Holstein Kiel vs Bayer Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen’s stuttering Bundesliga title pursuit continues at the Holstein-Stadion against basement boys Holstein Kiel this weekend.

Holstein Kiel’s maiden Bundesliga campaign is in tatters after a 3-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt last time out stretched their winless league run to five matches (D2, L3), keeping them pinned to the foot of the table. Indeed, the hosts have amassed a measly 13 points from the opening 22 matches, accounting for the division’s second-worst tally at this stage of a campaign for a debutant team since the 1990s. Without a clean sheet in their last nine Bundesliga outings (W2, D2, L5), Marcel Rapp’s men must improve defensively to bolster their chances of upsetting Leverkusen for the second time this season following an incredible 2-2 draw in October’s reverse fixture. 

Another stalemate or worse would effectively rule Bayer Leverkusen out of contention for the Bundesliga title after a scoreless home draw against Bayern Munich last weekend left them eight points adrift of Vincent Kompany’s side. That was Leverkusen’s third stalemate in four league matches since late January (W1) and their second consecutive scoring blank in the Bundesliga. On the bright side, the reigning champions enter this round as the only team in Germany’s top flight yet to lose an away league match this term (W5, D5). Moreover, they averaged two goals per game across those ten fixtures, highlighting the potential for a free-scoring appearance.