Bayer Leverkusen vs Fortuna Dusseldorf
, KO: 19:45 Apr 3, 2024, BayArena
Bayer Leverkusen are still chasing the treble as they host Fortuna Dusseldorf in the DFB Pokal semi-final on Wednesday. Leverkusen are still without defeat this season and should have too much quality for the 2 Bundesliga side.
It has been an incredible campaign for Bayer Leverkusen, who are still on for the treble this season. They almost have the Bundesliga sewn up, sitting 13 points clear at the top of the standings and are also in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
Bayer Leverkusen also got a massive boost last week with Xabi Alonso reaffirming his desire to remain at the club amid interest from Liverpool and Bayern Munich. The Spanish gaffer has done an amazing job at BayArena, leading Leverkusen to an unbeaten record across all competitions this season.
A 3-2 victory over Stuttgart was enough to earn Bayer Leverkusen a place in Thursday’s clash. They are also coming off a 2-1 victory over Hoffenheim in a Bundesliga fixture last Saturday with Patrik Schick netting the winner.
Fortuna Dusseldorf needed penalties before seeing off St Pauli in their quarter-final clash. They had battled to a 2-2 draw after extra-time thanks to efforts Vincent Vermeij and Ao Tanaka before coming out on top in the shootout.
Dusseldorf are also enjoying an overall decent campaign as they are third on the 2 Bundesliga table, gunning for a playoff berth. Their recent form has also been decent with three wins from their last four matches, including a 3-1 victory at Kaiserslautern last weekend.
A slight problem for Kaiserslautern is that they are a bit erratic on their travels, with two wins from their last nine away matches. However, both wins have come in their last two matches on the road, with a 4-0 victory at Osnabrück preceding the win at Kaiserslautern.
How the bookies view it
Bayer Leverkusen are considered overwhelming favourites among the bookies with a home win priced at 1/7 by bet365. An unlikely victory for Fortuna Dusseldorf is valued at 20/1 by 10bet while a draw is set at odds of 15/2 by Paddy Power.
Recent head to head
Bayer Leverkusen have dominated this fixture in recent times, winning the last seven matches against Fortuna Dusseldorf. The most recent meeting was a Bundesliga clash back in 2020 which ended 3-0 in favour of Leverkusen.
Players to watch
Patrik Schick has hit a rich vein of form in recent weeks, scoring four goals in the last three matches. The striker could be worth keeping an eye on for Bayer Leverkusen and is priced at 4/5 by bet365 to find the net on Wednesday.
Cristos Tzolis is the standout player for Fortuna Dusseldorf this season and will be the one to each on Wednesday. The forward has eight goals in the last seven matches across all competitions and is priced at 8/1 by bet365 to maintain his scoring run.
Anything catch the eye?
Bayer Leverkusen are expected to be dominant on Wednesday and could be backed to win both halves at 11/10 with BoyleSports. A -2 handicap bet could also be considered at 6/5 with Paddy Power.
There have been over 3.5 goals in all four of Bayer Leverkusen’s DFB Pokal matches this season and a repeat is priced at evens with Paddy Power.
This match between Bayer Leverkusen and Fortuna Dusseldorf will be played on Apr 3, 2024 and kick off at 19:45. Check below for our tipsters best Bayer Leverkusen vs Fortuna Dusseldorf prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
