Saturday 28 Jan

Bayer Leverkusen vs B. Monchengladbach Match Preview

28 Jan 2017 Stuart S. GERMANY: Bundesliga
GERMANY: Bundesliga

Bayer Leverkusen

  • D
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W

vs

Kick-off
17:30 GMT
28 January 2017

Monchengladbach

  • W
  • W
  • L
  • L
  • D

Kick-off
17:30 GMT 28 January 2017

The Bayer Leverkusen vs Borussia Monchengladbach match will be played on Saturday, January 28th, 2017 at the BayArena in Leverkusen. This is matchday 18 of the 2016/17 German Bundesliga season. Bayer Leverkusen are 8th with 24 points while Borussia Monchengladbach are 14th with 17 points.

STATS

  • Bayer Leverkusen are unbeaten in 4 of the last 5 home meetings with Monchengladbach (W2, D2).
  • Borussia Monchengladbach has won 1 of the last 10 in the Bundesliga (D3, L6).
  • Borussia Monchengladbach hasn’t won away since beating Darmstadt 98 2-0 in May 2016 (D2, L6).
  • 5 of Bayer Leverkusen’s last 6 Bundesliga home games has featured +2.5 goals.

HEAD TO HEAD

The two sides met in Monchengladbach last August with Borussia winning 2-1.

In the corresponding fixture last season, Leverkusen won 5-0 while Borussia won in Monchengladbach, 2-1. Only twice in the last 10 meetings between the two sides has the away side won (HW5, D3, AW2).

Head to head matchess in Bundesliga: Bayer Leverkusen - Monchengladbach

27.08.2016 Bund Monchengladbach Bayer Leverkusen 2:1
07.05.2016 Bund Monchengladbach Bayer Leverkusen 2:1
12.12.2015 Bund Bayer Leverkusen Monchengladbach 5:0

BAYER LEVERKUSEN NEWS

After a run of 1 win in 6, Leverkusen got back to winning ways last weekend at home to Hertha Berlin. Those 3 points eased their minds about being dragged into the relegation fight and they now sit 11 points clear of Hamburg who occupy the play-off place.

Aleksandar Dragovic is definitely out and his central defensive role is likely to go to Jonathan Tan. The news is better regarding two long-term absentees with Kevin Volland and Lars Bender likely to make the Bayer bench this weekend. With Charles Aranguiz also fit again, the competition for squad places is once again picking up at the BayArena.

Goals aren’t particularly a problem with Bayer’s 26 scored, the highest outside of the top four. Defensively, they and Monchengladbach jointly share the 7th worst record in 1. Bundesliga with 25 goals.

A win in this fixture will give Bayer a springboard to push for the Europa League spots but with Dortmund occupying 4th, the chances of making the Champions League rely on the so-far unbeaten Hoffenheim fading in the 2nd half of the season. Roger Schmidt is a wily coach and knows that much can change but need 5 teams to collectively collapse may be a step too far.

Latest matches in Bundesliga: Bayer Leverkusen

22.01.2017 Bund Bayer Leverkusen Hertha BSC 3:1 W
21.12.2016 Bund 1 FC Cologne Bayer Leverkusen 1:1 D
18.12.2016 Bund Bayer Leverkusen FC Ingolstadt 1:2 L
11.12.2016 Bund FC Schalke 04 Bayer Leverkusen 0:1 W
03.12.2016 Bund Bayer Leverkusen SC Freiburg 1:1 D
26.11.2016 Bund Bayern Munich Bayer Leverkusen 2:1 L

B. MONCHENGLADBACH NEWS

To say Borussia Monchengladbach are struggling is an understatement. Three goals scored on their travels underlines their fundamental problem. Only bottom-placed Darmstadt 98 has a worse record away from home and Monchengladbach could only draw with them last weekend.

It’s a pitiful record and one which shows no sign of easing. A goal in Dortmund in early December but nothing since. This is Dieter Hecking’s first away game in charge of Die Fohlen and knowing that this fixture last season ended in a 0-5 defeat is hardly likely to improve his prospects of a long reign at Borussia-Park.

Injuries aren’t helping. New signing Mamadou Doucouré has yet to show why Monchengladbach poached him from PSG’s academy while Ibrahim Traoré, Nico Elvedi and Tobias Strobl are all missing. Kolo and Patrick Hermann are both doubtful leaving Hecking with a fairly straightforward team selection: if you’re fit, you play.

Latest matches in Bundesliga: Monchengladbach

21.01.2017 Bund SV Darmstadt 98 Monchengladbach 0:0 D
20.12.2016 Bund Monchengladbach VfL Wolfsburg 1:2 L
17.12.2016 Bund FC Augsburg Monchengladbach 1:0 L
11.12.2016 Bund Monchengladbach 1 FSV Mainz 05 1:0 W
03.12.2016 Bund Borussia Dortmund Monchengladbach 4:1 L

SUMMING UP!

It’s tempting to think that this might end up a tight game but while Leverkusen ship goals, Monchengladbach aren’t scoring. That latter statistic is damning and the decisive factor in deciding the outcome of this fixture. It’s hard to see Leverkusen failing to score as only Hoffenheim and Augsburg has stopped them finding the net in their home games this season.

Knowing the good a win will do for their chase for the European places, it’s difficult to see Leverkusen lacking the concentration to win this fixture.

About the author - Stuart S.

An English freelance sports writer, Stuart has written the Arsenal blog A Cultured Left Foot since 2006, as well as numerous betting previews and articles.

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