Bayer Leverkusen vs. Union Berlin: probable teams, match stats and LIVE blog!

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Die Werkself enjoyed a lift during the week with their scoreless UEFA Champions League draw against Club Bruges earning Alonso's men a UEFA Europa League play-off spot. Sunday's hosts nonetheless welcome pre-Matchday 13 leaders Union having failed to win any of their previous six games, Bayer's last triumph coming against Schalke in early October, when Alonso first took up the reins. Team star Florian Wirtz is back in training following a cruciate ligament tear, but the 19-year-old is still thought to be some way off a return to first-team action. Kerem Demirbay shook off a leg problem to return as a substitute midweek, but Karim Bellarabi and Charles Aranguiz remain doubts for the visit of Union. Striker Patrik Schick, meanwhile, played down his adductor issues to feature against Bruges and is in line to start on Sunday.

What Leverkusen would do for a dose of Union's superb form this season. Urs Fischer's men reclaimed top spot in the Bundesliga from Bayern Munich after last weekend's dramatic injury-time win against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Danilho Doekhi's 97th-minute goal brought Die Eisernen an eighth top-flight win and the eyes of the world will be trained upon the BayArena this weekend to see if the capital club can maintain European football's most unlikely of title pushes. Andras Schäfer picked up a knock on Thursday, while goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow also went off with a calf issue - but is expected to be fit for Sunday - as the Berliners beat Union Saint-Gilloise to join Leverkusen in the Europa League play-off round. Sven Michel started and scored the only goal, while Kevin Behrens netted off the bench against Gladbach. It's food for thought up front for Fischer, with Becker and Jordan both without a goal in the last five Bundesliga matches.

Match stats

Schick has scored just twice in 11 Bundesliga appearances so far this season. He had eight at the same juncture in 2021/22.

Bayer have made their worst ever start to a Bundesliga season. Sixteenth is their lowest finish since winning promotion in 1979.

In more encouraging news, Leverkusen have lost just one of six Bundesliga meetings with Union (W2, D3) - albeit winning only one of three at home.

Becker scored six and assisted three across Union's first seven Bundesliga games of the season, but has not done either in five.

Union have topped the table for seven matchdays. The last team not named Bayern to lead the way for so long was Gladbach (nine matchdays, 2019/20). They ended the season in fourth.

As well as having the best defence (nine goals conceded), Die Eisernen are also this season's hardest-running team (73.4 miles/ 118.2 kilometres covered per game).

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Probable teams

Leverkusen: Hradecky (c) - Tah, Tapsoba, Hincapie - Frimpong, Andrich, Demirbay, Sinkgraven - Diaby, Schick, Hudson-Odoi

Out: Azmoun (muscular), Wirtz (fitness)

Doubtful: Aranguiz (calf), Bellarabi (fitness)

Coach: Xabi Alonso

Union: Ronnow - Doekhi, Knoche, Leite - Trimmel (c), Haraguchi, Khedira, Haberer, Gießelmann - Becker, Jordan

Out: -

Doubtful: Möhwald (fitness), Schäfer (knock)

Coach: Urs Fischer

About the clubs Bayer 04 Leverkusen

BayArena

1. FC Union Berlin

An der Alten Försterei

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