Freiburg vs Bayer Leverkusen
Schawzwald-Stadion, Freiburg im Breisgau
Friday, 29-05-2020 @9:30pm
Bayer Leverkusen are hoping to make an instant return to the Champions League.
In the 2019/20 season, they were eliminated at the group stage, in a group that featured the likes of Juventus and Atletico Madrid.
After a run of five successive victories in all competitions, Bayer were defeated 4-1 at home to Wolfsburg in their most recent fixture.
The loss on Tuesday left them in 5th place, level on points with 4th placed Borussia Monchengladbach.
Sitting a further two points adrift of third placed RB Leipzig, they will head into the contest knowing that victory will see them sit at least-temporally third.
Freiburg have not quite been at their best since Bundesliga action resumed earlier this month.
Christian Streich’s men have managed to rake in just two points in three games during this period, although a 1-1 draw with RB Leipzig was a creditable performance.
The points dropped to Eintracht Frankfurt and Werder Bremen, though, have dented their European qualification hopes.
The reverse fixture, played in November last year, ended in a 1-1 draw, with Moussa Diaby earning Bayer Leverkusen a 1-1 draw after an early goal by Lucas Holer.
Leverkusen forward Kevin Volland returned to training earlier this week after recovering from an ankle injury, but this game is expected to come too soon for him to feature. Jonathan Tah is carrying a back injury and remained on the bench for the defeat to Wolfsburg, while skipper Lars Bender has been missing with a foot problem. Bosz switched to a back four in midweek and may well revert back to the same XI that saw off Gladbach, though Havertz will lead the line regardless of the formation.
As for the hosts, Gian-Luca Waldschmidt sat out the loss to Bremen with an ankle problem but was back involved against Frankfurt, playing the opening hour before being replaced. Playing twice in the space of a few days will be a big ask, while Christian Gunter is another playing through the pain barrier. Elsewhere, German attacker Janik Haberer played no part against Frankfurt and that is likely to remain the case here.
Freiburg have won only one of their last nine game against Bayer Leverkusen, scoring just one in their last five. But, the hosts are unbeaten in their previous six home meetings with Die Werskelf (W2 D4). The respective home team has not lost any of the last 13 clashes between Freiburg and Bayer Leverkusen. The midweek loss to VfL Wolfsburg brought an end to Bayer Leverkusen’s 12-game unbeaten run (W11 D1). Nils Petersen made his Bundesliga debut against Bayer Leverkusen back in May 2009, whilst on the books of Energie Cottbus. Freiburg’s record scorer has scored twice in seven meetings with the Rhineland club. Kai Havertz is without a goal or assist in six games against SC Freiburg.
The other Bundesliga games this weekend
Saturday, 30-05-2020
-Wolfsburg vs Frankfurt @4:30pm
-Hertha Berlin vs Augsburg @4:30pm
-Mainz vs Hoffenheim @4:30pm
-Schalke vs Bremen @4:30pm
-Bayern vs Dusseldorf @7:30pm
Sunday, 31-05-2020
-Monchengladbach vs Union Berlin @4:30pm
-Paderbon vs Dortmund @7pm
Monday, 01-06-2020
-Koln vs Leipzig @9:30pm
