Leverkusen hosts Freiburg at 8.30pm on October 18 in Vietnam time in a meeting of productive attacks. Bong Da Plus places Freiburg top of the Bundesliga on 13 points after five rounds, ahead of Dortmund on tiebreakers.
Leverkusen improves across competitions
The hosts beat Mainz 4-3 in the league and Lech Poznan 4-0 in the Europa League. Those results belong to separate competitions and do not form one domestic points total.
Carles Martinez's side has scored 14 Bundesliga goals, with Patrik Schick among the attacking options highlighted. Defensive concerns remain after a 3-2 loss to Elversberg and three goals conceded at Mainz.
Home victories over Leipzig and Union Berlin supply encouragement without removing the need for balance when applying pressure.
Freiburg seeks to preserve its start
Julian Schuster's team has four wins and a draw, scoring 14 and conceding four. Its opening sequence includes victories over Werder Bremen, Paderborn, Monchengladbach and Schalke, alongside a 2-2 draw at Frankfurt.
The Schalke victory came despite a red card, according to the report. That completed response does not determine how the next away challenge will unfold.
The preview emphasises midfield spacing and protection of central areas for Freiburg, while Leverkusen must avoid exposing its defence.
Recent head-to-head figures favour the hosts with five wins, three draws and one defeat in nine meetings. Freiburg's reported lead remains a pre-match position, not evidence that it has already retained or lost first place after this fixture.