Bayer Leverkusen vs RB Leipzig prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2023-04-22 15:30.
After progressing to a European semi-final for the first time since 2001/02 in midweek, Bayer Leverkusen swiftly turn their attentions back to the Bundesliga race for Europe. Xabi Alonso’s men entered this round six points adrift of the top-five, so their most likely finish will be a Conference League place unless they can eat up the ground… or win the Europa League!
Confidence should be high around the BayArena after Leverkusen’s seven-game unbeaten Bundesliga run (W5, D2), which is testament to the improvement Alonso has inspired since taking over the club as they lingered in the bottom-half. Even so, extending that run here could be tricky as they are yet to win a Bundesliga home game when RB Leipzig have rolled into town (D3, L3).
Marco Rose’s Leipzig could do Leverkusen a favour further down the line if they win the DFB Pokal and extend the European places to seventh, although the more pressing matter for themselves is to cling onto their top-four place. The Red Bulls entered this round with just a one-point buffer to fifth, but with Freiburg playing at home to Schalke just prior to kick off here, they may well need maximum points to reclaim fourth spot.
A flurry of first-half goals saw Leipzig record their first league win from a losing position in over a year last time out (3-2 vs Augsburg), yet they’ll hope to keep it tighter this time around given their three prior domestic wins were all accompanied by clean sheets. In any case, it looks likely this game will be decided one way or another as Rose has never overseen a draw after seven personal meetings with Leverkusen (W3, L4)!
Players to watch: Leverkusen’s 19 year-old prodigy Florian Wirtz has burst onto the scene in some style by contributing to three goals across his last two home games, helping him post an average Flashscore match rating of 8.1! Trying to outdo him will be Leipzig’s Timo Werner, who became the 54th member of the illustrious Bundesliga 100 club with his 99th and 100th strikes in the last round.
Hot stat: Leverkusen have scored a Bundesliga-high 15 goals in the 15 minutes directly following half-time this season.