Bayer Leverkusen 2019/20 season preview

bundesliga.com takes a closer look at what to expect from Die Werkself…

Aims in 2019/20

Bosz said he had a big point to prove in the Bundesliga when he was appointed as Heiko Herrlich’s successor prior to the 2018/29 winter break. The Dutchman had been out of work since his dismissal following six ill-fated months in charge of Borussia Dortmund in December 2017, but showed no signs of any ring rust at the BayArena.

Repurposing Julian Brandt in a deeper central midfield role, rediscovering Jamaican winger Bailey’s best side and finding a place for the criminally underrated Lucas Alario in the final third, Bosz steered Leverkusen from ninth at the turn of 2019 to fourth come the final day of the season, even scalping record champions Bayern Munich along the way.

A return to the UEFA Champions League following a two-year absence was Bayer’s reward; repeating the trick is the minimum requirement. Given the depth of Bosz’s squad, you can’t rule out the possibility of the Rhineland club giving Bayern, Dortmund and RB Leipzig a run for their money in the title stakes, or going deep into the DFB Cup, either.

Player to watch

Havertz is arguably the foremost member of Bosz's exciting ensemble. The recently turned 20-year-old became the first teenager in Bundesliga history to reach 17 goals in a single campaign last term, and also chipped in with four assists. Rumours of a possible departure swirled over the summer, but the Aachen-born ace says he gave them little thought and is instead focussed on driving his boyhood club to even greater heights. Following Brandt’s move to Dortmund, he’ll have an even bigger part to play.

Watch: All of Havertz's 2018/19 goals

IN: Nadiem Amiri (Hoffenheim), Kerem Demirbay (Hoffenheim), Niklas Lomb (Sandhausen, end of loan), Moussa Diaby (Paris Saint-Germain), Daley Sinkgraven (Ajax)

OUT: Jan Boller (LASK), Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund), Isaac Kiese Thelin (Anderlecht, end of loan), Thorsten Kirschbaum (VVV-Venlo), Dominik Kohr (Eintracht Frankfurt), Tomasz Kucz (released), Sam Schreck (Groningen)

How they might line up

Stadium

The BayArena has been the club’s home since 1958, and was known as the Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion until 1998. At the same time a hotel was built on site, which now forms the north stand and allows guests pitch-side seating. The stadium did not host a FIFA World Cup match in 2006, but was used by Germany as their base. Between 2007 and 2009 the ground was expanded to host accommodate 30,000 spectators, after which it hosted four FIFA Women’s World Cup matches in 2011. The BayArena hosted the first live coverage of a Bundesliga match in 3D when Leverkusen played Hamburg on 14 March 2010.

Watch: Bayer Leverkusen - all you need to know

First five fixtures

Matchday 1: Paderborn (h) – Saturday, 17 August, 3.30pm CEST
Matchday 2: Fortuna Düsseldorf (a) – Saturday, 24 August, 3.30pm CEST
Matchday 3: Hoffenheim (h) – Saturday, 31 August, 3.30pm CEST
Matchday 4: Borussia Dortmund (a) – Saturday, 14 September, 3.30pm CEST
Matchday 5: Union Berlin (h) – Saturday, 21 September, 3.30pm CEST