Top Four Bundesliga Battle

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It is not often we see Monday night fixtures in the Bundesliga but it is something which has been introduced this season to the German top flight.  This week we have a cracking match to look forward to as RB Leipzig take on Bayer Leverkusen.

RB Leipzig start the match in fourth place and this is the final position for Champions League football next season.  However, just 1 point behind them in fifth place are Bayer Leverkusen and a win for the away team will see them move above RB Leipzig and into the Champions League qualifying positions.

With just five league games left for each team following this match, this could be the fixture which determines who qualifies for the Champions League next season.

RB Leipzig come into the match having defeated Marseille 1-0 at home in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final.  That result means it is three wins in a row for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team and they have enjoyed good wins over Bayern Munich at home and Hannover 96 away.

Trends show RB Leipzig are undefeated in their last seven games in all competitions and there have been four wins and three draws. At home, RB Leipzig have lost only two of their last fourteen home Bundesliga matches and have picked up some good wins against Schalke, Eintracht Frankfurt and champions, Bayern Munich.

Both teams have scored in fifteen of RB Leipzig’s last twenty games in all competitions.

Bayer Leverkusen make the trip to the Red Bull Arena having been held to a 0-0 draw at home by Augsburg.  This was a match Bayer Leverkusen were expected to win and they were disappointed not to take maximum points.

Trends show Bayer Leverkusen have lost just four of their last twenty-six matches in all competitions and they have a very good record away from home, losing only one of their last eleven games in all competitions on the road.

However, Bayer Leverkusen have not had things all their own way in the Bundesliga recently and they have won three of their last eight matches, picking up just a point from their last two.  Despite enjoying good away form, Bayer Leverkusen lost their most recent away league game 2-0 to bottom of the table Koln.

Both teams have scored in thirteen of Bayer Leverkusen's last seventeen away Bundesliga games.

Looking ahead to the team news and RB Leipzig are without the injured duo of defender Marcel Halstenberg and midfielder Stefan Ilsanker.  Right-back Konrad Laimer is rated as doubtful.

Bayer Leverkusen have Lucas Alario suspended following his red card in the defeat at Koln.  Lars Bender is struggling for fitness and Benjamin Henrichs could come into the team at right-back, with Karim Bellarabi hoping to get a start in attack.

Given the form of the two teams and BR Leipzig’s impressive home record, the home win seems the most likely outcome in this game, with both teams scoring.