Kasper Hjulmand has urged his Bayer Leverkusen crew to rediscover their medical edge forward of two large fixtures over the following seven days.
Leverkusen are in Bundesliga motion on Saturday, welcoming Werder Bremen to BayArena earlier than their remaining league section conflict with Villarreal within the Champions League.
The Werkself are twentieth within the 36-team European standings and know a win will cement their place within the play-off locations following a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Olympiacos.
Certainly, it was Leverkusen’s first Champions League defeat in opposition to a aspect from outdoors Europe’s big-five leagues since shedding 3-0 to Porto again in October 2022.
However throughout that recreation, Leverkusen had their possibilities. They registered an anticipated objectives (xG) whole of two.58 from their 17 photographs, although solely six of these have been on the right track.
“Now we have created lots of possibilities, however we now have to take them. That may, in fact, be essential for a end result tomorrow,” Hjulmand instructed reporters.
“With a win after which one other win within the Champions League in opposition to Villarreal, issues would look so much higher once more. Now we have to indicate character.
“And I’m positive we’ll have the ability to try this. We’re motivated.”
BayArena. Prepared. pic.twitter.com/tQ9VAJHUMP
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) January 23, 2026
A variety of Leverkusen’s struggles have come at first of video games, with Costinha opening the scoring for Olympiacos with simply 92 seconds on the clock in midweek.
“We wish and must put in a efficiency on the pitch that may convey us a win,” Hjulmand added.
“Will probably be necessary to get into the sport higher than final time. We wish possession, a lot of passing, motion.
“However possibly we have to do one thing totally different within the first couple of minutes.”
With the January switch window coming to an in depth, Hjulmand was additionally requested about potential incomings on the membership following a busy summer time of exercise.
The Leverkusen boss remained coy on any new arrivals, however was capable of present some perception on his present squad, confirming he can be with out 4 gamers on Saturday.
Mark Flekken, Nathan Tella, Edmond Tapsoba and Eliesse Ben Seghir are all unavailable, although Hjulmand revealed that Exequiel Palacios was match for choice.
Palacios has missed the final 4 months with an adductor damage.
“Our squad has lots of high quality and expertise. I’ll focus on all the things else with Simon Rolfes as regular,” Hjulmand mentioned of coping with Leverkusen’s absentees.
“Pala is a lion in a cave. He brings lots of emotion and expertise with him. His return and his infectious nature will give the crew a lift.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bayer Leverkusen – Aleix Garcia
If any of the Leverkusen gamers may come out with any credit score after their loss to Olympiacos, then it’s definitely Aleix Garcia, who impressed at Stadio Georgios Karaiskaki.
The Spaniard completed with team-high totals for touches (140), correct passes (107), passes into the ultimate third (34) and interceptions (4).
Werder Bremen – Romano Schmid
Romano Schmid has 5 assists within the Bundesliga this season, already surpassing his tally from the whole earlier Bundesliga marketing campaign (4).
Throughout the league, solely Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise has created extra large possibilities for his teammates (18) than Schmid (11).
He has additionally scored extra Bundesliga objectives in opposition to Bayer Leverkusen than another aspect (three), netting in every of his final three matches in opposition to them.
MATCH PREDICTION: BAYER LEVERKUSEN WIN
Bremen have received simply considered one of their final 11 Bundesliga conferences with the Werkself (D6 L4), although that victory got here of their final away match at Leverkusen in March 2025 (2-0).
Nevertheless, consecutive Bundesliga wins for Bremen away at Leverkusen have solely been achieved as soon as earlier than: between 2007 and 2008 (two wins underneath Thomas Schaaf).
However either side are in want of a win. Bremen have just lately gone seven Bundesliga matches in a row with no win (D3 L4). That is the longest lively streak amongst present top-flight groups and Werder’s longest such run since February to April 2024 (additionally seven).
Leverkusen, in the meantime, have misplaced 4 of their final six Bundesliga matches (W2 D0 L4) after shedding the identical quantity of their earlier 43 league video games. Since Matchday 12, no different crew has misplaced as many Bundesliga matches as Hjulmand’s aspect (4).
As well as, Leverkusen, together with St. Pauli, are the one two sides to haven’t picked up a single level within the Bundesliga in 2026 (two video games every). The Werkself have additionally began a calendar yr with two Bundesliga defeats for the primary time since 2004.
And lots of of Leverkusen’s issues have come from a well-recognized supply. They’ve already conceded 12 objectives from set-pieces within the Bundesliga this season, with solely Koln conceding extra (17).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Bayer Leverkusen – 56.8%
Draw – 21.9%
Werder Bremen – 21.3%
