Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayer 04 Leverkusen have more than just regional roots in common.
Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayer 04 Leverkusen have more than just regional roots in common.

Champions League rivals provide Saturday evening entertainment

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Two of the Bundesliga's UEFA Champions League participants Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayer 04 Leverkusen get their domestic seasons underway in a mouth-watering clash on Saturday evening (kick-off 18:30CEST/16:30GMT).

The venue: BORUSSIA-PARK

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Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayer 04 Leverkusen have an idea who they have got to beat if they are to be in the UEFA Champions League beyond Christmas, but the focus will be firmly on the Bundesliga this Saturday evening when the BORUSSIA-PARK hosts the two league heavyweights, both keen to get their season off to a winning start. Gladbach have already got through a Champions League play-off - a 9-2 aggregate victory over BSC Young Boys no less - perhaps giving them a competitive edge.

Season preview: Borussia Mönchengladbach

Season preview: Bayer 04 Leverkusen

Leverkusen did not need an additional qualifying game, having finished ahead of the Foals in third place last season. They have since added Kevin Volland to their attack, and Julian Baumgartlinger has also joined Roger Schmidt's troops for a battle they hope will be on many fronts right up to May.

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Match stats

    Leverkusen's Stefan Kießling is the second most prolific Bundesliga player still in action, with 140 goals (behind Bremen's Claudio Pizarro with 190).Christoph Kramer has played 63 Bundesliga fixtures for Gladbach and 28 for Leverkusen.Andre Schubert's first defeat as Gladbach coach came last December against Leverkusen – a 5-0 defeat after starting with eight wins and two draws.

Possible line-ups

Gladbach: to follow

Absentees:

Head coach: Andre Schubert

Leverkusen: to follow

Absentees:

Head coach: Roger Schmidt