Bundesliga: Bayer Boys are Ready for Die Eisernen

Bayer Leverkusen vs Union Berlin

Bundesliga action returns to the BayArena on Saturday and I’m expecting Die Werkself to put on a post-Christmas show for their visitors in Union Berlin.

Now that the winter break is over, the German league is back on again with a blockbuster clash to kick things off as FC Bayern meet Borussia Monchengladbach on Friday night.

And there are some great fixtures to look forward to over the weekend, including this clash which brings together two teams in the chasing pack, pushing for Europe and jockeying for places in a congested group of five high-ranking teams separated by just two points.

Bayer and Union finished sixth and seventh last season, and they are currently in fourth and seventh but only one point apart. A win for Die Werkself will cement their Champions League spot and possibly move them up to third, while a victory for Berlin will lift them two points above their hosts.

It’s a huge game and one neither team will want to lose, but the hosts really need a win to stamp their authority on this race and I suspect they will come through.

Talking Points

Bayer should benefit from the break

Leverkusen went into the winter hiatus without a win in four, losing three, and drawing one – a sequence of results which pretty much ruled them out of the race for the Bundesliga title as they now sit 15 points behind leaders FC Bayern.

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Only Borussia Dortmund can realistically hope to challenge, and so Bayer must concentrate on hanging on to their fourth place.

The Bundesliga break is a time for reflection and things aren’t so bad for Bayer since they’re still right in the frame for the 2022/23 Champions League. They are unbeaten in five games at home and so a return at the BayArena is just what head coach Gerardo Seoane would want.

Two defeats in tough games away to Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt were punctuated by a home draw with TSG Hoffenheim. Prior to this winless run which also included a Europa League defeat, Bayer were in hot form after thrashing Greuther Furth 7-1 at home and winning 3-1 away to RB Leipzig.

A three-week break from hostilities and a chance to return mentally and physically rejuvenated might just play into Die Werkself’s hands.

Schick is on fire

With 16 goals from 14 games, Czech hitman Patrik Schick is second in the race for the Bundesliga Golden Boot, just three behind the prolific Robert Lewandowski. He’s scored eight in the last four games, including four in the destruction of Greuther Furth and he’ll be itching to get at the Union Berlin defence.

Strike partner Moussa Diaby has five goals and he should be back after suspension following his dismissal in the draw with Hoffenheim. The France star has made five assists and Schick has benefited too from the continued progress of young midfield sensation Florian Wirtz, who has scored five goals and made seven assists.

Patrik Schick aims to score against Union Berlin in the Bundesliga — Patrik Schick in action against Eintracht Frankfurt’s Rafael Santos Borre

The Bundesliga 2022 odds point to a home win. And if Schick can produce multiple Bundesliga 2022 highlights, I can’t see any other outcome.

Berlin without Awoniyi

The Leverkusen front line is a real handful and Berlin too have a striker in great form. Taiwo Awoniyi has nine goals from 15 games and the 24-year-old Nigerian is already being compared to his nation’s top scorer of all time in Rashidi Yekini.

Awoniyi spent last season on loan at Union and earned a permanent move in the summer, with the Berlin club paying Liverpool £6.5-M for his services.

But Die Eisermen will have to manage without his services for the next few weeks as Awoniyi has joined the Super Eagles at the African Cup of Nations, so Berlin boss Urs Fischer will hope that experienced striker Max Kruse can add to his three goals on Saturday.

Berlin come into the game on the back of a 1-0 win away to Bochum. But before that, they drew 0-0 at home to Freiburg and lost 1-0 away to Greuther Furth so goals have been at a premium.

History

These two teams have met eight times over the past two decades and Leverkusen have bossed the head-to-heads – winning five, drawing two, and losing once.

The two draws came in the last two meetings – a 1-1 draw at the BayArena in the 33^rd game of last season and an identical result in Berlin in the opening game of this campaign when Awoniyi opened his account in the seventh minute only for Diaby to equalise for a share of the spoils.

Betting Tip

	Bayer Leverkusen vs Union Berlin	Bayer Leverkusen Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.11
	January 8, 22:30 (GMT+8)

Die Werkself are at 1.83 to come back with a bang while the Berliners are at 3.68 to win and the draw is at 3.59.

Bayer’s frontline is packed with a punch and Berlin are missing their main hitman so I’m backing a comfortable home win. For an outside bet on a Correct Scoreline, a 2-0 result is at SBOTOP odds of 8.44.