Who will come out on top in this goal-filled battle? Bayer Leverkusen vs RB Leipzig prediction
The fourth-round Bundesliga clash between Bayer and RB Leipzig will take place on September 20 at the BayArena. The hosts have collected four points from their first three matches, while the visitors have six points and sit fifth in the table.
Bayer: still lacking consistency
Carles Martínez Novell's side opened the season with a surprise 3-2 defeat to Elversberg, before thrashing Union 4-0. Last round, Leverkusen salvaged a 2-2 draw with Augsburg thanks to Patrik Schick's 89th-minute goal.
In midweek, Bayer confidently beat Celje 2-0 in the Europa League, receiving a much-needed emotional boost. However, the hosts are still dealing with several absences, including Nathan Tella, Gelson Dala and Montrell Culbreath.
RB Leipzig: five goals after painful defeats
Martín Demichelis's team have also made an uneven start. After beating Borussia Mönchengladbach, Leipzig suffered defeats to Werder Bremen 3-1 and Como 4-1.
The response was emphatic: last round, Leipzig thrashed Hamburg 5-0. However, ahead of their trip to Leverkusen, the team will be without several midfielders, while Marc Guiu is also struggling with a fitness issue.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Bayer have won just one of their first three Bundesliga matches.
- RB Leipzig scored five unanswered goals against Hamburg last round.
- Both teams have already suffered heavy defeats this season, but responded with high-scoring victories.
The defenses could buckle again: Bayer vs RB Leipzig prediction
Both teams have been far too inconsistent so far, but they regularly create chances and are capable of raising their level quickly during a match. Bayer have home advantage, but Leipzig will clearly be high on confidence after scoring five goals last round.
Both sides have plenty of defensive issues, so this could be an open, high-scoring encounter. With the balance of power so even, a draw featuring several goals looks like a highly plausible outcome.
