Exciting Clash to Start Bundesliga in 2018
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The German Bundesliga resumes on Friday night following a short winter break and we could not have asked for a more exciting encounter as Bayer Leverkusen meet Bayern Munich.
The league title may already be out of reach for Bayer Leverkusen this season but they start this match 4th in the Bundesliga and know a win would send them into second place ahead of the weekend fixtures.
Bayern Munich are sitting pretty at the top of the Bundesliga and remain on course to successfully defend their title once more. Schalke are the team in second place but are 11 points off the pace and Bayern Munich would need a collapse of epic proportions to lose the league from their current position.
However, this match should be a big test for Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen come into the game defending a fourteen-match unbeaten run in all competitions. There last match was a good 1-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach away from home in the German Cup.
Trends show Bayer Leverkusen are undefeated in their last twelve Bundesliga games, with their last defeat coming at Hertha Berlin on the 20th September.
At home, Bayer Leverkusen have not lost in their last nine games but five of those matches have ended in draws and this is the reason they are not closer to Bayern Munich at the top of the league table.
Interestingly, both teams have scored in four of their last five home league games.
Bayern Munich ended 2017 in great form, winning each of their last six matches in all competitions. There were wins over Eintracht Frankfurt, Koln, Stuttgart and Hannover 96 in the Bundesliga plus Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup.
Trends show Bayern Munich have won their last four Bundesliga games, keeping a clean sheet in each of them. However, perhaps the biggest surprise has been in-front of goal and they have managed to score just 1 goal in each of their last three Bundesliga matches.
Bayern Munich have lost two games in the Bundesliga this season but both defeats have come away from home at the hands of Hoffenheim and Borussia Monchengladbach. Josef Heynckes will want to start the New Year in positive fashion on the road.
Team news and Bayer Leverkusen are waiting on the fitness of two players as winger Leon Bailey is suffering from illness and Benjamin Henrichs has a bruised foot. Striker Kevin Volland should start the match up-front.
Bayern Munich will be without goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and central midfielder Thiago who are both injured. Defender Mats Hummels has been ill and striker Robert Lewandowski has a knee injury, making both players doubtful for this game.
Bayer Leverkusen have been in great form and if Bayern Munich are without some key players, have the potential to cause an upset. However, their tendency to draw games could come back to haunt them in a match which could finish level with both teams scoring.
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