Augsburg vs Bayer Leverkusen prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2024-01-12 14:30.
Fans of Augsburg will be hoping their side were hard at work during the Bundesligaâs winter break, after bearing witness to a three-game winless streak (D1, L2) leading up to the hiatus. That undid their progress made before that run where they were unbeaten in six league matches (W3, D3), leaving manager Jess Thorup to ponder how he can reignite that form and build on his teamâs position of 11th place.
The FuggerstÀdter boss knows his side can take a huge stride towards wider improvement if they can get on top of their defensive frailties, as Augsburg are the only Bundesliga team yet to keep a clean sheet this season. The hosts are actually on a club record run of 19 top-flight matches without a shutout, which will be alarming to the WWK Arena faithful considering league-leaders Bayer Leverkusen are next to visit.
Not only will Leverkusen be looking to preserve their spot in pole position, but they will also be hunting revenge, having been beaten home and away by their opponents last season, having never previously lost to them in a Bundesliga contest. But in this campaign Xabi Alonsoâs men have largely been untouchable, avoiding defeat in all their 25 competitive matches (W22, D3) thus far, setting a record for the longest unbeaten start to a campaign in the history of professional German football!
The accolades donât stop there, as the Black and Reds are the only team in any of UEFAâs 54 top-flight leagues to remain unbeaten this season. The latest feather Alonsoâs cap came after successive Bundesliga wins âto nilâ before the winter break, which secured Leverkusenâs 21st and 22nd league wins of 2023, another club record in a calendar year.
Players to watch: Augsburg will look to Phillip Tietz to get them off to a bright start since his last five goals have all come before half-time. As for Leverkusen, their players are also setting records along the way, as Florian Wirtz ended 2023 with 20 assists to his name, the most of all players in Europeâs top-five leagues.
Hot stat: Leverkusen have been leading at half-time in 19 of their 22 wins this season.