Champions Bayer Leverkusen will continue their title defence on Saturday when they host strugglers Holstein Kiel at BayArena in their sixth game of the Bundesliga season.
Leverkusen are fourth with 10 points and played out a tense 1-1 draw with giants Bayern Munich last time out in the league on September 28, whereas the visitors lost 4-2 against Eintracht Frankfurt on September 29 and are last in 18th place with one point.
Match preview
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Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen had just 31% possession against Bayern during their draw, produced less than 0.1 xG and created no big chances.
The hosts were unusually poor from an offensive perspective against the Bavarians, especially considering they had scored 12 goals in their prior three games.
Alonso praised the attitude of his players, noting that while they did not have control of the ball, they remained disciplined in spite of the intense pressure Vincent Kompany's Bayern applied.
Die Schwarzroten beat AC Milan 1-0 in their most recent match when they played the Italian heavyweights in their second Champions League game of the season, winning thanks to Victor Boniface's close-range finish in the 51st minute.
The win against AC Milan means that Alonso's side have prevailed in four of the five matches they have played since their 3-2 defeat against RB Leipzig on August 31, scoring 14 times and conceding on five occasions.
Leverkusen have won 23, drawn four and lost just one of their last 28 home fixtures, though they have only won three of their six most recent games at BayArena, drawing two and losing one.
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Newly-promoted Holstein Kiel are embarking on their first ever season in the Bundesliga, but given they have lost four of their five league games this term, it is fair to say they could soon find themselves in a relegation battle if their poor form continues.
The visitors lost 4-2 last time out against Eintracht Frankfurt, and they produced little from open play and faced eight big chances.
Holstein Kiel's only points of the season came when they drew 2-2 against VfL Bochum on September 21, and that match was the only league game in which they have taken the lead.
Boss Marcel Rapp's side have conceded 17 goals and scored seven times in the Bundesliga this term, the worst and joint fourth worst records in the division respectively.
Rapp's team have netted four times and conceded on five occasions in their two away games in the top flight, losing once and drawing once, but they did win their prior six competitive away fixtures on the road.
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Team News
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Bayer Leverkusen do not have any injury concerns to contend with, and Alonso should be able to select from an XI from a healthy squad.
Edmond Tapsoba, Jonathan Tah and Piero Hincapie have started five of Die Schwarzroten's last six games as centre-backs, and all three can be expected to appear once again.
Exequiel Palacios has only played just over 10 minutes of football in the Bundesliga this season due to injury, but he did feature as a substitute against AC Milan, and he may come into the starting XI in place of Aleix Garcia in midfield on Saturday in order to build his fitness levels.
All three starting forwards were substituted during the game against AC Milan, perhaps with an eye on the weekend's Bundesliga match, so expect Amine Adli, Florian Wirtz and Victor Boniface to start.
As for the visitors, they will be without centre-back Colin Kleine-Bekel and attacking midfielder Andu Yobel Kelati until November.
Elsewhere, Holstein Kiel centre-backs Patrick Erras and Carl Johansson are not scheduled to return until the middle of the month.
The away team used three centre-backs last time out, and Marco Komenda could come in for Johansson in a back three alongside defenders Timo Becker and Max Geschwill.
Lewis Holtby, Magnus Knudsen and Armin Gigovic may form a midfield three behind strikers Benedikt Pichler and Shuto Machino.
Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:
Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Palacios, Xhaka, Grimaldo; Adli, Wirtz; Boniface
Holstein Kiel possible starting lineup:
Weiner; Becker, Komenda, Geschwill; Rosenboom, Holtby, Knudsen, Gigovic, Porath; Pichler, Machino
We say: Bayer Leverkusen 4-1 Holstein Kiel
Considering Holstein Kiel's poor form this season and their defensive frailty, it is difficult to see how they avoid defeat.
Bayer Leverkusen also boast an exceptional home record, and it would not be surprising if they managed to score multiple goals on Saturday.
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Lewis Nolan
