Something’s got to give when Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen host European high-flyers Borussia Dortmund in a game that’s certain to set pulses racing on Sunday.
Leverkusen have been simply spectacular under coach Xabi Alonso this season, winning 11 of their 12 top-flight games in an unbeaten start to the campaign that sees the Wekself top of the Bundesliga pile.
Going in search of what would be a record seventh consecutive home triumph, Sunday’s hosts will take some beating, particularly with midfielder Jonas Hofmann reminding everyone that he and his teammates have been resolute in sticking to their tactician’s plans.
“We are doing that clinically at the moment and we are fully focused,” the midfielder explained after last weekend’s 3-0 triumph against Werder Bremen.
Alonso expects midfield wizard Florian Wirtz to be available against BVB after the 20-year-old sat out his team’s midweek Europa League against Hacken as a precaution.
Elsewhere, striker Victor Boniface will be eager to end a four-game scoreless streak in the Bundesliga and add to his already impressive seven top-flight goals.
Edin Terzić’s side qualified for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League in some style during the week with Marco Reus, the on-fire Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Karim Adeyemi all on target in a 3-1 win at AC Milan.
That was the Black-and-Yellows’ third straight win in the competition and, when added to an impressive 4-2 comeback victory against Borussia Mönchengladbach last weekend, it’s easy to see why the five-time Bundesliga winners are in confident mood going to the BayArena, where they have won on their last two visits.
In the middle of a period coach Terzić referred to as “intense”, the league’s fourth-placed side going into Matchday 13 have Felix Nmecha absent with a hip problem but can boast the aforementioned Bynoe-Gittens in attack, the 19-year-old boasting two goals and an assist in his last two games in all competitions.
