Bayer Leverkusen aiming to move on from PSG thrashing

Kasper Hjulmand has urged his Bayer Leverkusen team to put their humbling defeat to Paris Saint-Germain behind them.

Leverkusen were hammered 7-2 by PSG in the Champions League this week.

That marked Leverkusen's first defeat under Hjulmand, who took over from Erik ten Hag following the Dutchman's ill-fated spell in charge.

Leverkusen will look to bounce back when they host Freiburg in the Bundesliga on Sunday, with Hjulmand eager to move on from the loss to the reigning European champions.

"We analysed the game in detail, as we always do," he told reporters.

"Now we're just looking ahead, we're moving on. We want to give something back to our fans on Sunday; their support against PSG was phenomenal. We're very grateful for that.

"Also, because of the last few Bundesliga games [three wins in a row], everyone wants to bounce back. We have to win and we want to win."

Freiburg are entrenched in mid-table, though should they claim victory, they would move to within two points of Leverkusen.

"What they do, they do well," Hjulmand said of Freiburg.

"They're very structured, fire in a lot of crosses and are strong in the tackle."

Leverkusen have shipped 10 goals in their past two games, though Hjulmand defended under-scrutiny goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

He added: "Of course,10 goals conceded in two games is a lot. But defending is just as much a collective issue as attacking.

"It's about positional play and clear structures in every position. Mark's qualities are unmistakable and his will to improve every day is huge. We have full confidence in him."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Bayer Leverkusen - Alejandro Grimaldo

Grimaldo has already scored four goals in the Bundesliga this season, double his tally from the whole of last season (two).

While he is yet to score against Freiburg, he has provided three assists against them in the Bundesliga, more than against any other opponent.

Freiburg - Vincenzo Grifo

Grifo is only the fifth player since data collection began in 2004-05 to score 10+ direct free-kicks in the Bundesliga, following Diego (13), Hakan Calhanoglu (11), Maximilian Arnold (11), and Sejad Salihovic (10).

Now Grifo faces Leverkusen's Grimaldo, the league's top free-kick taker since the start of the 2023-24 season (five direct free-kick goals).

MATCH PREDICTION: BAYER LEVERKUSEN WIN

Hjulmand has won four of his five Bundesliga games as coach of Leverkusen (D1), which is already as many as he achieved in all 21 of his Bundesliga games as coach of Mainz.

Only Klaus Augenthaler (15) collected more points from his first five Bundesliga games as Leverkusen coach than Hjulmand (13).

Freiburg coach Julian Schuster remains winless in his two Bundesliga matches against Leverkusen (D1 L1), conceding seven goals, including suffering his joint-heaviest top-flight defeat in December 2024 (1-5). 

Leverkusen have taken the lead in every Bundesliga game this season.

Freiburg have lost just one of their last 10 Bundesliga away games (W6 D3), picking up 21 of a possible 30 points.

But Leverkusen have won three consecutive Bundesliga games for the first time since April 2024, more wins than they managed in their previous 10 games in the competition combined (W2 D6 L2). 

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Bayer Leverkusen - 50.4%

Draw - 24.1%

Freiburg 25.5%