 59.8% success rate. Defensive discipline will be important, especially in stopping the quick counterattacks that both teams are capable of playing.
Key Players
Marcus Thuram is Monchegladbach’s top scorer with ten goals to his name. He is second in the list of goals scored in the Bundesliga, only behind Christopher Nkunku. He will be important in this match as the Frenchman is capable of scoring all kinds of goals.
Moussa Diaby reinvented himself under Xabi Alonso and is now their top scorer. His runs through the right wing and his finishing will be once again called into action as they face Monchengladbach. He will be a key player in the final third for Leverkusen.
Betting Analysis
Looking at the 1×2 odds market, the odds for the hosts are placed at 2.72, while the odds for Bayer Leverkusen are placed at 2.41. In the over/ under lines market, the overlines are expected to flourish as two attacking sides take on each other.
Team News
For Borussia Monchengladbach, Hannes Wolf and Florian Neuhaus make their returns to the squad, while coach Daniel Farke will be hoping that Marcus Thuram will be fit in time as he had suffered a niggle to his knee.
Bayer Leverkusen will miss the services of Patrik Schick and Charles Aranguiz, who are sidelined due to injuries. We might also see wonderkid Florian Wirtz back in action, as he played in the friendly match against FC Copenhagen.
Bayer Leverkusen has looked good under Xabi Alonso and will be hoping to pull off their fourth consecutive win of the season as they face Monchengladbach. The hosts, however, will be looking to start 2023 on a good note, as they have been a bit inconsistent towards the end of the last year.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
