Confirmed Lineups: Dortmund vs. Leverkusen

The 2024/25 German Bundesliga kicks off the 2025 calendar year with a highly anticipated clash between defending champions Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund. Xabi Alonso's Werkself - beginning the year in second place - seek to draw within one point of German record champions FC Bayern München at the top of the table. Nuri Sahin's Dortmund - regrettably dealing with a horribly-timed breakout of illness in their camp - presently fight to keep a tenuous hold on the second Europa League slot in sixth place.

Xabi makes two changes to the XI that wrapped up 2024 with a massive statement win against Freiburg. Nordi Mukiele returns to the starting XI to start over Florian Wirtz. Granit Xhaka, who had been battling ankle problems ended up being fit enough to start after all. Robert Andrich moves in to replace Exequiel Palacios.

Wirtz was initially on the team sheet, but Xabi noted a late withdraw was necessary Mukiele's inclusion likely heralds a back-four with Alejandro Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong moving up to the attacking flank spaces while Nathan Tella serves alongside Patrick Schick in 4-4-2 

Sahin goes with five changes to the XI that secured a 3-1 victory over Wolfsburg just prior to the international break. Karim Adeyemi returns to take over for Donyell Malen. Yan Couto replaces the suspended Pascal Groß at right back. 

BVB II central defenders Almugera Kabar and Yannik Lührs are the replacements for the ill Emré Can and Nico Schlotterbeck. Julian Ryerson must also deputize for the ill Ramy Bensebaini as all four nembers of the previous back-four are ill. 

Confirmed Lineups:

Leverkusen vs. Dortmund

Dortmund (4-1-4-1)

Kobel - Yan Couto, Lührs, Algumera, Ryerson - F. Nmecha - Beier, Brandt Adeyemi, Gittens - Guirassy

Leverkusen (4-4-2)

Hradecky - Hincapie, Tapsoba, Tah, Mukiele - G. Xhaka, Andrich - Grimaldo, Frimpong - Schick, Tella