The Bundesliga returns this Friday, August 23, with an exciting clash between the reigning champions Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach at Borussia Park.
Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen, fresh off their German Super Cup victory, will be eager to start their title defence strongly, while Monchengladbach will look to upset the champions on home soil.
The hosts finished 14th last season and will aim to begin the new campaign on a positive note against one of the toughest teams in the league.
Monchengladbach’s Pay-Back Plot Against the Champions | Home Win = 5.22
Borussia Monchengladbach had a challenging 2023-24 season, finishing just above the relegation zone with 34 points. Despite their struggles, they managed to survive due to their ability to secure draws, collecting 13 throughout the season.
However, their poor second half of the campaign, where they collected only 14 points from 17 games, was a concern but Preseason provided some hope, with seven consecutive wins.
With that said, Gerardo Seoane will know that facing the reigning champions will be a significantly different test and that if they are to get revenge for their 3-0 loss to Leverkusen at home last season, they will need to improve their home form, as they failed to win any of their last six Bundesliga matches at Borussia Park.
Alonso’s Leverkusen Aim for a Strong Start | Away Win = 1.61
Bayer Leverkusen enters the 2024-25 season with high expectations after their historic unbeaten league campaign last term, which saw Xabi Alonso’s men secure both the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal titles.
They’ve similarly begun this new season by collecting the German Super Cup against Stuttgart. Now, they turn their attention to starting the long Bundesliga league season right against a stubborn side in M’gladbach.
Despite a poor preseason with just one win, the champions’ recent success in the Super Cup, where they showed resilience by coming back late against Stuttgart with 10 men, sets a positive tone for their league opener against a side that would love to get some payback.
Key Players & Team News:
Monchengladbach will be missing midfielder Borges Sanches and goalkeeper Jan Olschowsky due to knee injuries. However, they have key players like Nico Elvedi and top scorer Robin Hack available to bolster their line-up.
Leverkusen, on the other hand, will have Martin Terrier available after his suspension in the Super Cup did not carry over to the league. Exequiel Palacios is out, but Granit Xhaka is expected to partner Aleix Garcia in midfield. Regulars like Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong could return to the starting line-up.
Match Stats & Betting Odds | Draw = 4.61
- Leverkusen, the first team in Bundesliga history to go unbeaten throughout a league campaign, haven't lost to Borussia Mönchengladbach in their last 9 meetings (7W, 2D). | Specials Market: Away & Over 2.5 = 2.03
- Monchengladbach at the moment has shown better form than their opponents with seven (7) consecutive victories from their last seven (7) games, all preseason matches. | Specials Market: Over 2.5 & GG/NG (Yes) = 1.80
- The last five (5) M’gladbach vs Leverkusen fixtures in the German Bundesliga have seen four (4) over 2.5 goals (0-3), with three (3) seeing both teams score (2-2, 2-3, 1-2). | Main Market: Over 3.5 = 2.24
You can follow and bet on the Bundesliga game, Borussia Monchengladbach vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen, on MSport here.
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