RB Leipzig vs Bayer Leverkusen predictions and betting tips – Second against fourth in Bundesliga

A rare stumble from Bayern Munich last weekend means there is still a glimmer of hope for their fellow Bundesliga sides, even though Vincent Kompany’s men remain huge favourites to win the title.

RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen both have the chance to close the gap to top spot on Friday evening. Who will take it?

• RB Leipzig to win – 27/25 with BetMGM
• Go for over 3.5 goals – 5/4 with Betfred
• Choose Alejandro Grimaldo to score any time – 18/5 with Sky Bet

RB Leipzig vs Bayer Leverkusen odds

Find the latest RB Leipzig vs Bayer Leverkusen betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.

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RB Leipzig vs Bayer Leverkusen predictions

Bayern Munich have set a relentless pace in the first few months of the Bundesliga season, winning 12 of their first 14 matches to be crowned ‘winter champions’.

One of their only two stumbles came last weekend, as Vincent Kompany’s men were held to a shock 2-2 draw with last-placed Mainz.

That opened the door to Leipzig and other members of the chasing pack, but Ole Werner’s men were unable to walk through it.

Leipzig’s 3-1 defeat by Union Berlin actually took place before Bayern dropped points, but it represented a huge missed opportunity following that surprise result at the Allianz Arena. 

Leipzig must still be kicking themselves. Had they beaten Union, they would now be seven points behind Bayern heading into the weekend, with the chance to close the gap to four before the champions’ clash with Heidenheim on Sunday.

As it is, the gap stands at nine points. That will be difficult for Leipzig to overturn, but that is not to say they should not try.

Werner’s team have done pretty well in the first 14 rounds of fixtures this term. Leipzig slumped to a seventh-place finish in 2024/25, a disappointing outcome which led to the appointment of the former Werder Bremen head coach in the summer.

Before a ball had been kicked, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund were both more fancied to challenge Bayern. It is to Leipzig’s credit that they sit second as things stand.

Their position is vulnerable, however. For all the hopeful talk of contending for the title, Leipzig are closer to seventh-placed Eintracht Frankfurt in terms of points than they are to Bayern at the summit of the standings.

Leverkusen are hot on their heels and would actually climb above Leipzig with a victory at the Red Bull Arena on Saturday. 

Back-to-back defeats by Borussia Dortmund and Augsburg halted the rise of Kasper Hjulmand’s side, but Leverkusen got back on track with a 2-0 defeat of rivals Koln last time out.

“It wasn’t an easy game,” the Denmark head coach said afterwards. “We needed a great performance to get the three points. The players who came in had a good impact. I’m proud of the team. After the defeat at Augsburg, the win was very important for us.”

RB Leipzig vs Bayer Leverkusen betting tips

The final Bundesliga gameweek of 2025 kicks off with RB Leipzig vs Bayer Leverkusen.

RB Leipzig to edge it

It has not been easy to predict which version of Bayer Leverkusen will turn up in recent weeks. Indeed, Hjulmand’s side have won three and lost three of their last six games in the Bundesliga.

Two of those defeats came at the hands of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, which suggests Leverkusen struggle in head-to-head clashes with teams of a similar level.

That will give RB Leipzig hope ahead of this encounter on matchday 15. Werner’s side will also draw confidence from their magnificent home record: Leipzig have won 100 percent of their six games on familiar soil up to now.

Leverkusen, for their part, have lost two of their last three away games in the league. It will be close, but the hosts should sneak this one.

RB Leipzig to win at 27/25 with BetMGM

Entertainment awaits in Leipzig

With a three-week break following the next set of Bundesliga games, teams up and down the division will be desperate to sign off for the calendar year with a win.

We should therefore see RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen take a few risks in search of victory.

Leipzig’s matches in 2025/26 are averaging 3.21 goals per 90 minutes, while Leverkusen’s involve an average of 3.5 per game.

This bet has paid out in five of Leipzig’s last seven contests, so there are plenty of reasons to expect a high-scoring affair. 

Go for over 3.5 goals at 5/4 with Betfred

Grimaldo overpriced to score

Bayer Leverkusen lost several key players in the summer, including Florian Wirtz, Jonathan Tah and Jeremie Frimpong.

But their title-winning squad was not entirely dismantled, and Leverkusen fans breathed a particularly deep sigh of relief when Alex Grimaldo remained at the club post-deadline day.

The Spain international has been a fantastic player for Leverkusen during his two and a half years at the club.

Grimaldo missed the Koln game with a muscular issue, but he is expected to be back in the starting XI to face RB Leipzig.

Grimaldo has scored nine goals in 20 appearances this season and there is a decent chance he will reach double figures this weekend.

Choose Alejandro Grimaldo to score any time at 18/5 with Sky Bet

RB Leipzig vs Bayer Leverkusen predicted lineups

• RB Leipzig expected lineup: Gulacsi; Nedeljkovic, Orban, Lukeba, Raum; Schlager, Seiwald, Baumgartner; Maksimovic, Harder, Gomis.
• Bayer Leverkusen expected lineup: Flekken; Andrich, Bade, Tape; Arthur, Fernandez, Tillman, Belocian; Hofmann, Terrier; Kofane.

Where to watch RB Leipzig vs Bayer Leverkusen

• Location: Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany.
• Date and time: Saturday 20th December, 5.30pm.
• How to watch: Sky Sports Football.

More Bundesliga predictions

We have plenty more Bundesliga predictions and picks – find our latest betting tips from expert punters in our match preview overview.

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

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