Union Berlin vs Leverkusen Prediction: Bundesliga Match Match on 29.04.2023

Third-placed Union Berlin will look to bolster their chances of finishing within the top four and keep the chasing pack at bay when they host high-flying Leverkusen at the Alte Forestereu Stadium on Saturday from 13:30 GMT. 

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Key Highlights

Union Berlin Holding on to the Top Four

With Union Berlin two points clear of fourth-placed SC Freiburg and a further four points ahead of fifth-placed RB Leipzig, they need to continue winning the last five matches to retain their top-four berth.

A win over Leverkusen will go a long way to bolstering their third position and ensuring they will have Champions League football next season. 

Leverkusen Running Out of Matches to Crash the Top Four

Unbeaten in their last five matches (four wins and one draw), Xabi Alonso’s men, on 47 points (six behind fourth-placed Freiburg), have an outside chance of making it into the top four.

Alonso will also know that his charges must maintain a perfect run-in for that to happen, starting with their clash away to Union Berlin on Saturday.

Xabi Alonso and his men will look to maintain their current flying form into their Saturday clash and into the remaining four matches in the Bundesliga after that to keep their outside chance of Champions League football next season alive.  

Injury Report

Union Berlin

Union will be without central midfielder Andras Schafer; the 24-year-old has been nursing a foot injury since January 29, 2023. The midfielder has missed 18 matches for union since he was injured.

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According to the medical team at Union, Schafer is expected back to full fitness by April 30, 2023. 

The clash against Leverkusen will come too soon for the midfielder, which means he is likely to miss the match with injury. 

Leverkusen

 Xabi Alonso will be without the services of goalkeeper Andrey Lunev. The 31-year-old has been nursing a back injury since January 23, 2023. The shot-stopper has missed 19 matches for Leverkusen.

Patrik Schick is also out of the clash against Union Berlin on Saturday. The center-forward is nursing adductor problems and has been sidelined for 9 matches since March 11, 2023.

Alonso will also be forced to choose a side to face Union without highly rated attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz. The 19-year-old attacker is nursing abdominal influenza and has missed one match for Leverkusen. 

Wirtz has been sidelined since April 22, 2023. A late test will be carried out to establish whether he will be ready to return to the side ahead of their clash with Union Berlin.

Possible Lineups

Union Berlin

F. Ronnow; D. Leite, R. Knoche, D. Doekhi; J. Roussillon, J. Haberer, R. Khedira, A. Laidouni, J. Juranovic; S. Becker, K. Behrens

Leverkusen

L. Hradecky; O. Kossounou, J. Tah, P. Hincapie; J. Frimpong, R. Andrich, K. Demerbay, M. Bakker; M. Diaby, A. Adli; A. Hlozek

Prediction

Union Berlin, playing at home will look to dominate the ball from the off, and push Leverkusen back. They will use their midfielders to recycle possession, pass patiently from the back, and dominate the central areas of the pitch.

They will attack both down the flanks and through the middle. Down the wings, Union will look to leverage pace and catch out overlapping fullbacks and create chances. Through the middle, they will use intricate one-two passing to create openings and high-quality chances. 

Leverkusen will also adopt a possession-based attacking approach to the game. They will go toe-to-toe with Union in pressing and winning the ball back as soon as they win it. They will also look to stamp their dominance in the middle of the pack and use it as a launchpad for their attacks.

Union Berlin will win this home match and make it three unbeaten matches in the Bundesliga as they look to hold on to their top-four status and qualify for next season’s Champions League tournament.

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