With six rounds remaining, Bayer Leverkusen can't afford another misstep if they want to retain their chances for a little longer. On the other end stand Union Berlin, who need just one more win to secure another season in the Bundesliga.
The title race almost ended in the previous round, as Bayer Leverkusen had to wait 91 minutes for the winner against Heidenheim. Emiliano Buendia found the net after coming on as a sub 15 minutes earlier, scoring his first goal for the club since he joined in January from Aston Villa.
With this, Die Werkself managed to keep the gap to Bayern Munich to six points but time is running out. Unless the Bavarians lose at least twice in the remaining six rounds, Leverkusen will end this season trophyless after winning both domestic trophies last year.
Union Berlin won back-to-back games for only the second time this season, after beating Freiburg and Wolfsburg in the last couple of rounds. With this, the team extended its unbeaten streak to four games in a row and almost secured itself another season in the elite. They are 11 points above the drop zone with six games to play.
How the bookies view it: All about the champions
Bookmakers took Leverkusen's near-flawless performance against teams from the bottom half of the table into consideration and gave them near-minimal odds. You can pick the champions at 7/20, the draw at 15/4, or Union Berlin at 17/2.
Recent head to head: Almost entirely one-sided
This rivalry has been all about Bayer Leverkusen. Historically, Union Berlin have a single win over this opponent in 14 meetings total. It came in the 2020/2021 season with a 1-0 at home. Alternatviely, Die Werkself have won nine times, including four of the last five H2Hs. The reverse fixture this season ended in a 1-2 win for Leverkusen away.
Players to watch: Wirtz to return with a bang
Florian Wirtz is supposed to return to action against Union Berlin after missing over a month due to an ankle injury. His return is guaranteed to impact Leverkusen's xG, as the playmaker already has nine goals and 12 assists in the Bundesliga this season. He was also involved in the winning goal in the reverse fixture when he linked up with Patrik Schick for the assist.
Probable line-ups
Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky, Hincapie, Andrich, Tah, Grimaldo, Xhaka, Palacios, Frimpong, Wirtz, Schick, Buendia
Union Berlin: Ronnow, Trimmel, Doekhi, Leite, Rothe, Khedira, Tousart, Volland, Benes, Hollerbach, Ilic
Anything else catch the eye?
Bayer Leverkusen have not been doing great lately, after getting eliminated from both the Champions League and the DFB Pokal. Their only remaining hope is to defend their Bundesliga title but Bayern Munich do not look like they plan on losing. Still, Die Werkself won three Bundesliga games in a row and are likely to extend that streak against Union Berlin.
Xabi Alonso's team has been almost errorless at home this season but there is an interesting stat that shows they conceded a goal against every team from the bottom half of the table, despite winning five out of six matches. Union Berlin are one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league but won three of their last four away games in the Bundesliga. With all this in mind, we envision a 2-1 home win.
This German Bundesliga match between Bayer Leverkusen and Union Berlin will be played on and kick off at 14:30. Check below for our tipsters best Bayer Leverkusen vs Union Berlin prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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