Borussia Monchengladbach vs Bayer Leverkusen Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 German Bundesliga
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten domestic double-winners Bayer Leverkusen get the defence of their maiden Bundesliga title underway with a trip to Borussia Monchengladbach, who finished just one point above the bottom three last season.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Friday August 23rd 2024: UK – 7:30pm / US ET – 2:30pm / US PT – 11:30am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Sky Sports / US – Some matches will be televised on ESPN channels so it is worth checking their schedules
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Sky Go / US – ESPN+
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH PREVIEW: SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT REQUIRED IN 2024-25
To end last season in 14th-place and only one point above 16th-placed Bochum has to be seen as a huge failure for a club of Borussia Monchengladbach’s stature, especially when taking into account some of the players within their squad. Gerardo Seoane will know that a poor start to the new campaign could see him come under significant pressure, but his side have been dealt a tough hand to begin with.
The big money splash made so far by Gladbach in the transfer window has been the €7m fee spent to sign Heidenheim striker Tim Kleindienst, whilst Philipp Sander has also signed from Holstein Kiel. On the flip-side, both Patrick Herrmann and Tony Jantschke are no longer part of the squad having both retired.
BAYER LEVERKUSEN PREVIEW: LEVERKUSEN HOPING TO REPLICATE MAGICAL CAMPAIGN
Aside from losing in the Europa League final against Atalanta, last season quite literally could not have gone any better for Bayer Leverkusen. The greatest campaign in the club’s history saw Xabi Alonso and his squad record an unbeaten Bundesliga season, which ended with them winning a first ever Meisterschale. Not only that, Leverkusen also lifted the DFB-Pokal for the first time since 1993 after beating Kaiserslautern in the final.
The most important thing coming into 2023-24 is that Alonso has committed his future to Leverkusen. He has also retained much of his title-winning squad as it stands with only Josip Stanisic having left following the end of his loan from Bayern Munich. Adam Hlozek and Sardar Azmoun have both been sold, whilst Martin Terrier has been signed from Rennes.
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH TEAM NEWS: KLEINDIENST COULD START ON DEBUT
Gladbach fans will be eagerly anticipating seeing Tim Kleindienst and are no doubt hoping that their shiny new striker is featuring from the start here. However, they will have to wait to get a glimpse of Yvandro Borges Sanches and Jan Olschowsky in 2024-25 as both are injured.
PREDICTED XI: (4-2-3-1): Omlin; Scally, Itakura, Elvedi, Netz; Reitz, Weigl; Honorat, Stoger, Plea; Kleindienst
UNAVAILABLE: Borges Sanches (Injured), Olschowsky (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
BAYER LEVERKUSEN TEAM NEWS: EXPECT LITTLE CHANGE FROM A WINNING FORMULA
No surprises are expected in the Bayer Leverkusen starting XI here, as they aim to run things back for a second consecutive campaign. Central midfielder Exequiel Palacios is out, but is he well covered with captain Granit Xhaka and Robert Andrich running things in the middle of the park. Expect dynamic attacking play as ever from wing-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo.
PREDICTED XI: (3-4-3): Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Xhaka, Andrich, Grimaldo; Hofmann, Boniface, Wirtz
UNAVAILABLE: Palacios (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH VS BAYER LEVERKUSEN PREDICTION
Confidence within the Bayer Leverkusen camp will be high following their penalty-shoot-out win over Stuttgart in the DFL-Supercup where once again, Xabi Alonso’s men demonstrated the never-say-die attitude that was the story of their historical campaign in 2023-24, coming from the behind to equalise late on with ten men. Having already played one high-pressure competitive fixture, the visitors should come out the traps quickly here, whilst it may take Borussia Monchengladbach time to settle into proceedings.
Across 90 minutes, Bayer Leverkusen are expected to wind up too strong for Gladbach. With the main pieces of their championship core still at the club such as Florian Wirtz, Victor Boniface, Jonathan Tah and Granit Xhaka, it would be no surprise if Leverkusen began this campaign as dominant as they did last year, so back them to pick up three points on the road.
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH VS BAYER LEVERKUSEN TIP: BAYER LEVERKUSEN TO WIN
