Following the success of last weekend’s Bundesliga return, Borussia Monchengladbach welcome Bayer Leverkusen to Borussia-Park on Saturday afternoon for a hugely important game in the race for a top-four finish.
Monchengladbach currently sit third in the table – two points behind Borussia Dortmund and six shy of league-leaders Bayern Munich.
Meanwhile, Leverkusen find themselves fifth – hot on the heels of fourth-place RB Leipzig and just two points behind Saturday’s opponents Gladbach.
The outcome of this match is likely to have a big impact on Champions League qualification for next season, so the importance of this result for both teams cannot be overstated.
Glabach returned to action with a highly convincing 3-1 away victory over Eintracht Frankfurt. Marco Rose’s side were 2-0 up inside seven minutes thanks to goals from Alassane Plea and Marcus Thuram, before Ramy Bensebaini completed to scoring from the penalty spot in the second half.
The unexpected stoppage in the season doesn’t seem to have affected Gladbach. They hit the ground running last weekend to keep their title hopes well and truly alive.
One defeat in eight games has seen Rose’s men cement their place in the top four, but have they got what it takes to clinch their first Bundesliga crown since 1976/77? Time will tell.
Leverkusen also resumed with a big win. A Kai Havertz brace, along with goals from Mitchell Weiser and Kerem Demirbay, helped Bayer thrash Werder Bremen 4-1 last weekend.
Peter Bosz’s side dominated proceedings at the Weserstadion, notching up 13 shots – nine on target – and registering 61% possession against the relegation strugglers.
Leverkusen have only lost one of their previous ten Bundesliga games, with a victory over Dortmund and a draw with Leipzig coming during that period.
Remarkably, Bayer have scored exactly four goals in four of their last nine league outings, while scoring over 2.5 goals on six occasions in that time.
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Gladbach got the better of Leverkusen in the reverse fixture back in November. Kevin Volland got on the scoresheet for Bayer, but goals from Oscar Wendt and Marcus Thuram sealed the victory of Rose’s side.
In fact, Gladbach have won each of their previous three league meetings with Leverkusen, boasting an aggregate scoreline of 5-1.
Despite their poor recent head-to-head record in this fixture, Leverkusen’s remarkable record of just four defeats in their last 24 games in all competitions cannot be ignored.
Forebet predicts that Bayer Leverkusen will get the better of Borussia Monchengladbach, with both teams scoring over 1.5 goals.