Bayer Leverkusen vs RB Leipzig

One of the most heavily anticipated matches in the Bundesliga calendar pits Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig against each other at the BayArena.

Bayer Leverkusen’s trademark late heroics saw them net 18 goals in second-half stoppages last season, a theme that’s highlighted the early stage of the new campaign. After bagging an 88th-minute equalizer in a penalty shootout win against Stuttgart in the DFB-Supercup (2-2), Xabi Alonso’s side found a winning goal in a 3-2 win at Borussia Monchengladbach last weekend in the 101st minute. ‘Die Werkself’ maintained their 100% record in 2024/25 with a narrow 1-0 win against lower-league Carl Zeiss Jena in midweek DFB-Pokal action, setting themselves up nicely for this blockbuster fixture. Leverkusen got the better of Leipzig home and away last term by an identical 3-2 scoreline, forming part of their mind-blowing 35-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga (W29, D6). Moreover, the reigning champions have scored twice before halftime in their last four league outings.

Like Leverkusen, visiting Leipzig come into proceedings in a rich vein of form, looking to extend an imperious 12-match unbeaten run in league action (W8, D4), stretching back to February. Despite a disjointed performance in a day-one home clash against Bochum, Marco Rose’s side ran out 1-0 victors and will hope to improve at the BayArena. That’s an arduous task but not impossible, especially considering only Bayern Munich and Leverkusen outperformed Leipzig’s tally of 37 league goals away from home last season. Indeed, ‘Die Roten Bullen’ failed to score on just one Bundesliga travel in 2023/24 as they take this trip amidst a six-game unbeaten league streak on the road (W4, D2).