#B04RBL – 04 facts ahead of home game against RB Leipzig

After the two most recent results against Bremen and Hoffenheim, disappointing from a Bayer 04 perspective – particularly as they were two direct rivals in the race for a European finish –  the Werkself urgently need a win to get back on track and focus again on the targets for the season. So it should be a thrilling encounter with the team from Leipzig. Ahead of the game, we've had a good look through the stats. Here are 04 facts on #B04RBL…

Boost after the winter break

It's rather unlikely that the Leipzig pros will step onto the pitch at the BayArena with overbearing speed. Nevertheless: The team promoted in 2016 head to the Rhineland in confident or very confident mood: After Tuesday night's 2-1 win against Augsburg in the DFB Cup, the team coached by Ralf Rangnick can continue to dream of the first cup final in the club's history and the Red Bulls remain on course for Champions League qualification in the league campaign. That is in no small part related to  the outstanding performances in 2019: Leipzig are undefeated in almost three months – the last reverse was back in January – as ahead of the previous meeting this term – it was against the league leaders Borussia Dortmund (0-1). And that was the opening fixture of the second half of the season ten games  ago. Since then, RB have won six out of nine league games – with an impressive five clean sheets (17 to 1 goal difference). That is why Leipzig are on a roll in the league and they are the third best team in the second half of the season behind Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt as we go into matchday 28. The Werkself are now looking to clip their wings and bring them down with the backing of the black and red support.

Clinical Leipzig

No question – the higher up, the better the view! Unfortunately the  Werkself dropped down at the weekend after losing to Werder Bremen and are now looking – due to the inferior goal difference – at the competition from seventh spot. For the time being. And yet: The view from their  clearly rosier than before the previous meetings with RB Leipzig. Of the previous five games, the Black and Reds have only won once (4-1 at Leipzig in April 2018) and there was one draw (2-2 at Leverkusen in November 2017). That means Leipzig have always scored at least one goal per game against the Werkself – the average is actually two! Scoring in all of the previous top-flight fixtures, has only otherwise happened for RB against Hertha Berlin – last weekend Leipzig put five past them. The 5-0 victory over Hertha was also the 50th Bundesliga win for the Red Bulls (in 95 games) – only Bayern Munich and the football club from the other side of the Rhine reached that milestone earlier (both in 94 games). The runners up of 2017 deserve respect for that. Bayer 04 needed somewhat longer to achieve that target – 159 games to be precise.

Exemplary defence

The visitors have achieved some other positive stats this term on top of the 50th win: Leipzig have only conceded 20 goals this season and can therefore claim to have the best defence in the league ahead of Bayern (28), Frankfurt and Dortmund (both 30). How difficult it is to grab the horns of the Red Bull defence was unfortunately felt by the Werkself with a 3-0 defeat in the previous meeting. The Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulascy has not had to pick the ball out of his net in 14 of the 27 games played in the league this season – the best return in the Bundesliga. And RB have only conceded three goals in the last ten games in the second half of the season (against Dortmund, Stuttgart and Hoffenheim). Moreover: None of those goals came in the second half. It's also striking how well the Red Bulls have performed on the road in 2019: While the eight away games in the first half of the season produced just two wins, this year there are already up to five (at Düsseldorf, Hannover, Stuttgart, Nürnberg and Schalke). And  that with a goal difference of 12 for and one against.Only the Werkself (14) and Bayern Munich (13) Werkself (14) have scored  more away from home in 2019. And to be honest: That can gladly happen again after Saturday. 

Counting In tens

Beating the in-form Champions League hopefuls primarily requires a focused and solid team performance. But also definitely the continuation of the form shown by Julian Brandt and Kevin Volland. The latter netted his twelfth goal of the season last Friday at Hoffenheim with a header that not only levelled the scores but also put himself, and his provider Brandt, on involvement in ten goals in the second half of the season. The only players better than 'Volli' (6 goals, 4 assists) and 'Jule' (3/7)  in 2019 are FC Bayern's Robert Lewandowski (9/2) and Werder Bremen's Max Kruse (6/5). The Werkself number ten is also on the verge of setting a new personal best: The 22-year-old finished last season with involvement in ten goals (3/7 in 33 games) and now he has – in the best case – seven chances to increase his haul. Moreover: Brandt and Volland were twice successful against Leipzig and are responsible for half of all eight goals against RB (the others came from Panos Retsos, Kai Havertz, Leon Bailey and Kevin Kampl). The most successful goalscorer for the visitors in this fixture  is Yussuf Poulsen (3 goals) – the Leipzig striker netted twice  in the previous meeting. The Dane is on a real run: With 15 goals to his credit, Poulsen Is the most reliable goalscoring Bull in the league – he bagged a hat-trick against Hertha. That should serve as a warning. Because of that: Come on the Werkself – fight and win! 

Match information:

Previous meeting: 0-3 (A)
Referee: Tobias Welz
Weather forecast: 17 degrees, sunny intervals
Live TV broadcaster: Sky