Borussia Dortmund's Title Fight Hinges on Tough Tussle Against Bayer Leverkusen
The clock is ticking for Borussia Dortmund (BVB) as they prepare for a pivotal Bundesliga showdown against Bayer Leverkusen (B04) on Sunday (17:30/DAZN). With just a handful of matches remaining, a defeat could well spell the end of the Black and Yellows' championship aspirations. But, as Hans-Joachim Watzke, the club's chairman, maintains, "this is a top match, against a top team. It's an opportunity to see whether they can really be beaten" [source].
Edin Terzic's team excelled in making up ground last season, narrowing the gap between themselves and the league leaders. In the process, they notched up their most significant advance towards the championship in years. The 2022-2023 campaign, however, has presented a different challenge.
Bayer Leverkusen's form this year has been nothing short of stellar. They've won eleven out of twelve league games, with just a solitary draw against Augsburg. The West German giants' exploits have naturally raised a few eyebrows, and Watzke acknowledges, "if you win eleven out of twelve games and draw once, that's extraordinary" [source].
It's not all doom and gloom for Dortmund, though. Mats Hummels, Dortmund's defensive linchpin, believes the team has improved significantly when it comes to performing away from home. He stated, "we can't accuse ourselves of falling apart in difficult away games anymore" [source].
Despite the recent disappointing results against Bayern Munich and FC Stuttgart, Borussia Dortmund sports director Sebastian Kehl is confident that the team will soon quash all doubts and doubts concerning their ability to challenge for the title. "We're more stable now, we're more resilient" [source].
But Leverkusen's current form and the indisputable performances against Munich and Stuttgart raise concerns about BVB's chances of keeping up with the pace-setters. This uncertainty has created a tense atmosphere, with sports pundits unsure about the Black and Yellows' chances.
Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen's mostly reserved coach, is taking the same measured approach. "There's a gap, but there's still a lot of time to May" [source]. Julius Pesreated, Leverkusen's defensive lynchpin, adds, "their performances this season have been spotty. However, we won't underestimate them. They have the potential to cause us problems" [source].
As it stands, Leverkusen has the upper hand, having made a flying start to the campaign. The Werkself lead the league by a massive ten points, with only Wolfsburg and Borussia Mönchengladbach posing any real threat.
Yet, Dortmund's survival instincts and the sheer weight of history could work in their favor. Previous encounters between the two sides have often been fiercely competitive. In the last five meetings, Dortmund has emerged victorious on four occasions, highlighting their ability to rise to the occasion when it matters most.
Enrichment Data
Borussia Dortmund's recent record against Bayer Leverkusen is mixed. In their most recent outing, a ding-dong battle against Werder Bremen ended in a 2-2 draw. Dortmund's performances under interim coach, Mike Tullberg, have been erratic, but they will hope to build on their fortuitous 3-1 win over AC Milan in the Champions League. Despite their dominant form, Leverkusen has had a couple of wobbles, as demonstrated by their goalless draw with Wolfsburg. It behooves both teams to grasp this opportunity as a chance to perform and prove their title credentials. , ,
Borussia Dortmund will have the weight of history on their side in their upcoming Bundesliga clash against Bayer Leverkusen. Despite Leverkusen's impressive run in this year's Bundesliga, Dortmund's proven track record against the Werkself offers them hope. A defeat would push Dortmund's title hopes to the brink. However, every point is crucial, and Leverkusen will be looking to strengthen their title defense with a win against the Bundesliga champions. The match promises to be fiercely competitive and of significant importance to both sides' Bundesliga title aspirations.
