Bundesliga Match Preview: Dortmund vs. Leverkusen - The Battle for Second Place

Bundesliga this season will see one of the most active days on 7th December, with 6 fixtures. But one that stands out is the tie between Bayer Leverkusen and Dortmund Borussia, placed 2nd and 3rd respectively, hosted by the latter at Signal Iduna Park. It is not every day that you get to see two giants slug it out for the key 2nd position, with Bayern Munich firmly lodged in the pole position. This match is also strategic as both the teams will seek to move into 2nd position, furthering their chances of a Champions League slot.

3 points is all that separates the home team from the visitors, with the Dortmund wresting the home field advantage. Betting sportsbooks indicate Dortmund as the clear favorite, having lost only 1 match to Bayern Munich on their turf; Leverkusen however has lost 2 matches to TSV Eintracht and Schalke 04, both on the road. Leverkusen also comes into this match with an embarrassing home loss of 0-5 to Manchester United in the Champions League fixture, placing them beneath Shakthar in Group A. However, in the Bundesliga, Leverkusen has played excellent football, winning their last 3 matches, not conceding a single goal, thus posing a significant threat to Dortmund.

In the previous season, Dortmund inflicted a 3-0 drubbing on Leverkusen, beating them in both the encounters. In addition, Dortmund comes into the match having scored the highest number of goals in the league at 35, above leader Bayern’s 32. Robert Lewandowski leads the Bundesliga with goals scored (11) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (8) ranks third and Dortmund will continue to bank on the duo.  Stefan Kießling and Sydney Sam have combined for 15 goals on the season for Bayer Leverkusen and manager Sami Hyypiä will be looking to make the most out of their tactical partnership to inflict damage on their opponents.

Dortmund, known for its offensive playing style would look to settle for no less than a draw even as Leverkusen will look to further its lead on the home side. A failure to win for Dortmund will result in a 7 point gap between them and Bayern, who play Werder Bremen on the road the same day. A win can serve as a great morale booster to the visitors who will be visiting Old Trafford for their final Champions’ League group stage encounter. With a Champions League fixture against Olympique Marseille on 11th, Dortmund wants to go into the match with the right momentum to progress to the next phase of the League.

With Bayern in top-notch form without a loss, both the teams will be looking to gain an upper hand and register a win so that they can push harder to unsettling Bayern from the pole position. For now, we await for the tussle to begin!!