In what is one of the biggest clashes across Europe this weekend in terms of importance for either clubs’ respective goals, Bayer Leverkusen will welcome Freiburg to the BayArena as third plays fifth in the midst of winless streaks for both teams.
Bayer Leverkusen have seen their fantastic form blown into the open recently following a torrid display away to fellow top four competitors, Eintracht Frankfurt, as Oliver Glasner’s men ran riot in a 5-2 victory that day.
🗣 #Seoane: "SC Freiburg shows every weekend why they are in the Top5. They stand compactly and are very disciplined. All the teams in the Bundesliga will have a hard time at Freiburg." pic.twitter.com/yoU499sp1G— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) December 17, 2021
🗣 #Seoane: "SC Freiburg shows every weekend why they are in the Top5. They stand compactly and are very disciplined. All the teams in the Bundesliga will have a hard time at Freiburg." pic.twitter.com/yoU499sp1G
Furthermore, against the fourth-placed Hoffenheim, they also drew 2-2 and threw away more points to rivals nearby them in the table.
On the other hand, Leverkusen did come from two goals down there as Patrik Schick bagged yet another brace which now sees him sit at the top of the Bundesliga goalscoring charts ahead of Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland with 16 goals in 14 games - numbers bother those two would be more than proud of themselves.
If the Czech Republic international can keep this form up until the end of the season, the club should have no worries in returning to the Champions League and should Schick keep on scoring, even second-placed Borussia Dortmund should keep one eye over their shoulders.
Now, despite failing to pick up points from those around them, it's not long since Leverkusen scored 10 goals in two games as they beat RB Leipzig and Greuther Furth to further establish themselves as a serious threat in the Bundesliga top four.
At the same time, only Bayern Munich at the top of the table have scored more than their 39 goals this campaign, which is by no means a poor statistic. What has let them down, however, is their 26 goals conceded, which is now the worst for those inside the top 10 other than Koln, who have let in just one more.
As for Freiburg, they also saw a defeat to a fellow top four competitor as they lost to Hoffenheim 2-1, however, it took a 94th-minute goal that day to steal all three points in what was otherwise a tight game. Soon after, a goalless draw with Union Berlin came and this now puts them in fifth position and two points off Leverkusen in third.
Given Freiburg’s recent slip ups and Leverkusen’s excellent form at home and their brilliant goalscoring form, Forebet predicts a win for them here in a fantastic game that is expected to see over 2.5 goals.