This season, Leverkusen has struggled to replicate last year’s form, showing signs of the infamous “second season syndrome.” With both teams entering on contrasting trajectories, goals from each side look highly probable, with a third goal almost expected as the two teams vie for critical points.

Leverkusen, sitting ten places and seven points above Heidenheim, are eager to break a winless run in the Bundesliga since the last international break. Despite boasting an impressive 2.1 goals per game in the league, Leverkusen’s defence has been a sticking point. While they’ve only failed to score in two of their 17 games across all competitions, their ability to keep opponents out has been less consistent. With just five clean sheets overall and only one in ten Bundesliga matches, BTTS (both teams to score) has hit 90% of the time in their league games this season— a trend likely to persist in this encounter.

Heidenheim, though less prolific in attack at 1.3 goals per game, brings a surprisingly resilient scoring record on the road, having failed to find the net only once in their ten away matches across all competitions. However, defensive struggles have also defined their travels, with goals conceded in five away games, including three against Bundesliga opposition.

With both teams showcasing attacking capability but struggling defensively, goals on both sides feel inevitable. Given their respective ambitions—Leverkusen aiming to return to winning ways and stay in the title conversation, and Heidenheim striving to avoid relegation—a decisive third goal is likely. History backs this trend as well, with BTTS landing in all previous meetings between these two teams.

While goals take centre stage in this Saturday’s accumulator, Stuttgart’s current form and Bochum’s defensive frailties make a strong case for backing the home side to secure victory as well.

Stuttgart may not be matching last season’s heights, but they’ve become reliably prolific at the MHP Arena, finding the net in all but one home fixture across all competitions this season. The sole exception was a 0-2 defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League. Scoring has hardly been an issue, as Stuttgart has netted multiple times in six of their ten home games, often surpassing the three-goal mark. However, their Achilles’ heel has been defensive consistency, with no clean sheets in ten attempts at home.

Bochum, meanwhile, are unlikely to fully exploit Stuttgart’s defensive lapses given their own significant struggles this season. Conceding an alarming average of three goals per away game, Bochum’s last five road matches have all surpassed the three-goal threshold, underscoring both offensive and defensive weaknesses. With an average of 3.8 goals conceded per game on the road against a modest 1.6 scored, Bochum’s record has been bleak, having yet to secure a win this season and enduring seven straight-away defeats. They’ve only managed two draws across twelve games this season, leaving little hope of a sudden turnaround.

Recent history favours this selection as well, with three or more goals landing in three of the last four encounters between these sides. Given Stuttgart’s goal-scoring strength at home and Bochum’s poor defensive form, a high-scoring Stuttgart victory appears likely for this Saturday.

With just a single point separating these two sides, their respective home and away forms couldn’t be more contrasting, setting up an intriguing clash at the Signal Iduna Park.

Dortmund has been exceptional on home turf, boasting a flawless record this season with seven wins from seven across all competitions. This formidable run extends back to last season, marking 10 consecutive home victories. While Dortmund’s powerful attack has consistently overpowered opponents, defensive vulnerabilities remain a concern, with only two clean sheets in those seven home games. Still, their attacking prowess at home makes them a formidable force, capable of outscoring nearly any opponent.

Freiburg, on the other hand, have shown they can find the net on the road, failing to score in only two of their six away matches this season. It’s worth noting that those two scoreless games were against Union Berlin and Bayern Munich, two of the league’s toughest three defences. Despite this, Freiburg’s ability to earn points away from home has been limited; they’ve managed just three road wins, two against bottom-half opponents and the other against third-tier opposition. Scoring on the road may not be a problem, but Freiburg struggles to turn those goals into consistent results against stronger teams.

Historically, Dortmund has been dominant in this fixture, winning 22 of the 28 matchups and claiming the last five meetings. Both teams to score is also well-supported here, landing in six of their last seven encounters, with Dortmund emerging victorious in five of those. With Dortmund’s attacking strength and Freiburg’s determination to exploit any defensive lapses, goals at both ends seem highly probable, with Dortmund still the likely winners on home soil.

While backing two or more goals might appear conservative, especially given the Bundesliga’s goal-laden history following international breaks, caution is warranted when one of the league’s best defences, RB Leipzig, is involved. Not only this but their previous two post-international break matches ended 0-0 and 2-0, underscoring the rationale for this more measured approach.

Hoffenheim’s campaign has been defined by struggles, with a fragile defence and an inconsistent attack keeping them precariously close to the relegation playoff zone. However, one consistent theme this season has been goals at the PreZero Arena. An impressive 23 of Hoffenheim’s 31 league goals have been scored in front of their home crowd, making their home fixtures a reliable source of excitement. This isn’t restricted to league play either; all eight of their home matches this season have exceeded the 1.5-goal mark, with six producing three or more goals.

On the other side, RB Leipzig has been a formidable force, losing just once in the league and establishing themselves as Bayern’s closest title challengers. Their success is built on a watertight defence that concedes just 0.5 goals per game. Yet, a vulnerability emerges on the road, where four of their five league goals conceded have occurred. This has led to two or more goals being scored in three of their five away Bundesliga fixtures. Moreover, Leipzig’s encounters with strong attacking sides often deliver fireworks, as evidenced by high-scoring clashes with Celtic, Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, and Bayer Leverkusen across all competitions.

Historically, the over 1.5-goal selection has proven reliable, landing in 15 of the last 18 meetings between these teams. While Hoffenheim’s attacking strength at home and Leipzig’s occasional road lapses suggest the potential for three or more goals, the visitors’ defensive solidity and history returning from the international break warrants a measured approach. Over 1.5 goals remain the prudent choice for this matchup.

Eintracht Frankfurt, under new manager Dino Toppmöller, have been a dominant force this season, especially on home soil where they remain unbeaten across all competitions. While their attacking prowess has been a standout feature—scoring an impressive 3.75 goals per game at home—they have occasionally struggled defensively, conceding 1.5 per match. This dynamic has made for entertaining, high-scoring encounters, with both teams scoring (BTTS) in three of their four Bundesliga games and five of their eight matches overall. Notably, the clean sheets they have managed came against weaker opposition, such as Slavia Prague and RFS, further highlighting their defensive vulnerabilities.

Werder Bremen’s away form this season mirrors Frankfurt’s penchant for goal-laden affairs. Bremen have lost just one away game across all competitions, underpinned by a strong attack averaging 2.43 goals per match. However, their defensive frailties remain apparent, having conceded in all but one of their road games—the sole exception being against second-tier opposition. As a result, BTTS has landed in 86% of Bremen’s away fixtures this season, underscoring their tendency for high-scoring encounters when on the road.

Historical data reinforces the likelihood of both teams finding the net. BTTS has occurred in 64% of their past meetings, including both league clashes last season and five of the last six head-to-head encounters. With both teams boasting strong attacks but leaky defences, expect another thrilling contest with goals from both sides.