Here we are again: Saturday sees Bayer 04 and Schalke 04 meet for the 49th time. Recent games between the two sides have been very entertaining. Last season there was the fantastic decider from Manuel Friedrich...

Bayer 04 are top of the Bundesliga for the first time since August 2006 (matchday 1 06/07) and for the 50th time in the league’s history.

Leverkusen have won 3 of the last 4 games against Schalke (plus 1 draw).

Bayer have been 2-0 up in the last six fixtures – and in 10 of the last 11!

Schalke have won the last two away games without conceding a goal. Schalke are now unbeaten in three games in a row away from home (1 draw).

At home, Bayer have not shared the points for 8 games (4 wins, 4 defeats). The Labbadia eleven have won the last two home encounters 2-0.

The Gelsenkirchen side have not beaten any of the top eleven sides in the league so far this season.

Bayer have scored 11 goals from set pieces – the most in the league. The Werkself have scored at least once from dead balls in the last five fixtures.

No other Bundesliga side has as many scorers this season (10) and more goal providers (10) in their line-ups as Bruno Labaddia’s team.

Gonzalo Castro scored his only Bundesliga brace – and that is half of his goals total in the top flight – against Schalke 04: The Germany international netted twice in Bayer’s 3-1 win in 2006/07.

Michal Kadlec got off the mark last weekend – with Leverkusen’s first strike directly from a free kick since Bernd Schneider in March 2007.