Kaiserslautern v Bayer Leverkusen: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Bayer Leverkusen have to lift themselves after the disappointment of missing out on Europa League glory and the perfect season, but Kaiserslautern look like the ideal opponents to help Xavi Alonso's side complete a memorable campaign by winning the DFB-Pokal.

Bundesliga champions Leverkusen versus 2.Bundesliga bottom-half outfit Kaiserslautern sounds like a mismatch and expect a routine win for Alonso’s aces at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

Kaiserslautern v Bayer Leverkusen betting tips and predictions

Bayer Leverkusen win & Over 3.5 Goals - 21/20

Kaiserslautern coach Friedhelm Funkel says that if his side played Leverkusen 100 times, the underdogs would probably win only one of them.

Odds of 14/1 for the 2.Bundesliga outfit suggest otherwise, but there shouldn’t be any great appetite for presuming that Funkel’s one win comes on Saturday.

Leverkusen are smarting after Wednesday night’s 3-0 loss to Atalanta in the Europa League final in Dublin and, even after a season the club will never forget, signing off with back-to-back cup final losses would leave a bitter taste.

It shouldn’t happen and the quick turnaround might actually do Leverkusen a favour, giving them a chance to make amends quickly for their Aviva Stadium reverse.

Before that loss, of course, they had gone unbeaten in 51 matches, winning the league with time to spare.

They have beaten a lot of very good teams at home and in Europe this season, so will presumably have far too much muscle and guile for Funkel’s underdogs.

Kaiserslautern, appearing in their first DFB-Pokal for 21 years, finished a lowly 13th in the 2.Bundesliga this season.

With four rounds of matches to go and following a 1-1 draw with Wehen Wiesbaden they were actually second from bottom and fearing the drop.

They pulled off the great escape with three wins in their final four games, including a stunning 3-1 win at Holstein Kiel, who were promoted.

Their one loss during their late surge, incidentally, was 3-1 at Hertha Berlin, in the same Olympic Stadium where they hope to be springing a cup surprise this weekend.

Only one team in the 2.Bundesliga conceded more goals than ‘Lautern, so back Leverkusen and over 3.5 goals at 21/20.

Florian Wirtz to score any time - 13/8

Bundesliga player of the season Florian Wirtz should get the opportunity to cap a breakthrough season by inspiring Leverkusen to victory in Berlin.

Kaiserslautern’s porous defence - only bottom club Osnabruck shipped more over the course of the tier-two campaign - means a lot of Leverkusen players are going to be licking their lips.

The champions have scored 23 goals in five DFB-Pokal ties this term, so don’t tend to declare even when they’ve built up an unassailable lead.

Alonso has options in most attacking areas, but Wirtz has been a key player during the run to the final with three goals in five matches, to go alongside the four he scored in Europe and 11 in the Bundesliga.

He will trouble ‘Lautern’s rearguard and looks a fair price at 13/8 to find the net at any time.

Leverkusen +1 Card handicap - 11/10

There is little evidence there will be card carnage at the Olympic Stadium, with referee Bastian Dankert taking charge of two teams who haven’t disgraced themselves through the tournament.

Leverkusen have picked up just seven yellow cards in their five games, Kaiserslautern only 10 in theirs and three of those were in a heated semi-final against derby rivals Saarbrucken.

Leverkusen have had 59 cards in the league, Kaiserslautern - who were fighting a relegation scrap for much of their season - 72.

That’s not enough of a gulf to think Leverkusen can’t win the cards handicap with a one start.

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Kaiserslautern v Bayer Leverkusen odds

Kaiserslautern - 14/1
Draw - 7/1
Bayer Leverkusen - 1/6

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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.