Borussia Dortmund vs Bayer Leverkusen Predictions

• Borussia Dortmund have lost two of their last three home Bundesliga matches
• Bayer Leverkusen have won 12 and drawn two of their 14 away league games this season
• Leverkusen are bidding to become the Bundesliga’s first ‘Invincibles’

Master of rotation set to turn the screw

Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen are not in the mood to let their unbeaten record fall at Signal Iduna Park as they prepare to face Borussia Dortmund there on Sunday.

Xabi Alonso’s side shook off the post-title celebration hangover that affected their first-half performance at West Ham on Thursday to clinch a 1-1 draw that sends them through to the Europa League semi-finals and keeps their 44-game undefeated streak going.

Alonso has been the master of rotation this season, but he also showed he knows how to make an in-game change or two when the need arises. The Basque boss will need to be on his mettle again to keep his team on track against a Dortmund side that are desperate to get back into the top four.

Dortmund have built a Champions League safety net

But perhaps not as desperate this week as they were last because their victory over Atletico Madrid keeps two more routes to next season’s competition open even if they finish fifth.

Edin Terzic’s side may view the 14-point gap to sixth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt as enough of a safety net to place all their chips on winning the Champions League in the knowledge that they are already almost guaranteed a spot in it next season due to Germany’s coefficient.

It is doubtful that it affects the coach’s selection for this game, but he will be without key attacker Karim Adeyemi through suspension and there could be a few tired bodies that need a rest after their draining midweek clash. Leverkusen, despite having had two days less to recover, are the bet to win because Alonso has managed his resources so well that they are finishing games stronger than every opponent they face.