Borussia Dortmund v Bayer Leverkusen: Prediction, Tips and Odds

The Bundesliga returns after a three-week break and first up is a massive clash between in-form Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen from Signal Iduna Park.

Sixth-placed Dortmund are unbeaten in their last five league games while champions Leverkusen signed off for 2024 on an incredible eight-game winning streak in all competitions.

Borussia Dortmund v Bayer Leverkusen betting tips and predictions

Draw - 11/4

The 2024/25 Bundesliga comes back from its mini-winter break with a belter of a clash between Dortmund and reigning Bundesliga champion Leverkusen.

It is a massive showdown and looks a hard one to call with cases to be made for all three outcomes.

Nuri Sahin's Dortmund are unbeaten at home in the Bundesliga this season with six wins and two draws, including a 1-1 against Bayern Munich. They have scored at least twice in each of their six wins.

Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen won eight in a row in all competitions before the break and have lost just once in the league since May 2023. They are unbeaten on their travels domestically in 30 league and cup fixtures.

Included in that sequence is a 1-1 draw at Dortmund in April - indeed both matches between the teams last term ended in 1-1 scorelines.

The hosts can point to the fact that they have emerged victorious in seven of their last nine top-flight games against Leverkusen at home while the Black-and-Yellows have also, almost incredibly, not lost their first game of a calendar year since 2004, winning 15 of those 20 games.

The stats merely emphasise that these are two strong, in-form teams going toe to toe and it promises to be exciting.

Leverkusen boast the fabulous Florian Wirtz, one of the most influential players in Europe right now, while in the shape of Patrick Schick they have a striker who has scored nine times in his last five league appearances.

Dortmund will look to Leverkusen old boy Julian Brandt - among others - for the magic while Serhou Guirassy is getting stronger and more clinical following an injury-hit start to the campaign.

The last four matches between these sides have produced just seven goals, an unusually low total in a league where big numbers are commonplace. Dortmund have lost none of those four games.

There is every reason to believe this should be a close-run thing where the draw looks a big price.

Julian Brandt to have over 0.5 shots on target - 11/10

Dortmund skipper and number 10 Julian Brandt will be a key figure in this clash, as BVB try to unlock Leverkusen’s excellent back three.

The former Leverkusen schemer is at the heart of most of Dortmund's best attacking work with two goals and four assists and he has made more key passes than any of his team-mates.

His two-goal haul in the league leaves him with much to do to match his returns from the previous three seasons - seven, nine and nine - but averaging almost two shots per game, he is giving himself chances.

He certainly looks a decent shout to have over 0.5 shots on target on Friday night.

Alex Grimaldo to have over 0.5 shots on target - 6/5

Only table-toppers Bayern Munich average more shots per game than Leverkusen who won't back down in Dortmund - it's not their style.

As the second top scorers in the division, Alonso's aces have goals in them from all corners.

Nine-goal Schick grabs the headlines but 11 of his team-mates have also found the net in the Bundesliga, including Spanish left wing-back Alex Grimaldo.

Grimaldo, with a goal and three assists, is a key figure in Alonso's 3-4-3 set-up and averaging 1.9 shots per game he enjoys the offensive side of his game.

It would be a surprise if Grimaldo doesn't have a pop at Gregor Kobel's goal and the 6/5 he hits the target is well worth a second glance.

Read more football betting tips and predictions on site.

Borussia Dortmund v Bayer Leverkusen odds

Borussia Dortmund - 17/10
Draw - 11/4
Bayer Leverkusen - 11/8

View the full market and more odds for Borussia Dortmund v Bayer Leverkusen on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.