| DID YOU KNOW? |
- Bayer Leverkusen have won their last three encounters with Wolfsburg, and completed a memorable comeback the last time the two sides met in October when a Simon Rolfes double and Arturo Vidal penalty saw Jupp Heynckes' men comeback from 2-0 down to earn a late victory.
- The fixture can usually be relied upon to bring goals. There has never been a goalless meeting between the two teams in 27 games.
- The fixture is one of the highest scoring in the Bundesliga calendar with an average of 3.22 goals being scored per game. Nil-nil anyone?
- Leverkusen are without top-scorer Arturo Vidal for the crunch tie this weekend. The Chilean midfielder has 10 goals in all competitions but must serve a one-game suspension after picking up two yellow cards in last weekend's 2-2 draw with Bremen.
- The two sides have met on 27 occasions and Bayer have the edge with 14 wins to Wolfsburg's nine.
- Wolfsburg have never beaten Leverkusen at the BayArena with 10 defeats and three draws highlighting a dreadful record in North-Rhine Westphalia.
- Striker Patrick Helmes averaged a goal every other game in his time at Leverkusen with 28 goals in 56 games. This will be the first time the German international has played against his former side since his €8 million January switch.
- Pierre Littbarski's men have one of the worst away records in the Bundesliga this season, picking up only two wins on the road.
- Grafite scored a double the last time Wolfsburg beat die Werkself in a 2-1 win back in April 2009. The Brazilian is a major doubt for the game after picking up a thigh strain a fortnight ago.
- Apart from Grafite, Diego and the now-depart Edin Dzeko, no other Wolfsburg player has scored more than one league goal this season.
| LAST MEETING |
Wolfsburg looked to be in cruise control with a 2-0 lead courtesy of goals from Diego and Grafite with 20 minutes to go. However, a Arturo Vidal penalty sandwiched between two late headers by substitute Simon Rolfes gave Jupp Heynckes' side all three points.
| PROBABLE LINE-UPS |
| Bayer Leverkusen: Adler; Schwaab, Reinartz, Hyypia, Kadlec; Ballack, Rolfes; Sam, Renato Augusto, Castro; Derdiyok. |  |
| Wolfsburg: Wiese; Pekarik, Friedrich, Kjaer, Schaefer - Polak, Cicero, Riether, Hasebe; Diego; Mbokani |  |
1
24
4
3
2
27
6
10
13
18
11
1
4
3
34
19
11
0
28
13
20
9| Date | Opponent | H | A | N | H | A | Competition | |
| 27.02.2011. | Werder | 2:2 | O | Germany 1 | ||||
| 24.02.2011. | Metallist | 2:0 | U | Europa League | ||||
| 20.02.2011. | Stuttgart | 4:2 | O | Germany 1 | ||||
| 17.02.2011. | Metallist | 4:0 | O | Europa League | ||||
| 12.02.2011. | Eintracht Frankfurt | 3:0 | O | Germany 1 | ||||
| 05.02.2011. | Nurnberg | 0:1 | U | Germany 1 | ||||
| 28.01.2011. | Hannover 96 | 2:0 | U | Germany 1 | ||||
| 23.01.2011. | Borr. Monchengladbach | 3:1 | O | Germany 1 | ||||
| 14.01.2011. | Borussia Dortmund | 1:3 | O | Germany 1 | ||||
| 19.12.2010. | Freiburg | 2:2 | O | Germany 1 |
| Date | Opponent | H | A | N | H | A | Competition | |
| 25.02.2011. | Borr. Monchengladbach | 2:1 | O | Germany 1 | ||||
| 19.02.2011. | Freiburg | 1:2 | O | Germany 1 | ||||
| 12.02.2011. | Hamburger SV | 0:1 | U | Germany 1 | ||||
| 05.02.2011. | Hannover 96 | 0:1 | U | Germany 1 | ||||
| 29.01.2011. | Borussia Dortmund | 0:3 | O | Germany 1 | ||||
| 22.01.2011. | Mainz 05 | 1:0 | U | Germany 1 | ||||
| 15.01.2011. | Bayern Munchen | 1:1 | U | Germany 1 | ||||
| 22.12.2010. | Energie Cottbus | 1:3 | O | Germany, Cup | ||||
| 18.12.2010. | 1899 Hoffenheim | 2:2 | O | Germany 1 | ||||
| 11.12.2010. | Kaiserslautern | 0:0 | U | Germany 1 |
Mutual matches
| Date | H | A | N | H | A | Competition | Season |
| 16.10.2010. | 3:2 | O | Germany 1 | 2010/2011 | |||
| 13.02.2010. | 2:1 | O | Germany 1 | 2009/2010 | |||
| 12.09.2009. | 3:2 | O | Germany 1 | 2009/2010 | |||
| 18.04.2009. | 1:2 | O | Germany 1 | 2008/2009 | |||
| 31.10.2008. | 2:0 | U | Germany 1 | 2008/2009 | |||
| 27.04.2008. | 2:2 | O | Germany 1 | 2007/2008 | |||
| 11.11.2007. | 2:1 | O | Germany 1 | 2007/2008 | |||
| 03.02.2007. | 2:3 | O | Germany 1 | 2006/2007 | |||
| 26.08.2006. | 1:1 | U | Germany 1 | 2006/2007 | |||
| 08.02.2006. | 4:0 | O | Germany 1 | 2005/2006 | |||
| 27.08.2005. | 1:2 | O | Germany 1 | 2005/2006 | |||
| 14.05.2005. | 2:2 | O | Germany 1 | 2004/2005 | |||
| 04.12.2004. | 2:1 | O | Germany 1 | 2004/2005 | |||
| 13.03.2004. | 4:2 | O | Germany 1 | 2003/2004 | |||
| 27.09.2003. | 1:0 | U | Germany 1 | 2003/2004 | |||
| 15.03.2003. | 1:1 | U | Germany 1 | 2002/2003 | |||
| 05.10.2002. | 0:2 | U | Germany 1 | 2002/2003 | |||
| 19.12.2001. | 1:3 | O | Germany 1 | 2001/2002 | |||
| 28.07.2001. | 2:1 | O | Germany 1 | 2001/2002 | |||
| 16.12.2000. | 0:2 | U | Germany 1 | 2000/2001 | |||
| 12.08.2000. | 2:0 | U | Germany 1 | 2000/2001 |
Prediction
With Wolfsburg failing to ever beat Leverkusen away, it looks unlikely that the 2008-09 Bundesliga champions will break their duck this weekend with die Werkself flying high. Expect a close game with Wolfsburg looking like an improved team last week but Bayer to prevail.
Editor's Prediction
Leverkusen2VfL Wolfsburg 
1
1
