Bayer Leverkusen will strive to advance towards securing their inaugural Bundesliga championship as they journey to Stadion An der Alten Forsterei to encounter Union Berlin on Saturday afternoon. The Werkself aspire to achieve their initial league double over the Iron Ones since the 2019-20 season, following their dominant 4-0 home victory in the previous fixture in November.
Match preview
At this juncture last year, Union Berlin exceeded expectations on their path to securing an unexpected yet warranted top-four finish. However, they presently find themselves positioned 12th in the standings, accumulating 22 fewer points compared to the corresponding phase of the previous season. They are on track to conclude the campaign in the mid-table.
Nenad Bjelica assumed leadership when Union Berlin was languishing in the relegation zone in November. Since then, the Croatian has effectively stabilized the team, steering them clear of imminent danger. Presently, there exists a nine-point gap between Union Berlin and Mainz 05, who occupy the relegation playoff spot.
Union Berlin concluded their pre-international break fixtures on a positive note, securing a 2-1 victory against Werder Bremen. This win marked their fifth triumph in the last seven home league matches. Subsequently, they secured a point in a goalless draw against Eintracht Frankfurt in their previous outing.
Bjelica’s squad is gearing up for a challenging encounter against the formidable leaders, Leverkusen. Union Berlin has struggled against Leverkusen in their recent meetings, failing to secure a victory or score a goal, while conceding nine goals in the process.
Securing a victory against Leverkusen on Saturday poses a formidable challenge for Union Berlin. Leverkusen has been formidable, aiming to conclude the season with at least a domestic double or potentially a remarkable treble, including Europa League success.
Leverkusen extended their unprecedented unbeaten streak to 40 matches in all competitions with a commanding 4-0 home victory against Fortuna Dusseldorf in the DFB-Pokal. They are set to face Kaiserslautern in the final on May 25.
Contrary to their comfortable victory against Dusseldorf, Leverkusen faced a tough challenge in their recent Bundesliga encounter against Hoffenheim. Nonetheless, goals from Robert Andrich and Patrik Schick in the dying minutes secured a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory.
With only seven matches remaining, Leverkusen stands 13 points clear at the summit following Bayern Munich’s 2-0 home defeat to Borussia Dortmund, effectively diminishing Bayern’s hopes of clinching a 12th consecutive title.
Having already secured Champions League qualification for the next season and equaled their best-ever points tally for a single Bundesliga campaign (73), Leverkusen is poised to maintain their positive momentum. They have lost only one of their last 12 meetings with Union Berlin across all competitions. However, it’s worth noting that their last encounter at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei ended in a goalless draw in April last year.
Team News
Both Jerome Roussillon and Jakob Busk of Union Berlin are currently sidelined due to calf injuries, alongside Janik Haberer who is recovering from a muscle problem. Nevertheless, Andras Schafer is poised to make a return following a one-match suspension and is being considered to replace Brenden Aaronson in an advanced midfield position. Additionally, Kevin Volland is vying for inclusion in the attacking lineup, potentially displacing Mikkel Kaufmann.
As for Bayer Leverkusen, their sole injury concern revolves around defender Arthur, who is nearing a return after recuperating from a significant thigh injury sustained last August. Despite missing the past four months due to a groin injury, Victor Boniface remains the club’s leading goal scorer with 16 goals. He made a comeback as a second-half substitute during the recent fixture and is in contention for further involvement in the upcoming match.
Exequiel Palacios, having recovered from a thigh ailment, remained on the bench as an unused substitute and is anticipated to compete with Andrich and Granit Xhaka for a starting role in the center midfield. Meanwhile, Florian Wirtz, in a prolific run with five goals in his last six matches, is anticipated to lead the attacking line for Leverkusen.
Union Berlin possible starting lineup:
Ronnow; Doekhi, Vogt, Leite; Khedira; Trimmel, Tousart, Schafer, Gosens; Vertessen, Volland
Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:
Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Xhaka, Palacios, Grimaldo; Hofmann, Wirtz; Schick