Bayer Leverkusen welcome Borussia Dortmund on Sunday with the hosts sitting unclouded atop the Bundesliga desk, having dropped simply two of a conceivable 36 issues to start out the season. Despite the fact that simplest two issues forward of a Harry Kane-powered Bayern Munich, Leverkusen are already a whopping ten issues in entrance of Dortmund, with simplest 12 suits performed. Future many have credited supervisor Xabi Alonso for giving Leverkusen’s long-suffering lovers hope of including to a sparse trophy cupboard, a roguish summer season recruitment power has additionally all set them up for good fortune.
The use of the proceeds of Moussa Diaby’s sale to Aston Villa, Leverkusen introduced in striker Victor Boniface, winger Jonas Hofmann, midfielder Granit Xhaka, future Alex Grimaldo joined from Benfica on a detached.
Alonso hailed the summer season additions’ “football intelligence”, telling AFP and alternative media in an interview “we knew they were going to have an almost instant influence on our game”.
“We have signed very strategic players to give us stability… to be more efficient and consistent. That gives you the possibility to be more regular in the Bundesliga.”
Because the switch window closed, German media has reported that each and every of the quartet have been unfavourable through Dortmund in the summertime — alternative than Hofmann, who had two earlier stints at Sign Iduna Ground.
Grievance has grown, specifically with Dortmund’s unutilized additions Felix Nmecha, Marcel Sabitzer and Ramy Bensebaini appearing detached method and failing to fill the distance left through budding famous person Jude Bellingham.
The architect of Leverkusen’s summer season switch window, carrying director Simon Rolfes, had his oath prolonged to 2028 on Tuesday, a mirrored image of the previous participant’s efforts.
Rolfes, who performed 377 occasions for Leverkusen, stated his facet had “gained enormous quality” and was once proud to have prolonged at “a demanding, modern club hungry for success.”
Leverkusen’s brightest megastar, Germany midfield maestro Florian Wirtz, was once rested for Thursday’s Europa League commute to Swedish facet BK Hacken — a mirrored image of Sunday’s virtue to the league leaders.
There’s extra at stake for Dortmund than simply dropping contact with the league leaders.
Along RB Leipzig, who’ve gained the time two German Cups, Dortmund were the crew possibly to fracture the champions’ dominance — most likely making Leverkusen’s superb emergence as ‘Bayern hunters’ much more of a topic for the guests on Sunday.
“This is the most difficult task in Germany at the moment,” stated Dortmund defender Mats Hummels on Tuesday in regards to the commute to Leverkusen.
“We need to stand our ground.”
One to observe: Serhou Guirassy (Stuttgart)
Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy is about to manufacture his first get started since October, coming back from a hamstring shock at house towards Werder Bremen on Saturday.
The 27-year-old has 15 targets in ten suits, scoring at an implausible collision charge of 1 objective in step with 46 mins this season.
The shock didn’t block Guirassy’s superb method on the other hand, with the France-born Guinea ahead coming off the bench to attain the profitable penalty towards Dortmund previous in November.
In his absence, Brighton loanee Deniz Undav has stepped up, scoring six targets in his time six suits.
Stuttgart supervisor Sebastian Hoeness showed on Thursday “they will both be in the starting XI against Bremen. I’m looking forward to the double-pronged attack”.
Key stats
0 from 8: Union Berlin have by no means crushed Bayern however have drawn 3 of 8 — all with a 1-1 scoreline.
18: Harry Kane has 18 targets from 12 league video games this season.
9 of 17: Denmark striker Jonas Breeze has scored 9 of Wolfsburg’s 17 targets this season, greater than part.
Fixtures (1430 GMT until mentioned)
Friday
Darmstadt v Cologne (1930)
Saturday
Bochum v Wolfsburg, RB Leipzig v Heidenheim, Bayern Munich v Union Berlin, Borussia Moenchengladbach v Hoffenheim, Stuttgart v Werder Bremen (1730)
Sunday
Mainz v Freiburg, Bayer Leverkusen v Borussia Dortmund (1630), Augsburg v Eintracht Frankfurt (1830)
Subjects discussed on this article
