Bayer 04 Leverkusen host Nürnberg in the second round of the DFB Pokal on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. The tie at the BayArena brings together two sides looking to respond to defeats in their latest matches: Leverkusen lost 3-0 to TSG Hoffenheim, while Nürnberg went down 1-0 against Kaiserslautern. Leverkusen have the stronger recent head-to-head record, but Nürnberg arrive with an away scoring run that gives them reason to believe they can make this cup meeting competitive.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen's Recent Form and Key Stats

Bayer 04 Leverkusen have won four of their last five matches, losing the other. Across those games, they have averaged 2.4 goals scored and 1.4 conceded. The setback at Hoffenheim interrupted that strong sequence and left Leverkusen with a clear task: recover their attacking output after failing to score in a 3-0 defeat.

Their DFB Pokal record offers a more encouraging starting point. Leverkusen have one win from one match in the competition this season, with averages of 4.0 goals scored and none conceded. They have also scored at least once in 24 of their last 25 DFB Pokal matches. For this tie, the longer scoring trend matters more than their blank at Hoffenheim: it shows how consistently they have found a goal in the cup.

Matches involving Leverkusen have produced over 1.5 total goals in each of their last 17 fixtures, a run matched by their last 12 home DFB Pokal games. At least one first-half goal has been scored in each of their last 11 home cup matches, while their last 12 home games have all featured a second-half goal. Those figures point to a contest in which the scoring need not be confined to one period.

Leverkusen do have personnel concerns. Martin Terrier is out with a thigh injury, and Montrell Culbreath, Christian Kofane and Eliesse Ben Seghir are described as unlikely options for Wednesday. Guela Doué is also dealing with a muscle injury. That places added importance on Patrik Schick, who has scored nine times in 11 appearances this season.

Nürnberg's Recent Form and Key Stats

Nürnberg have not won any of their last three matches, drawing 4-4 with Wolfsburg and 1-1 with Cottbus before losing to Kaiserslautern. Their broader five-match record is less discouraging: two wins, two draws and one defeat, with averages of 1.8 goals scored and 1.4 conceded. The range of scores in that recent sequence makes it difficult to reduce their prospects in Leverkusen to the latest 1-0 result alone.

In the DFB Pokal this season, Nürnberg have one draw from one match, averaging one goal scored and one conceded. Their away record supplies a particularly relevant contrast for this preview. They have scored in each of their last 13 away matches, but have also conceded at least once in 19 of their last 20. If those patterns continue, finding a goal may not be Nürnberg's only challenge; preventing Leverkusen from replying could prove just as important.

Nürnberg's cup matches have regularly featured goals after the break: each of their last 10 DFB Pokal games has contained at least one second-half goal. The same is true of 18 of their last 20 away fixtures across competitions. They have also avoided trailing at half-time in 21 of their last 23 matches, a record that suggests they have often stayed in contention through the opening period.

The visitors face significant absences. Mohamed Ali Zoma, their leading scorer this season with seven goals, has a shoulder injury and is unavailable for the rest of the year. Kristian Mandic and Finn Becker are also out, while Adriano Grimaldi has knee problems. With Zoma missing, Piet Sockel, who has scored six times, is another name to watch in Nürnberg's attack.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Nürnberg Match Analysis

Recent meetings favor the hosts. Across the head-to-head record supplied for this fixture, Leverkusen have four wins and one draw, averaging 2.0 goals scored and 0.4 conceded. The most recent encounter finished 2-0 to Leverkusen on April 20, 2019. The sides also met in the second round of the DFB Pokal in 1993, when Leverkusen advanced with a 3-0 victory. Nürnberg have not won away to Leverkusen since 2011.

That history strengthens Leverkusen's case, yet the current scoring trends give this tie another angle. The hosts have been reliable scorers in the DFB Pokal, while Nürnberg's 13-match away scoring run shows why the visitors cannot be dismissed as an attacking threat. Equally, Nürnberg's run of conceding in 19 of 20 away matches leaves them exposed against a side averaging 2.4 goals across its last five games. Both teams enter after defeats, making their response on Wednesday an important part of the contest.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Nürnberg prediction from BetMines: Both Teams To Score (Yes) with 64% probability.