The Bundesliga kicks off again on Friday night for the first time in the new year. Dortmund and Leverkusen return from the holidays refreshed and ready to begin the second half of league action. The Yellow Wall will be in full force to support their club, which is slowly slipping down the ranks of German soccer. Read on for an expert Dortmund vs Leverkusen prediction and explore Dortmund vs Bayer Leverkusen stats for 2025.
- Bundesliga
- Borussia Dortmund vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen
- January 10, 2025
- 2:30 PM EST
- Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
- ESPN+
Dortmund vs Leverkusen Prediction: Who do Sportsbooks Favor?
The visiting side are the favorites in Westphalia this weekend. Bayer Leverkusen are (+153) to win in 90 minutes despite emerging victorious from Signal Iduna Park just once in their last 9 trips. The Black and Yellow are (+177) to do the same. A draw pays out at (+270), a result that has occurred in the last two editions of this fixture.
Want to better understand the 3-way moneyline (1X2) market? See our soccer betting tips and learn about soccer betting odds in 2025.
Borussia Dortmund Outside of Top 5 in League Play
Borussia Dortmund are down to 6th on the table, clinging to the last remaining spot for European qualification out of Germany. This Dortmund is a far cry from the version that finished as runners-up in the Champions League last season. Part of their demise in late 2024 can be attributed to the departure of Niclas Fullkrug. The German international left for a place at West Ham United, leaving former running mate Julian Brandt to make new friends up front. He has struggled to do so and Dortmund have dropped off offensively since.
Looking to remedy the situation, Dortmund have inquired about the availability of Marcus Rashford at Man United. Old Trafford has been unkind to the English forward, and despite a change in management, Rashford has been unable to earn a spot in the Red Devils rotation. A similar move between the two soccer giants was made last year. Jadon Sancho played a loan stint at Dortmund for the second half of last season.
Prior to heading home for the holiday break, Dortmund managed to finally earn their first away win of the season against Wolfsburg. The victory broke a streak of three consecutive draws. Despite their struggles on the road, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Dortmund are just a couple points back from 3rd thanks to a logjam of competitors at the top. A win this week against Leverkusen could be just the boost they need to jump back into title contention.
Dortmund vs Bayer Leverkusen: Visitors Losing Sight of Title Defense
The margins for winning a league title in Europe are quite thin. A couple slip-ups early in the term can make all the difference in deciding who is crowned champion in June. Leverkusen made no mistakes last season, going undefeated in league play. But a home defeat to RB Leipzig in August put an early end to the continuation of unbeaten discussions.
Now four points behind Bayern Munich and a whopping 18 goals behind in goal difference, Leverkusen must be nearly perfect if they are to inch their way back into the title frame. Unlike Dortmund, who made a managerial switch at the end of last year, Leverkusen were able to keep Xabi Alonso around for at least one more season. Alonso appears to be committed to his project in Rhineland.
Leverkusen are coming off a 5-1 thrashing of Freiburg courtesy of a 4-goal masterclass from Patrik Schick. It was their fifth successive win in the Bundesliga to continue a 9-match unbeaten streak. If Leverkusen can pick up where they left off before Christmas, they will be in a good spot to at least stress Bayern Munich during the spring stretch.
Dortmund vs Leverkusen Prediction: Free Expert Betting Pick
The restart is a hopeful one for both clubs involved Friday night, but Leverkusen is in a much less anxious position than their hosts. Nuri Sahin will be feeling the pressure to rack up some points and make a run in 2025. Anything short of Champions League qualification will be seen as a failure from the former Turkish midfielder.
Leverkusen are elite on their travels, giving up the fewest away goals in the Bundesliga. According to my own algorithm, Dortmund is nothing more than an above-average side at home. The current line, while already favoring the visitors, is flattering to the Black and Yellow.
The Draw No Bet has Leverkusen at (-118), making them very slight favorites.
My projections indicate the DNB market should have Leverkusen lined at (-190), offering up quite a bit of value on Xabi Alonso and Co. They clearly have the better form and will be well-rested. For additional context, the line has steadily creeped up in the direction of Leverkusen. This generally means sharp bettors are aligned and seeing value on Leverkusen as well.
Go with the visitors to make it 6 straight league wins on the bounce and kick off the new year right. Take Leverkusen: Draw No Bet at (-118) at Bovada.
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