Verdict: Dortmund to score in 1st half
Best odds: 1.73
Bookmaker: ZetBet
More than 80,000 fans will flock the Signal Iduna Park Stadium to watch Dortmund take on Bayer Leverkusen, the new German champions. With both teams in the closing stages of European competitions, there is a great chance this game will be a fierce match. The home team is hoping for their 17th victory of the year which would put them in the pole position for the 4th-place finish.
Given that both sides are elite teams and playing well, there is every opportunity to witness an incredible display of skill on the pitch as both squads are well known to score many goals.
Dortmund
It was the match of the season at Signal Iduna Park when Dortmund staged an impressive comeback to the top of the European rankings by defeating Atletico Madrid (4-2) and advancing into the Champions League semifinals. Edin Terzic’s side had a fantastic midweek encounter that shocked Atletico with a top performance, booking the semifinal tickets.
Marcel Sabitzer proved to be the evening’s unexpected hero as he scored the qualifying goal, 15 minutes before the final whistle, electrifying the crowd and saving his team from the upcoming 30 minutes of extra time.
Although the Prussians performed admirably in Europe this season, their domestic competition results fall short of expectations. Leipzig are still topping Dortmund in 4th place on goal difference. However, given the current circumstances, Dortmund can defeat Leverkusen and solidify their place in the standings by capitalising on their strong momentum and benefiting from Leverkusen’s expected fatigue following an extremely intense season.
Fans who saw Dortmund’s last Bundesliga game at home, where the visitors prevailed narrowly 1-0, were left with a sour taste after watching their team get beaten by Stuttgart in a highly competitive encounter. Until the end of the month, the BVB will continue to play out their Bundesliga destiny. After Leverkusen’s match against, Dortmund will take a difficult trip to face their immediate competitors for fourth place, RB Leipzig. It will be interesting to watch Edin Terzic’s squad handling the tremendous pressure against Leipzig and their upcoming gruelling Champions League doubleheader against Ligue 1 powerhouse PSG.
Team News
Important players won’t be available for Edin Terzic to rely on. Sebastian Haller and Donyell Malen hobbled off the pitch in the previous round at Monchengladbach. In addition, Karim Adeyemi, Dortmund’s Wonderkid, is serving a match ban following his dismissal against Gladbach.
Marcel Sabitzer, however, is anticipated to return to his peak after defeating Atletico Madrid and netting a brace against Monchengladbach.
Bayer Leverkusen
A historic season for Bayer Leverkusen and German football is on the horizon. Among all the clubs playing in Europe’s top divisions, Xabi Alonso’s team was the only one that had not lost this season, emulating Arsenal’s Invincibles. In addition, the hosts have dominated German football, having previously won the title, and will also have the opportunity to complete the double against Kaiserslautern in the German Cup final.
The Black&Reds made an impression on the European scene as well, having made it to the Europa League semifinals with a convincing doubleheader victory over West Ham. Even though The Hammers failed 2-0 in Germany, they severely rattled the guests in London, where they were put to the test. It was Jeremie Frimpoing’s goal in the 89th minute, however, that decided the game’s outcome and extended Leverkusen’s invincibility.
Even though Xabi Alonso wants to finish the season unbeaten, the young Spanish manager must effectively control his players’ fatigue hoping to win the German Cup and the Europa League. This could mean making a couple of adjustments to the starting lineup for the game against Dortmund.
Leverkuesn’s two remaining meaningful matches are the German Cup final against Kaiserslautern and the intense Europa League semi-final double against AS Roma. Both matches would be difficult for the recently crowned German champions who aim to finish the season with a treble.
Team News
Adam Hozlek and Borja Iglesias are out with recent injuries. Although both players are working hard to recover, the will miss the trip to Dortmund. Xabi Alonso aims to extend his team’s incredible invincibility patch beyond the Dortmund clash.
Key factors to consider
- Dortmund put on a stellar Champions League performance mid-week by reaching the semifinals after knocking out Atletico Madrid
- The host won 7 from their last 8 games played at Signal Iduna Park against Leverkusen
- Xabi Alonso and his team are heading towards an incredible season that could lead to a treble
- Leverkusen are the best team in Europe so far with an impressive invincibility record of 38 wins and 6 draws
Conclusion
Borussia Dortmund is playing very well at home after an incredible Champions League triumph over Atletico Madrid, in which Edin Terzic’s team scored no fewer than four goals. We anticipate the hosts will play Leverkusen on par with them and that BVB will score at least one goal in the first half.
Verdict: Dortmund to score in 1st half
Best odds: 1.73
Bookmaker: ZetBet
