Leverkusen's winning streak meets Dortmund's home fortress in Bundesliga clash

Dortmund ended 2024 with a mixed bag of results, securing just one victory in their last five competitive matches. Nuri Sahin's squad managed 1-1 draws against Bayern Munich and Borussia Monchengladbach, but suffered a 3-2 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League. 

Their form didn't improve much with another 1-1 draw against Hoffenheim, extending their winless streak to four matches.

However, Dortmund snapped this run with a 3-1 triumph over Wolfsburg on December 22, where Donyell Malen, Max Beier, and Julian Brandt scored. Despite this win, they sit in a disappointing sixth place, just two points off the top four.

The Black and Yellows are unbeaten at home in their last 11 games, a streak that started with a draw against Leverkusen in April. This match will be crucial for Dortmund, who haven't lost to Leverkusen in their last four encounters (W2, D2).

Team News for Dortmund:

1. Waldemar Anton and Almugera Kabar might miss out due to illness.2. Niklas Sule is unavailable due to injury, and Pascal Gross will serve his first match of a two-game suspension following a red card against Wolfsburg.

On the other side, Bayer Leverkusen have been in scintillating form, riding a nine-game winning streak across all competitions into the winter break.

Their last match of 2024 saw them thrashing Freiburg 5-1, with Patrik Schick scoring four goals and Florian Wirtz adding one. This performance left Leverkusen in second place, only four points behind the league leaders, showcasing their offensive prowess with 37 goals in 15 league matches.

However, they'll need to overcome their recent struggles against Dortmund, having not won in their last four meetings.

Team News for Leverkusen:

1. Granit Xhaka is questionable for the match.2. Jeanuel Belocian, Amine Adli, and Victor Boniface will definitely miss the game.

Both teams are eager to start the new year on a high note, with Leverkusen looking to continue their winning momentum and Dortmund aiming to leverage their strong home record to climb the league standings.

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