German Bundesliga
2026-10-18 - Bayer Leverkusen vs SC Freiburg
A Sports Betting Pick by Niko
Football; Germany: Bundesliga
Bay Arena – Leverkusen
Sunday, 18th October 2026 - kickoff 15:30 CET
Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen have turned their Bundesliga season around quickly. Since losing 3-2 at SV Elversberg on the opening weekend, they have collected 10 points from 12. They also beat Mainz by 3-4 last weekend and thrashed Lech Poznań 0-4 in the Europa League on Thursday.
The attack is clicking. Patrik Schick has scored in all five Bundesliga games so far and leads the scoring charts with five goals. Bayer Leverkusen have also won both home league games without conceding, beating Union Berlin 4-0 and RB Leipzig 2-0.
Several players are missing from their squad. Eliesse Ben Seghir, Guéla Doué, Kennet Eichhorn, Christian Kofane and Martin Terrier are unavailable, while Montrell Culbreath is a doubt. Still, Bayer Leverkusen have enough attacking options to test the Bundesliga leaders.
SC Freiburg
SC Freiburg are top of the Bundesliga for a reason. They have collected a club-record 13 points from five games and remain unbeaten in nine competitive matches. Their 3-2 European win over Jablonec on Thursday kept that run going, but this trip is a much tougher test.
SC Freiburg have scored 14 Bundesliga goals and conceded only four. Igor Matanović has added a new threat up front, while Vincenzo Grifo and Maximilian Eggestein both scored against Jablonec. However, Yuito Suzuki is suspended after his red card in the 2-1 win against Schalke 04 last weekend, and midfielder Florent Muslija remains out.
There is another concern for Julian Schuster: SC Freiburg have not beaten Bayer Leverkusen in their last seven meetings. Their last win at the BayArena came in September 2022. The form is excellent, but this is a big step up in opposition.
The Betting Verdict
SC Freiburg deserve respect, but I think Bayer Leverkusen have the edge at home. The hosts have scored freely, kept two home clean sheets and face a side missing Yuito Suzuki, who is SC Freiburg’s top scorer with four Bundesliga goals.
I like Bayer Leverkusen to win at around 1.70. SC Freiburg can make this close, but the home side's recent form and attacking strength give me enough reason to back them.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 SC Freiburg
BEST BETTING TIP :
Take Bayer Leverkusen to win at odds of 1.70 at Bet365
