Bayer Leverkusen will be aiming to secure their third Bundesliga victory of the new season when they host Union Berlin at the BayArena on Saturday afternoon. Both clubs have endured inconsistent starts to the campaign, making this clash all the more significant in their bid to climb the table.
Leverkusen were always expected to go through a transitional phase following the departure of Xabi Alonso and several key players in the summer transfer window. The club’s decision to hand the reins to Erik ten Hag backfired quickly, with the Dutchman dismissed after just three matches. His replacement, Denmark’s Kasper Hjulmand, has since steadied the ship with two wins and three draws from his opening five games, including a battling 1-1 draw with PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League last week.
While results have shown improvement, defensive fragility remains a glaring concern for Die Werkself, who have conceded in each of their last seven competitive fixtures. Hjulmand will be desperate to find solutions at the back if his side are to keep pace with the Bundesliga’s frontrunners.
Union Berlin, meanwhile, have endured defensive woes of their own. Steffen Baumgart’s side conceded freely in heavy defeats against Borussia Dortmund, Hoffenheim, and Eintracht Frankfurt, before finally shoring things up with a 0-0 draw against Hamburger SV last weekend. That result will give Union a measure of confidence as they prepare for a daunting trip to Leverkusen, where their record is dismal.
The Eisernen have not beaten Leverkusen in over four years, failing to win any of their last nine meetings. More worryingly, they have scored just once across their last six clashes against Die Werkself. However, with Hjulmand’s men struggling for clean sheets, Union may sense an opportunity to spring a surprise. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Bayer Leverkusen will once again be without their talismanic striker Patrik Schick, who suffered a fascia injury in his left thigh and is expected to remain sidelined throughout October. His absence continues to be a major blow to Die Werkself’s attacking potency, as Schick has been a consistent goal threat when fit.
In addition, midfielder Exequiel Palacios is ruled out with a muscle tendon problem, with his return unlikely before the end of the calendar year. Long-term absentee Martin Terrier also remains unavailable due to an Achilles tendon injury that has kept him out for nearly a year, further reducing Kasper Hjulmand’s attacking depth.
With these injuries in mind, Christian Michel Kofane is expected to lead the line for Leverkusen. The young forward scored against PSV Eindhoven in midweek and will look to continue that form against Union Berlin. Behind him, the creative burden will fall on Malik Tillman and Ben Seghir, who are likely to occupy the attacking midfield roles.
Leverkusen are expected to line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation. Mark Flekken will start in goal, shielded by a back three of Jarell Quansah, Edmond Tapsoba, and Loïc Badé. On the flanks, Álex Grimaldo will take his usual role as left wing-back, with Lucas Vázquez likely to patrol the right. In central midfield, Robert Andrich and Aleix García are set to anchor the middle, offering both defensive protection and link-up play.
With Christian Kofane spearheading the attack, the dynamic duo of Malik Tillman and Eliesse Ben Seghir will be tasked with providing creativity and support from advanced midfield areas.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Flekken; Quansah, Bade, Tapsoba; Vazquez, Andrich, Garcia, Grimaldo; Tillman, Ben Seghir; Kofane
Union Berlin will head into their clash with Bayer Leverkusen without Livan Burcu, as the Turkish forward continues to recover from an ankle injury that has sidelined him for several weeks. His absence robs Steffen Baumgart of an additional attacking option.
Meanwhile, Danish attacker Robert Skov remains a doubt after missing Union’s last two matches due to fitness issues, and his availability will be assessed closer to kickoff. Other than these concerns, Baumgart is expected to have most of his key men available for selection.
In terms of setup, Union Berlin are likely to line up in a 3-4-3 formation. Frederik Ronnow will start between the sticks, commanding the back three of Danilho Doekhi, Leopold Querfeld, and Diogo Leite. On the flanks, Christopher Trimmel will operate as the right wing-back, with Derrick Kohn stationed on the left, both tasked with offering defensive solidity as well as width in attack.
In central midfield, the experienced Rani Khedira and Janik Haberer are expected to form a double pivot, providing defensive cover while linking play through the middle. Further forward, Oliver Burke and Andrej Ilic will likely support central striker Ilyas Ansah, with the front three tasked with stretching Leverkusen’s defensive line and capitalising on counter-attacking opportunities.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Ronnow; Doekhi, Querfeld, Leite; Trimmel, Khedira, Haberer, Kohn; Burke, Ilic, Ansah
Bayer Leverkusen have lost just one of their 12 Bundesliga meetings with Union Berlin (W7 D4), which came in January 2021. At home, Leverkusen are unbeaten against Union, winning three and drawing three of their six matches, conceding only three goals in that run.
Leverkusen have won two of their last three Bundesliga games (W2 D1), as many victories as in their previous nine combined (W2 D5 L2). They are also unbeaten in their last four league matches (W2 D2), a streak bettered only by Borussia Dortmund (13) and Bayern Munich (14).
Union Berlin have lost only three of their last 15 Bundesliga matches (W6 D6 L3). This record is identical to Leverkusen’s over the same span. Since the start of matchday 25 last season, only Bayern (1) and Dortmund (2) have lost fewer Bundesliga games than these two sides.
Union Berlin have lost just two of their last nine Bundesliga away games (W5 D2), a turnaround from six straight away defeats prior. However, they have not recorded back-to-back away wins since March, though they did win 4-3 at Eintracht Frankfurt in their most recent road fixture.
Bayer Leverkusen have taken the lead in all five of their Bundesliga matches this season, matching Bayern and Dortmund in that respect. Importantly, they have not dropped a single point after scoring first. By contrast, Union Berlin have conceded the opening goal in three league matches this season and failed to take any points from those losing positions.
Malik Tillman has emerged as one of Bayer Leverkusen’s most dynamic attacking options since his summer arrival. The American international has already chipped in with goals and assists in the Bundesliga, making an immediate impact with his technical quality and versatility in advanced positions. Whether deployed as an attacking midfielder or drifting wide to create overloads, Tillman has the ability to link midfield and attack seamlessly.
His intelligence between the lines allows him to exploit pockets of space, while his composure in front of goal makes him a genuine scoring threat. Against a Union Berlin side that often sits compact and looks to frustrate opponents, Tillman’s creativity and movement will be crucial in unlocking their defensive block.
With Patrik Schick still sidelined and Martin Terrier recovering from injury, the onus will be on Tillman to provide both invention and end product in the final third. If he finds space to operate, he could be the decisive figure for Leverkusen at the BayArena.
This fixture sees two teams searching for consistency, but history and current dynamics heavily favour Bayer Leverkusen. The Werkself are unbeaten in their last six home Bundesliga games against Union Berlin, conceding only three goals in that span. Their attacking depth, even with Patrik Schick sidelined, gives them multiple threats, with Christian Michel Kofane and the creative spark of Martin Terrier capable of exploiting Union’s defensive vulnerabilities.
Union Berlin, meanwhile, continue to struggle against Leverkusen, having failed to win in nine straight meetings. Their away form has improved slightly, with the recent win at Eintracht Frankfurt, but Steffen Baumgart’s side often lacks the firepower to trouble top-six teams consistently. While Union can be resilient and well-structured, their struggles in front of goal against Leverkusen (just one goal in six previous meetings) are hard to overlook.
Given Leverkusen’s strong home record, superior squad depth, and Union’s inconsistency, this clash is likely to tilt in favour of the hosts. Union may make it a physical contest, but the quality of Leverkusen in the final third should shine through.
