Bayer Are The Bundesliga Dark Horses

Bayer Leverkusen vs Vfl Wolfsburg

The eyes of the football world will be on Der Klassiker this week, but while Dortmund and FC Bayern face off in the Westfalenstadion, Leverkusen has a big game of its own.

The BayArena will be quieter than usual when Die Werkself enter the fray against Wolfsburg, but the Leverkusen players have a vital mission to keep their top three push moving in the right direction.

Bundesliga; Bayer vs Wolfsburg is third against sixth, the hosts have risen two places since the lockdown was released with two well-earned wins, and while they need both Borussia Dortmund and FC Bayern to slip up at least twice in the last seven games to win an unlikely title, Bayer head coach Peter Bosz will push his team as far as he can.

Visitors Wolfsburg also have their eyes on a European prize, but their grip on the guaranteed Europa League place has loosened since the defeat to Dortmund at the weekend, with SC Freiburg and Schalke in hot pursuit.

Talking Points

Captain Havertz leads from the front

One man is sure to dominate the Bayer vs Wolfsburg news over the next couple of days. This time last year Leverkusen were seventh in the table with 42 points and they have accumulated 53 this time around. Six points have come over the last two weekends and in spectacular fashion, thanks largely to the inspirational form of their 20-year-old captain Kai Havertz.

His strong 6ft 2in frame and mature performances have attracted interest from Europe’s top clubs and, after he scored a brace for the second weekend in succession in Bayer’s impressive victory over Monchengladbach on Saturday, speculation around his future continues to intensify.

Havertz is now the club’s top scorer with ten and, in the absence of injured striker Kevin Volland, he is Die Werkself’s most potent attacking player. A ready supply comes from the skillful duo Karim Bellarabi and Moussa Diaby, while another aerial threat is ever present in the form of big centre-back, Sven Bender, who was also on target against Monchengladbach.

Weghorst back for Die Wolfe

Wout Weghorst missed Vfl Wolfsburg first Bundesliga game after lockdown — Wout Weghorst in action against Borussia Dortmund

Top scorer Wout Weghorst was sidelined for Wolfsburg’s first game back after the lockdown, a victory away to Augsburg, but he returned in Saturday’s defeat to title chasing Borussia Dortmund. Whilst Die Wolfe left the Signal Iduna Stadium empty handed, Weghorst looked lively and came very close to giving his side the lead with a 25^th minute header.

Head coach Oliver Glasner will be keen to play his top man but knows he can also rely on winger Renato Steffen and striker Daniel Ginczek for attacking threat. But he’ll be without midfield star Felix Klaus who saw red for a nasty challenge on Dortmund’s Manuel Akanji as Wolfsburg chased the game.

Die Wolfe will need to keep their shape and discipline in Leverkusen, in addition to Klaus’ red card they picked up another four yellows against BVB, but they will also try to impose themselves on Bayer’s quicksilver attack.

US born defender John Brooks is an imposing presence at centre-back but it will be left-back Jerome Roussillon most likely to face Havertz as the Bayer skipper raids down the right flank.

History

Bayer have had the better of the head to heads, winning 22 to Wolfsburg’s 15 of the 46 games played since 1997.

Die Werkself triumphed in the return match 0-2, back in November, but Wolfsburg won 1-3 here last season with Weghorst on target after Leon Bailey had given Leverkusen an early lead.

Both teams were in good form before the break, and Leverkusen have now won the last seven, while Wolfsburg are unbeaten in five away, four in the Bundesliga.

Betting Tip

	Bayer Leverkusen vs Vfl Wolfsburg	First Half Asian Handicap Bayer Leverkusen -0.25 @ 1.99
	May 27, 02:30 (GMT+8)

The latest Bayer vs Wolfsburg betting odds here at SBOBET point to a home win, with odds of 1.76 for a Bayer victory, 3.69 the draw and Wolfsburg at 3.98.

I backed a draw before the Monchengladbach vs Bayer match, but I saw enough in that game to convince me Leverkusen could be the dark horses in this title race. They need results to go their way, quite spectacularly, but they can certainly win their games.

While the last seven meetings between these two teams have failed to produce a home victory, I think that sequence will end and Bayer can dominate the opening 45 as they did against Die Fohlen.

And for an outside bet, 2-1 at 6.95 is the most likely score line.