RB Leipzig vs. Bayer Leverkusen: big-match stack-up

Season turnaround

What a whirlwind of a campaign it’s been for both of Saturday’s Topspiel protagonists. But just who has enjoyed the better turnaround in fortunes following respective openings of the 2025/26 season to forget?

Bayer 04 – this weekend’s visitors to the Red Bull Arena – were not long into coach Erik Ten Hag’s reign when they suffered a 5-1 pre-season friendly reverse against the Flamengo U20s that initially raised concerns.

After an opening Bundesliga loss at home to Hoffenheim preceded a dramatic 3-3 draw against Werder Bremen – a game which the Werkself had led 3-1 – the team from the banks of the Rhine made the high-profile decision to dismiss their Dutch tactician, who had been brought in to take over from double-winning coach Xabi Alonso.  

While alarm bells were ringing at the North Rhine-Westphalia-based club, over in Saxony, eyebrows were raised when Leipzig’s start to their Bundesliga title tilt under new head coach Ole Werner began with a 6-0 loss to defending champions Bayern Munich.

After a season in which Die Roten Bullen had failed to qualify for European competition for the first time since promotion to Germany’s top flight in 2016, this was a worrying opening to a campaign previously filled with promise.  

Watch: Leipzig were stunned in Munich at the start of the season