After a week away for international play, our Bundesliga picks are back once again for Friday’s standalone game pitting Kaiserslautern against Bayer 04 Leverkusen. This match features two teams that are sitting in the middle of the table, and both are trying to find an identity as to whether they are challengers or relegation contenders this year.
We don’t believe that the visitors are in any imminent trouble this year. Leverkusen has one of the richer sides in Germany, and though it is only in 8th position on the table right now, we do see that improving before the year is up for sure. Don’t be shocked if this team ends up in European competition again for next year after a strong 2nd place finish in the Bundesliga a year ago.
Kaiserslautern vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen Date/Time: Friday, November 18th, 2:30 p.m. (ET)
Kaiserslautern vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen Television Coverage: ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com
Leverkusen is going to have a rough road ahead in the Champions League this year, as it has two more matches over the course of the next two weeks to determine whether it will survive for the knockout rounds or be knocked into the Europa Cup.
Of late, the team has been in average form in the Bundesliga as well, accounting for just a 2-2 draw at home against Hamburg SV and a 1-0 loss to Schalke 04 in its last two home games. Still, Bayer has a respectable road mark at 3-1-2 and a level goal differential to show for its work.
Kaiserslautern has had its problems producing goals this year, as it only has 10 strikes in 12 matches. The squad is in 12th place on the table with 13 points, but it is only three points safe from the relegation zone. If there is good news though, it is that recent form has been rather good for the hosts in this one. The team has picked up at least a point in four straight Bundesliga matches and five straight if you include DfB Pokal competition as well.
Watch out for Etey Shechter in this match. He only has three goals for the season, but the 24 year old has shown a real eye for goal since coming here from Hapoel Tel Aviv in the transfer season. He has 18 shots on target in nine matches.
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Last year, this was a series that was dominated by Bayer 04. The team won 1-0 here at Fritz-Walter Stadion, and 3-1 back at home. The last result in this series for Kaiserslautern came back in 2009 when the team was in the lower division. The hosts won that day 3-1 in the second round of the German Cup.
It should come as no surprise that the visitors are the slender +130 favorites, or at a pick ’em -135 on the Asian Handicap. The ‘total’ rings in at 2.5, with the ‘over’ and ‘under’ coming in rather on rather level terms.
