RB Leipzig vs Bayer Leverkusen Preview: Team News & Prediction
by Alex Lawes ·
Updated
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RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen are two of the stronger sides in the Bundesliga as they both compete in the top four of the top-flight ahead of the 15th match day of the season.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – ESPN
How to watch online: UK – Cannot be streamed / US – ESPN+
RB Leipzig preview: Towards the top
RB Leipzig come into this one on the back of a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Union Berlin in the capital city. Oli Burke opened the scoring for Union in the 57th minute before Tidiam Gomis’ 60th minute equaliser and then Union ran away with a 3-1 win in Berlin.
The hosts had hammered Eintracht Frankfurt by six goals to nil in their outing before that loss, leaving them still second in the table ahead of this weekend, but only above Borussia Dortmund on goal difference and three points clear of Bayer Leverkusen.
Bayer Leverkusen preview: Top four in the UCL
Following the sacking of former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag after just a couple of games, Bayer Leverkusen have been steadily improving and developing now under the management of former Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand.
Leverkusen come into this one on the back of ending a three-match losing streak in the Bundesliga by easing to a comfortable 2-0 defeat of Cologne last weekend, courtesy of second-half strikes from Martin Terrier and Robert Andrich.
RB Leipzig team news: Plenty of absentees
Both Yan Diomande and Amadou Haidara are now away on international duty as Leipzig deal with plenty of injury issues, such as Ezechiel Banzuzi, Antonio Nusa and Ridle Baku.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Gulacsi; Nedeljkovic, Orban, Lukeba, Raum; Schlager, Seiwald, Baumgartner; Bakayoko, Harder, Werner
Unavailable: Henrichs (Injured), Banzuzi (Injured), Ouedraogo (Injured), Haidara (International duty), Diomande (International duty), Nusa (Injured), Baku (Injured), Gebel (Injured)
Questionable: Bitshiabu (Injured), Kampl (Injured), Romulo (Injured)
Bayer Leverkusen team news: AFCON callups
Bayer Leverkusen are dealing with several new absentees this weekend due to their callups to the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, such as Edmund Tapsoba, Ibrahim Maza and Eliesse Ben Seghir.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Flekken; Quansah, Andrich, Bade; Arthur, Tape, Aleix Garcia, Poku; Hofmann, Tillman; Terrier
Unavailable: Quansah (Suspended), Tapsoba (International duty), Maza (International duty), Palacios (Injured), Ben Seghir (International duty), Kofane (International duty)
Questionable: Alex Grimaldo (Injured), Lucas Vazquez (Injured), Ezequiel Fernandez (Injured), Schick (Injured)
RB Leipzig vs Bayer Leverkusen prediction
RB Leipzig have one of the more energetic and intense styles of football. The hosts will be expected to take the game to Leverkusen and bounce back to some of their improved form that has been on show throughout this season. Leverkusen head to the Red Bull Arena on the back of their own improved run of form of late under Hjulmand and so a high-scoring clash would appear a good bet for this one in Leipzig.
RB Leipzig vs Bayer Leverkusen tip: Over 2.5 goals
