Add another one. Between the Wupper and the Rhine good things can happily happen 04 times. So here goes. The two clubs face each other for the 45th time on Sunday (up to now 37 times in the Bundesliga, six times in the second division and once in the DFB Cup). And…a drum roll please…The Werkself are on the verge of win number 25. Here are another 25…sorry…04 facts on #H96B04.
Of course, we don't want to hide the complete record. For a good reason, wink, wink! From the Bayer 04 point of view, the 24 wins to date are accompanied by 13 draws and just six defeats – all in competitive matches. The Werkself have only lost five times against Hannover 96 in the 37 Bundesliga fixtures to date – and three of those were at Hannover. Nevertheless, that record can send a chill down the spine of the hosts. Those stats mean: In the top flight (with a minimum of five games) Hannover 96 only have a worse return in terms of victories against KFC Uerdingen (13 per cent) than they do against the Werkself (14 per cent). Since December 2009, Bayer 04 have only lost once against Hannover in 17 league games (2-3 in December 2012) – the other games produced ten wins and six draws. That's how the last meeting in October ended. After the up and down 2-2 draw The Black and Reds will be looking to go at least one better after 90 minutes to clock up points 16, 17 and 18 in games in the second half of the season .
As yet, all is not lost at Hannover but the golden minute hand on the impressive clock at the Town Hall has made a great leap in direction of the 12 since the crushing 5-1 defeat against fellow strugglers Stuttgart last Sunday. The gap to safety is now seven points with five points to the play-off position that is currently occupied by Stuttgart. The upshot: Ahead of the clash with the Werkself, the new coach Thomas Doll cancelled the players day off and he appointed a new team captain at the start of the week in Marvin Bakalorz. That sounds like changing the guard. "It's time for a change of direction at Hannover. We have to start performing otherwise we'll be the laughing stock of the Bundesliga. And that's what I want least,"said Doll in sending out a message to his players. For good reason: With 14 points and a goal difference of minus 34, Hannover 96 are having the worst season in the club's history. Previously, the team from Lower Saxony never had less than 16 points after 24 games (1988/89). In comparison: The Werkself picked up 15 points in the first half of the season…
It appears the Bundesliga spectre of relegation has found a second home in August 2018 on the banks of the Leine – even if all three of the wins in the season (against Stuttgart, Wolfsburg and Nürnberg) plus one of the five draws to date have been clocked up at the HRD Arena. Nevertheless: In the last six games Hannover have conceded 19 out of a total of 55 goals, which has earned them the unfortunate sobriquet of being the "shooting gallery of the league." The Black, White and Greens have let in 14 goals in the last seven home games. That means the Hannover keeper Michael Esser has had to pick the ball out of his own net twice per game on his own turf. And it doesn't look like that will improve on Sunday – whether or not the flood of goals against Esser continues. Since the winter break, the Werkself have scored 17 goals and scored at least twice in the last six league fixtures. The last time there was a longer similar run of goals for the Werkself was back in 2014 – then there were eight games in succession with at least two goals scored. The only remaining wish for us is that the Werkself – in spite of the fasting period since Wednesday – are able to make the most of the hospitality available and help themselves to several goals at the HDI Arena. And hopefully as soon as possible after kick-off. Hannover have only secured one point after being behind this season – the lowest return in the league. So here we go!
Peter Bosz and Bayer 04. That appears to go together! Even if that is still to be proved, of course, on the remaining ten matchdays (and beyond). But regardless of that, it is impressive how quickly the Werkself have got used to the Dutchman's way of playing and clearly taken it to heart. Especially in the most recent games, the Bosz Boys have clocked up some impressive stats. It is well known the Werkself lead the rankings in terms of distance covered (a total of 2.921.0 kilometres). But perhaps less so that the Leverkusen possession rate was an impressive 74 per cent In the home game against SC Freiburg – and in the previous home match against Fortuna Düsseldorf, the Werkself set up a new club record of 85 per cent (since the start of records being kept in 2004/05) and that was the only time the Black and Reds have had more of the ball this season. In addition, the passing accuracy in the last 04 Bundesliga games has been at least 90 per cent. That is also a new LEVel. In addition to Havertz, Brandt, Aránguiz and Volland, Jonathan Tah has also played an important role. In the last seven games in the second half of the season, the Germany defender has completed 693 passes and that is almost as many as in the whole of the first half of the season (725 passes in 16 games). The Werkself number four, who celebrated his 50th win in the top flight, should have another reason to celebrate on Sunday: If Tah plays against Hannover, the 23-year-old will have played 100 games for Leverkusen. Respect, Jona!
Match information:
Previous results: 2-2 (H)
Venue: HDI Arena (49,000 capacity)
Referee: Sören Storks (Velen)
Weather forecast: 8 degrees, showers
Live TV broadcaster: Sky.
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