Bayer 04 Women looking to keep Champions League hopes alive at Leipzig

"If we still have a chance of finishing third on the final matchday, then we will have already achieved what we set out to do and made progress compared to last season," said Pätzold. The Black-and-Reds already have more wins (14) than in the record-breaking 2024/25 campaign (13), while the points tally of 43 is equal. But now that more is possible, Leverkusen want more. "It would be deserved given our good performances and recent run, but also because we've largely been consistent throughout a season that's brought great challenges with it," continued the coach. "Despite that we've always shown character as a team. A win in Leipzig gives us the opportunity to achieve something great."

The home side, in contrast, have little to play for in the remaining matches, sitting comfortably in 10th place with 27 points. "RB have had a good second half of the season and were unbeaten in eight before the Wolfsburg match. They showed their qualities at Wolfsburg [3-2 defeat] too," said Pätzold. "They can play without pressure and will want to sign off with a good showing in the last home match. It's going to be very difficult again to maintain our good form."

Pätzold: 'benefitting from fitness'

Four successive wins have kept his team's hopes of third place alive. In each of the last two against SC Freiburg (4-1) and at SGS Essen (4-0), the Werkself even hit four goals. "We've not had to make many changes recently," explained the boss, who's only without Caroline Kehrer (after meniscus operation) and Amy Wrigge (cruciate ligament) for the trip to Saxony. "A lot of players have got into a rhythm and a match fitness, which is bearing fruit now. As well as that, we've made a few decisions for the future that have given certain players a release. And we're no longer as dependent on individual players and are sharing the goals better, which makes us a bit more unpredictable." His players' stamina could also be a key factor to their success. "We're benefitting from the fitness that comes with our intensive style of play. We've been physically superior to some of our opponents in the run-in."

If they succeed in that again at the Cottaweg Training Centre in Leipzig on Monday evening, they face a final-day decider at home to Werder Bremen on Sunday 17 May (14:00 CEST).