Preview: Bayer Leverkusen vs Borussia Dortmund - prediction, team news, lineups

The biggest game of the weekend in the Bundesliga takes place at the Bay Arena this Saturday night as Bayer Leverkusen welcome Borussia Dortmund for a heavyweight encounter.

Both teams are coming into this game on the back of Champions League victories, and both will be looking to pile pressure on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.

Match preview

Despite enduring a turbulent start to the season, Bayer Leverkusen are emerging as potential title challengers following a solid run of results.

Die Werkself have won seven of their 11 league games so far this season, and they have only tasted one domestic defeat since late August.

That one loss came against Bayern Munich at the start of November, and it was a pretty comprehensive defeat as Leverkusen shipped three unanswered goals at the Allianz Arena.

Since then, Kasper Hjulmand’s men have won four games on the bounce, including a 2-0 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League last Tuesday night.

Leverkusen have scored 11 goals across their last three outings, and they boast the joint second-best goalscoring record in the Bundesliga.

Borussia Dortmund managed to shake off their three-match winless run on Tuesday night as they delivered an electrifying performance in a 4-0 Champions League win over Villarreal.

Niko Kovac and his men will now turn their attention back to league duties, as they look to reinvigorate their potential title challenge.

We are only 11 games into the season, yet Dortmund already trail Bayern Munich by nine points – a gap which has grown in recent times due to the Prussians dropping crucial points.

Draws against Hamburger SV and Stuttgart have seen Dortmund lose further ground to their title rivals, with the likes of Leverkusen and RB Leipzig looking like the stronger pretenders to the throne.

Draws have been a killer for Dortmund so far this season, with Kovac and his men enduring four stalemates throughout the league campaign.

Bayer Leverkusen Bundesliga form:

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Bayer Leverkusen form (all competitions):

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Borussia Dortmund Bundesliga form:

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Borussia Dortmund form (all competitions):

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Team News

Bayer Leverkusen head into this blockbuster Bundesliga clash with three big injury worries.

Argentine midfielder Ezequiel Fernandez has been struggling with a knee injury for just over a month, and he is not expected back for another few weeks.

Exequiel Palacios, who has not played since September, is battling a groin injury and will be on the sidelines this weekend.

Experienced defender Lucas Vazquez is on the mend from his muscle problem, but Saturday’s game comes a little too soon for the Spaniard.

Borussia Dortmund, on the other hand, are missing defender Niklas Sule through a toe injury.

Forward Maximilian Beier, who had two goal contributions against Stuttgart last weekend, missed the game with Villarreal but could play a part against Leverkusen.

Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:

Flekken; Andrich, Bade, Tapsoba; Poku, Maza, García, Grimaldo; Hofmann, Tillman; Schick

Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup:

Kobel; Anton, Can, Schlotterbeck; Ryerson, Gross, Nmecha, Svensson; Chukwuemeka, Brandt; Guirassy