Bayer 04 Leverkusen host SC Freiburg at the BayArena on Sunday, October 18, in a Bundesliga meeting between the teams currently fourth and first. Both return to league action after European wins on Thursday: Leverkusen beat Lech Poznań 4-0, while Freiburg defeated Jablonec 3-2. Their domestic records add to the occasion. Freiburg have four wins and a draw from five Bundesliga matches; Leverkusen have three wins, one draw and one defeat. With both sides scoring freely, this match preview looks at whether either can gain the upper hand.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen's Recent Form and Key Stats

Leverkusen followed a 4-3 comeback victory over Mainz with that emphatic result against Lech Poznań. Across their last five matches, they have recorded four wins and a draw, scoring an average of 2.8 goals and conceding 1.0 per game. Their Bundesliga scoring average is also 2.8, although their average of 1.6 goals conceded in the competition suggests Freiburg may have opportunities at the other end.

The hosts' scoring run is particularly striking: Leverkusen have found the net in each of their last 17 Bundesliga matches and in each of their last 12 home league games. Their last 14 matches have all featured at least two total goals, as have their last 11 at home. Goals have also arrived after the interval in 14 consecutive Leverkusen matches. Those figures give the home side a solid attacking backdrop for a meeting with the league leaders.

Patrik Schick enters the fixture with five Bundesliga goals. He also scored twice in Poznań, including a penalty, and the source article credits him with six goals in previous meetings with Freiburg. Leverkusen will, however, be without Kenneth Eichhorn, Guela Duoe, Eliesse Ben Sghir, Christian Kofane and Montrell Culbreath. Their recent results show they have maintained their scoring rate despite those absences.

SC Freiburg's Recent Form and Key Stats

Freiburg arrive unbeaten in their first five Bundesliga games, with four wins and a draw. They also have four wins and one draw across their last five matches overall, a stretch in which they have averaged 3.2 goals scored and 1.4 conceded. Their 3-2 European win over Jablonec came after a 2-1 victory against Schalke, so they have recently found ways to win matches in which the opposition also scored.

In the Bundesliga, Freiburg's averages stand at 2.8 goals scored and 0.8 conceded per match. Their games have featured at least one first-half goal in each of the last 13 matches, while 24 of their last 25 matches have included a second-half goal. That pattern points to a side involved in goalmouth action throughout games, even as its league goals-conceded average remains lower than Leverkusen's.

There is an important absence in Freiburg's attack: Yuito Suzuki, identified in the source article as their leading scorer with four goals, is suspended following a second yellow card. Bruno Ogbus is unavailable because of a muscular problem, and Berkay Yilmaz is sidelined after dental surgery. Freiburg nevertheless come into this trip on a strong run and with a winning start to their league campaign still intact.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs SC Freiburg Match Analysis

The recent head-to-head record gives Leverkusen encouragement without suggesting this will be straightforward. They have not lost to Freiburg in their last seven meetings, and the supplied five-match head-to-head summary lists three Leverkusen wins and two draws. The most recent encounter finished 3-3 on March 7, 2026. Two of the last three meetings have ended level, underlining Freiburg's ability to stay in contention in this fixture.

Goals are the clearest recurring theme. According to the source article, 10 of the last 12 meetings produced more than 2.5 goals, and both teams scored in 11 of those 12. The head-to-head summary lists averages of 3.0 goals scored and 1.6 conceded for Leverkusen. Combined with both teams' current Bundesliga scoring averages of 2.8 per match, those figures make another open contest a credible possibility, even though Freiburg will be missing Suzuki.

Leverkusen's home scoring sequence and Freiburg's unbeaten league start make for an intriguing balance. The hosts have won at half-time in each of their last three home matches, while Freiburg's last 13 games have all contained a first-half goal. Neither trend determines the result, but both reinforce the prospect of an active opening period. Given the teams' recent output and the goal-heavy history of this matchup, the total-goals market offers a clearer conclusion than trying to separate two sides in strong form.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs SC Freiburg prediction from BetMines: Over 2.5 goals with 55% probability.