Record from the VfB viewpoint
Total: 75 games, 22 wins, 19 draws, 34 defeats, 99:130 goal-difference
Home: 38 games, 16 wins, 6 draws, 16 defeats, 62:60 goal-difference
Away: 37 games, 6 wins, 13 draws, 18 defeats, 37:70 goal-difference
Ticket information
Some 3,000 VfB fans are expected to make the trip to Leverkusen to get behind head coach Tayfun Korkut and his men. The away ticket-allocation is thus completely exhausted and there are no further tickets available for the away section.
Looking back
When the sides last met on matchday 15 in Stuttgart, Bayer Leverkusen inflicted VfB’s first home defeat of 2017. The goals for Bayer 04 in the 2-0 victory were scored by Kai Havertz and Lars Bender.
Previous clashes
VfB are now waiting some 13 games for a win against Leverkusen. The Cannstatt Boys last success against Bayer dates back to the 2009/2010 campaign - with the Wasenelf then claiming a 2-1 win thanks to a brace from Cacau. Aside from 75 meetings in the Bundesliga, the clubs have also twice locked horns in the DFB-Cup. On both occasions, Leverkusen progressed to the next round.
100-not-out
Timo Baumgartl is expected to reach the century mark and play his 100th competitive game as a pro in the shirt with the infamous red hoop.
Slight slump
In the past week, Leverksuen were eliminated from the DFB-Cup with a 2-6 home defeat to FC Bayern Munich, and then lost 0-4 in Dortmund in the Bundesliga – ten goals conceded in one week! Never before had Bayer lost two consecutive games be four goal margins.
Favourite opponent
Mario Gomez has scored more goals against Leverkusen than any other side in the league. In fifteen games, the striker netted 12 goals – including three hat-tricks. Last season, for VfL Wolfsburg, the German international netted three times in just seven minutes – the fastest hat-trick in the history of the Bundesliga. A further positive omen: all six Gomez goals for VfB since returning to Stuttgart were scored away from home.
Familiar faces
Goalkeeper Bernd Leno worked his way through the youth teams at VfB, before moving on to Leverkusen in 2011. On the other side, Tayfun Korkut faces his former employers. Additionally, VfB Sporting Director Michael Reschke began his professional football career at Bayer, where he stayed for almost 40 years.