Bundesliga 2019/20: Bayer Leverkusen vs Borussia Dortmund – tactical analysis

In a game which encapsulated the Bundesliga as a whole on Saturday night, Bayer Leverkusen took on Borussia Dortmund with both sides close in the table. Bayer Leverkusen were looking to get back on track following a disappointing defeat to Hoffenheim last game week, while Dortmund were looking to carry on their best form of the season, having scored 15 goals in total over the previous three game weeks. The game was equally a goal-fest, ending 4-3 to Bayer Leverkusen, and the game was all about the build-up play of both sides as well as the individual errors from both teams, which allowed build-up to be so effective in the game. In this tactical analysis, we will look at both sides build-up and presses, as well as highlighting some of the key reasons there were so many goals in the game and how Leverkusen ultimately won.

Lineups

Bayer Leverkusen lined up in a 3-4-2-1, which occasionally became a 3-5-2/3-4-1-2, while Dortmund went with a 4-2-3-1. Again, as Ill discuss in this analysis, Dortmund didnt strictly stick to this shape, and depending on the situation, out of possession they fluctuated between a 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1 and a 4-3-3, all of which are just variations of the original formation.

Leverkusens midfield overload 

One of the main advantages to playing a back three is the ability to have more players further forward during the build-up phase, with another being that a back three has the ability to stretch the first line of the opposition press. We saw Leverkusen apply both of these advantages relatively well in the game, and they were able to score goals from these situations and tactics as we can see in the example below.

The stretching of the first line of the press often forced Julian Brandt to move up from the number ten to press the backline, this meant on paper, Dortmund were left with the midfield two of Axel Witsel and Emre Can. However, as mentioned, Leverkusen would drop into a 3-5-2 with Kai Havertz dropping deeper as he does in the example below. Havertz drops and Witsel presses him, leaving the two central midfielders for Leverkusen in a 2v1 against Emre Can if they could get the ball into the central areas.