BAYER LEVERKUSEN HOSTS BAYERN MUNICH IN KEY BUNDESLIGA CLASH

LEVERKUSEN, Germany (Interstat) — Bundesliga leader Bayern Munich visits rival Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday in a marquee match of the German league season.

The match at BayArena is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. local (1430 GMT) kickoff.

Bayern Munich (17-3-2) enters with commanding form, having won eight of its last nine league matches. Its potent attack has scored three or more goals in seven of those victories. The most recent was a 4-1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach on March 6.

The reigning champion also carries a psychological edge from the last head-to-head meeting, a 3-0 victory over Leverkusen in Munich on Nov. 1.

Bayer Leverkusen (11-6-5) seeks to close the gap in the standings and avenge that loss. Its form has been inconsistent, with a 3-3 draw against SC Freiburg last Saturday following a narrow 1-0 win over Hamburger SV. The team has shown offensive capability, including a 4-0 win over FC St. Pauli on Feb. 14, but has struggled for clean sheets.

A statistical projection from Interstat forecasts a 2-1 win for the visiting Bavarians.

The fixture is a crucial point in the title race. A Bayern win would solidify its position atop the table, while a Leverkusen victory would reignite the competition for the Meisterschale.

Following this match, Bayern Munich hosts Union Berlin on March 21. Bayer Leverkusen faces a quick turnaround, traveling to face Stuttgart on Sunday.

Key Matchup: Bayern’s league-best offense against a Leverkusen defense that has conceded multiple goals in three of its last five Bundesliga outings.

Injury Report: Team lineups will be announced approximately one hour before kickoff.