Bayer Leverkusen vs Freiburg prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2024-12-20 17:30.
[p]Bayer Leverkusen overcame Augsburg’s strong home record to register a seventh consecutive victory across all competitions and, perhaps more importantly, reduce the gap at the end of the round to first-placed Bayern Munich from seven points to four. Prolific goalscorer Patrik Schick made a successful 20-minute return from injury via the bench, and with manager Xabi Alonso confirming Victor Boniface is not far away, the defending champions seem in a very strong position. [/p]
[p]Alonso’s side have been formidable on home turf since losing 3-2 to Leipzig on the final day of August, winning eight out of ten competitive home games (D2) including against Milan giants AC (1-0) and Inter (1-0) as well as fellow Bundesliga top-four hopefuls Frankfurt (2-1). Leverkusen will therefore be grateful to be back near their best ahead of a meeting with fellow top-four contenders Freiburg, who Alonso’s men narrowly beat twice last season.[/p]
[p]Freiburg were amongst a handful of clubs to have scored in both Bundesliga clashes with Leverkusen last season (L 3-2 home and L 2-1 away), but that ultimately counted for little. They’re well positioned to deny their hosts an early advantage on this occasion after opening the scoring in three consecutive league games and converting them into seven of a possible nine points (W2, D1). [/p]
[p]Those two victories came on home soil and fulfilling Freiburg’s ambitions of an inaugural UEFA Champions League berth likely depends on improving their performances on the road. Freiburg are without a Bundesliga away win since early October (D2, L2) and were on the receiving end of heavy defeats at the hands of both Leipzig (L 3-1) and Dortmund (L 4-0) in the process, indicating that they may need to lift significantly just to be competitive here. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz recorded his eighth competitive goalscoring appearance of the season (G11 – W7, D1) last week and was on the scoresheet in both of last season’s H2Hs. Ritsu Doan could be hungry for a goal of his own after assisting Freiburg’s third last round, not least because he scored in both of their away wins this league season. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: A league-high 86% of Leverkusen’s games this Bundesliga season saw both teams score.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Aaron Murphy[/i][/p]