Bayer Leverkusen boss Kasper Hjulmand urged his team not to be naive about the challenge Union Berlin will pose in their upcoming Bundesliga clash on Saturday.
Leverkusen are sixth in the top-flight and three points adrift of Stuttgart in the final spot in the top four following their 4-0 thrashing of St. Pauli in their last league game.
Hjulmand’s side also made the perfect start to their Champions League play-off with Olympiacos, running out 2-0 winners at Stadio Georgios Karaiskaki on Wednesday.
Indeed, that result saw Leverkusen win their first-ever knockout away match in the Champions League. Prior to that, the German side had lost seven of their previous nine knockout matches on the road, drawing the other two.
And Hjulmand is hoping momentum from their midweek triumph will serve them well ahead of making the trip to Stadion An der Alten Forsterei to take on 10th-placed Union.
“Today is matchday +2 and matchday -1, so we’ll have more of a tactical session, but on the pitch this time,” Hjulmand said of Leverkusen’s pre-match preparations.
“It’s mainly about our structure, our positioning and the differences between Olympiacos and Union.
“They play a lot of long balls, fight a lot of duels and are similar in their press. We are not naive and will be alert, but we will continue to focus on our game and our approach.”
The capital awaits! pic.twitter.com/cX8uQH5ccL
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) February 20, 2026
Leverkusen’s upturn in form has coincided with the returns of Edmond Tapsoba, Robert Andrich and Jarell Quansah after their respective injury issues.
Across Leverkusen’s last seven games in all competitions, they have conceded just two goals, with Loic Bade also key to that run, which started on January 24.
“He brings so much positive energy to the team, even in the dressing room at Olympiacos,” Hjulmand added.
“Of course, he wants to play and is ready, but he’s also a real team player. His qualities are great, we trust him completely.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Union Berlin – Leopold Querfeld
Leopold Querfeld is set for his 50th Bundesliga appearance – he has recently scored in consecutive Bundesliga matches for the first time, netting as many goals as he did in his first 47 appearances combined (two in each).
Since their promotion to the top-flight, only Max Kruse in 2020-21 (five) has scored more penalties in all competitions in a single season for Union than Querfeld has so far (four).
Bayer Leverkusen – Patrik Schick
Patrik Schick has scored 71 Bundesliga goals for Leverkusen – just one shy of Herbert Waas (72) to become the third-highest all-time top-scorer for the Werkself in the top-flight.
In his last away match at the Stadion An der Alten Forsterei, Schick scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory in November 2024, and he will be keen to replicate that display here.
MATCH PREDICTION: BAYER LEVERKUSEN WIN
After consecutive defeats, Leverkusen are currently unbeaten in their last four Bundesliga matches (W3 D1) – only Borussia Dortmund (15) and Hamburg (five) have longer active runs in the league. During this time, Hjulmand’s side have conceded just two goals, fewer than any other team over the last four matchdays.
Leverkusen have also already scored 16 goals in the first 30 minutes of Bundesliga matches this season, with only Bayern Munich bagging more (21). Meanwhile, Union have conceded just four goals in the first 30 minutes, with only Dortmund having conceded fewer (three).
They netted three headed goals against St. Pauli last time out – equalling a club record in a single Bundesliga game since data collection began in 2004-05. However, they now face a Berlin team who have won the second-most aerial duels in the league (496, Mainz 498).
Berlin have, however, won just one of their 13 Bundesliga matches against Leverkusen, a 1-0 win at home in January 2021. Since then, they are winless in 10 league games against the Werkself (D5 L5) – this is their second-longest current winless run against a top-flight side, after 13 matches against Bayern.
Steffen Baumgart’s side are also winless in their last seven Bundesliga matches (D4 L3), a run they last had at the turn of the year 2024-25 (10 games). With two points from five matchdays, Union are experiencing their weakest start to a Bundesliga second half of the season.
In addition, since the start of November 2025, Union have won just one of their seven Bundesliga home games (W1 D4 L2) – the joint-fewest in the league in this period, along with Heidenheim and Werder Bremen.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Union Berlin – 33.2%
Draw – 26.8%
Bayer Leverkusen – 40%