Facts on the Leverkusen match: Borussia and their comebacks away to Bayer
The scenario: Second versus fifth. Leverkusen's final placement is already set in stone. What still remains unclear is whether the Werkself will have the second or third best season in their history in terms of points. Everything between third and eighth place is still possible for BVB. The Black & Yellows have lost only three of their last 17 Bundesliga games in Leverkusen (seven wins, seven draws).
Home/away: Bayer are second in the home table but have dropped points in six of their 16 matches at the BayArena to date (two defeats, four draws). Last season, the team remained unbeaten at their home stadium (14 victories and three stalemates). BVB might only be in 12th position in the away table but they have lost only one of their last five away games (in Leipzig).
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Head-to-head record: The Black & Yellows have recorded more than twice as many Bundesliga wins in this pairing (11) as Bayer (five) over the last 10 years and have not failed to find the net in their last 16 matches against the Werkself (the last time was a 2-0 defeat in Leverkusen on 1 October 2016). Borussia Dortmund have not recorded more away wins after going 1-0 down against any other club than they have against Bayer (four) and have also drawn on six occasions.
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Statistics: Leverkusen are unbeaten in seven league matches. Their last defeat to date was by a 2-0 scoreline against Bremen on 8 March. The Werkself have 68 points on the board and can still surpass their tally of 73 from the 1999/2000 season. Back then, Bayer Leverkusen achieved their second-best points tally in the Bundesliga; they have only racked up more points in the 2023/24 title-winning season (90). Borussia Dortmund are undefeated in six games and have won their last three matches – those are new season records for BVB. The last six matches have seen Borussia take 16 out of a possible 18 points, which is more than any other team, and they have also scored the most goals of any team in that time (19).
Reverse fixture: All five potential centre-backs were missing for BVB. Almugera Kabar and Yannik Lührs made the starting line-up for the only time, while Julian Ryerson helped out in the centre. Leverkusen put themselves on the path to victory early on, converting their first three shots at goal. Nathan Tella netted after only 25 seconds. BVB hit back while 2-0 and 3-1 down thanks to goals from Jamie Gittens and Serhou Guirassy but still succumbed to a 3-2 loss and suffered their first home defeat of the campaign.
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Last season: On Matchday 13, BVB took the lead through Julian Ryerson in the fifth minute, then switched their focus to defence and passionately defended their narrow lead up until the 79th minute when Victor Boniface levelled the scores at 1-1.
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Biggest away victory: Only two of the 12 Bundesliga away wins in Leverkusen have been by more than a solitary goal. The 3-1 victory on Matchday 18 of the 2010/2011 season – a milestone en route to claiming the league title – was followed by a 4-2 victory at the BayArena on 29 September 2018. After being 2-0 down at the break, Jacob Bruun Larsen (65), Marco Reus (69) and Paco Alcácer (85/90) turned the game around with their goals.
Compiled by Boris Rupert
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