Bayer Leverkusen vs Augsburg Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 German Bundesliga
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Bayer Leverkusen are three games away from finishing the entire 2023-24 campaign unbeaten in all competitions, with Augsburg their only remaining Bundesliga opposition.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 18th May 2024, UK – 14:30 / US EST – 09:30 / US PST – 07:30
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Sky Sports schedule / US – ESPN
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Sky Go / US – ESPN+
BAYER LEVERKUSEN PREVIEW: CHAMPIONS-ELECT ONE RESULT AWAY FROM BECOMING 'THE INVINCIBLES'
Bayer Leverkusen brought up 50 games unbeaten last weekend with a comfortable victory away at Bochum. Xabi Alonso’s side made light work of the Bundesliga strugglers, defeating them by five goals to nil with the hosts simply not unable to cope with the offensive class of Leverkusen. They now stand just three games away from perfection, each match being in a different competition.
For now, all focus is on the Bundesliga and avoiding defeat against Augsburg would mean an unbeaten league season for the champions-elect, who will be handed the Meisterschale at full-time. Celebrations are unlikely to be excessive though as following this game, Leverkusen face two cup finals in the DFB-Pokal and Europa League respectively.
AUGSBURG PREVIEW: VISITORS TRYING TO ARREST DREADFUL END-OF-SEASON FORM
Augsburg’s losing streak in the Bundesliga extended to four games following defeat at home to Stuttgart in the penultimate round of league fixtures. The hosts put up a good fight against one of the surprise packages this season, but third-placed Stuttgart wound up too strong in the end, winning 0-1.
They travel to Leverkusen averaging three goals conceded per game across this recent four-match losing streak, which does not bode well for them against a team who have racked up 87 goals in the Bundesliga alone this campaign. Their backline is in for a significant challenge.
BAYER LEVERKUSEN TEAM NEWS: XABI ALONSO FACES WAIT ON WIRTZ
Leverkusen face an anxious wait over the fitness of Florian Wirtz, their attacking midfield maestro having not featured last weekend because of a thigh injury. Should Wirtz not make this one, then Amine Adli could start after coming off the bench to score against Bochum, although that would mean one of Victor Boniface or Patrick Schick missing out from the start.
Defender Odilon Kossounou is also a doubt after coming off last weekend and the likelihood is that he is not risked, with Josip Stanisic, Jonathan Tah and Edmond Tapsoba making up the back three. Stanisic will be playing his last game at the BayArena as a Leverkusen player as he returns to parent club Bayern Munich this summer.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-3): Hradecky; Stanisic, Tah, Tapsoba; Frimpong, Andrich, Xhaka, Grimaldo; Hofmann, Boniface, Adli
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE: Kossounou (Injured), Wirtz (Injured)
AUGSBURG TEAM NEWS: AUGSBURG BLIGHTED BY NUMEROUS INJURIES
Augsburg’s bad form cannot just be put down to them lying dormant in mid-table. Numerous injuries continue to disrupt their squad with the likes of Dahmen, Framberger, Gumny all missing here. Also out is Kevin Mbabu, who is suspended for this one.
Elvis Rexhbecaj won’t be available either for Augsburg due to an ankle injury. Expect Tietz and skipper Demirovic to line-up as strike partners, although both will do well to fashion opportunities across the 90 minutes.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-1-2): Koubek; Engels, Gouweleeuw, Uduokhai, Pedersen; Breithaupt, Jakic, Dorsch; Maier; Tietz, Demirovic
UNAVAILABLE: Dahmen (Injured), Framberger (Injured), Gumny (Injured), Jensen (Injured), Mbabu (Suspended), Oxford (Illness), Rexhbecaj (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Vargas (Injured)
BAYER LEVERKUSEN VS AUGSBURG PREDICTION
It would surely go down as the biggest individual shock in any competitive Bundesliga fixture this campaign if an Augsburg side on the back of four consecutive defeats were to come to Bayer Leverkusen and deny them their unbeaten season. Of course, pressure can do funny things to teams, but Bayer Leverkusen have overcome pressure whenever it has lingered over them and a team with the defensive weaknesses of Augsburg really should prove no match at all for the hosts. Back Xabi Alonso and his side to finish off this once-in-a-lifetime campaign with a resounding victory by at least two clear goals, cementing their ‘invincibles’ tag.
BAYER LEVERKUSEN VS AUGSBURG TIP: BAYER LEVERKUSEN TO WIN WITH -1 HANDICAP
