In-form Werkself aim to keep the pressure on Bayern

Bayer Leverkusen will look to extend their winning run and keep the pressure on Bayern Munich at the top of the table when they face the only team to beat Bayern in the league this season, Mainz.

Bayer Leverkusen

After a shaky start to the season, the German champions have steadied their ship with nine straight wins across all competitions.

Xabi Alonso’s men began 2025 the way they had hoped as Die Werkself handed Borussia Dortmund their first home league defeat of the season with a 3-2 win at Signal Iduna Park.

Patrik Schick scored in the first 19 minutes to make it 11 goals in his last six Bundesliga games.

But with Florian Wirtz and Exequiel Palacios on the bench after missing Die Werkself’s final preparations due to being stuck in a traffic jam, their build-up to the game was far from ideal.

But that is all behind them now as Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso has announced that Wirtz will start against Mainz.

With Leverkusen in second place four points behind Bayern, the 21-year-old could prove crucial as so often before as Xabi Alonso’s men look to keep the pressure on the Bavarians.

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Leverkusen remain without Amine Adli (broken leg), Jeanuel Belocian (cruciate ligament) and Victor Boniface (thigh).

Nordi Mukiele or Nathan Tella will likely make way for Wirtz, while Exequiel Palacios could come in at the expense of Robert Andrich.

Mainz

Mainz continued where they left off last year, beating VfL Bochum 2-0 in their first match of 2025.

Returning from injury, Jonathan Burkardt scored both goals in the win, which means Mainz have now won six of their last seven Bundesliga games, including eye-catching victories over Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt.

The impressive run of results has seen Bo Henriksen’s side move up to fifth in the table and they will be keen to cause another upset when they visit the champions on Tuesday.

“Of course we know Leverkusen are a very good team,” Mainz coach Bo Henriksen said at his pre-match press conference.

“They finally won the title last season. However, we are also a good side and we have drawn up a plan. We want to play with courage and dynamism and we also have to defend really well. If we do that, we have a good chance tomorrow.”

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Mainz will again have to do without their midfield talisman Nadiem Amiri, who remains suspended. Gabriel Vidovic is out with an ankle injury.

In addition, Die Nullfünfer is sweating over the fitness of Paul Nebel, who suffered a knock against Bochum. If he misses out, Hyunseok Hong is expected to take his place in the attacking midfield.