This Saturday evening in the Bundesliga, we have an exciting Rhine Derby as Borussia Mönchengladbach takes on Bayer Leverkusen. Both teams have experienced a mixed season so far, but securing a victory against their rivals could provide a much-needed boost in the league standings.
Borussia Mönchengladbach
In their last five Bundesliga outings, Gladbach has recorded one win, two draws, and two losses. While this form isn’t ideal, Eugen Polanski’s men find themselves in a relatively stable 12th place in the standings. Gladbach has improved since the start of the season but will need a few more victories in the upcoming weeks to avoid getting entangled in a relegation battle, as the teams below them are closely bunched together.
Advertisement
Currently, five clubs are just five points behind Gladbach, a statistic that both fans and management will be monitoring closely.
A home win against their rivals on Saturday could provide the much-needed breathing room and potentially lift them into the top half of the table, depending on other results.
However, the recent history of this matchup is not favorable for Gladbach supporters; they have not triumphed over Leverkusen in the last 13 Bundesliga encounters, with their last victory dating back to November 2019. Since then, B04 has claimed eight wins and four draws.
Bayer Leverkusen
Leverkusen has bounced back from two consecutive defeats with a pair of wins in their latest Bundesliga matches. This resurgence has propelled Kasper Hjulmand’s side to 6th place, just four points behind VfB Stuttgart in 4th.
Advertisement
Consistency is now critical for B04. After a shaky start in the new year, they are now part of the race for a Champions League spot and cannot afford any further missteps this season.
The previous clash between these two teams ended in a 1-1 draw, a result that Leverkusen will want to rectify this Saturday evening. Hjulmand’s squad will need to maintain the strong defensive form they’ve displayed recently, having kept three clean sheets in their last four matches across all competitions while netting 10 goals in that span.
For Leverkusen this weekend, it’s all about repeating their recent success!
Team News
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Gladbach will continue to miss key players like Robin Hack, Tim Kleindienst, and Nathan N’Goumou. However, their leading scorer, Haris Tabakovic, is available and looking to net his 11th Bundesliga goal of the season. Philipp Sander will also be in contention after recovering from an injury sustained against Werder Bremen last weekend.
Advertisement
Bayer Leverkusen
Goalkeeper Mark Flekken is sidelined, so Janis Blaswich is expected to start again. However, there is speculation that Kasper Hjulmand might shake things up by giving former Gladbach keeper Jonas Omlin his first starting opportunity for B04. This would certainly add an interesting dynamic to the match.
GGFN | Jamie Allen