When second-placed RB Leipzig comes to ista-Borussia-Park on Friday, Borussia Mönchengladbach’s aspirations and reality will collide head-on. On paper, the roles are clear: Leipzig is in second place in the Bundesliga with 25 points, while Gladbach has 12 points and is in 12th place – the gap is already 13 points. For anyone who wants to bet on this match, it’s worth taking a look in advance at where the most attractive odds are and which sports betting provider best suits your preferences. Nevertheless, Leipzig is not welcoming a classic rebuilding opponent here, but a host that has recently found its footing.
- Date and time: November 28, 2025, 8:30 p.m.
- Competition: Bundesliga (Matchday 12)
Gladbach form & record check
Interestingly, Kleindienst’s return could further invigorate the offense, even though he has only been used as a substitute recently. The data so far suggests that Polanski makes effective adjustments during the breaks, so the second half is key. For the game against Leipzig, the focus remains clear: maintain defensive stability before the break, follow up with fresh attacking forces after halftime, and make more consistent use of chances in close duels to improve the goal difference.
Polanski is unlikely to make many changes after the three points in Heidenheim and will once again rely on the 4-3-1-2 system. Nicolas will be in goal as Omlin continues to be sidelined with adductor problems.
Kleindienst’s return is likely to come too soon for the starting lineup, and after his long break, the captain is likely to come off the bench initially. Tabakovic and Honorat are likely to form the strike duo, with Reitz playing in an attacking role behind them. With Ngoumou and Sander also missing, there are two further options missing from the squad.
Leipzig form & record check
RB Leipzig are currently in second place with 25 points, six points behind Bayern and two points ahead of Leverkusen. They are in good form, with four wins from their last five competitive games and a confident 4-1 win in Cottbus to secure their place in the next round of the cup.
Under coach Ole Werner, the team is once again showing the typical RB DNA with lots of pace and vertical play. Leipzig are consistently scoring goals, with at least one goal in each of their last five games, often in both halves. Four of these games ended with more than 3.5 goals, which indicates rather open, eventful encounters.
Also noteworthy is the streak without a draw during this period, with all five games either won or lost. The only defeat was the 3-1 loss in Hoffenheim, but otherwise the team has looked solid, if you exclude the 6-0 defeat to Bayern at the start of the season.
Their home form is a particular strength, with five home games and five wins. This foundation makes Leipzig the overall favorites against Borussia Mönchengladbach, which Werner himself has described as an important yardstick.
However, there are a few absences in the squad. Benjamin Henrichs is still in rehabilitation training after tearing his Achilles tendon, and Bitshiabu, Gebel, Rômulo, and Kampl are also unavailable. The fitness of Ouédraogo and Diomande remains to be seen, both of whom were on the pitch against Bremen. Werner is increasingly relying on experienced players such as Baumgartner while also placing his trust in young players, which has had a positive effect so far.
Leipzig is expected to line up in its usual 4-3-3 formation. Coach Ole Werner can largely rely on his regular starting lineup, but still has to compensate for a few absences.
Among the injured players, Benjamin Henrichs is still in rehabilitation training after tearing his Achilles tendon, while Yan Diomande and Rômulo are also unavailable due to injury. In attack, Bakayoko, Oliver Glasner, Harder, and Nusa are all options for the three striker positions.
Seiwald, Schlager, and Baumgartner are expected to form the central midfield trio. In defense, the back four of Baku, Orbán, Lukeba, and Raum seems set in front of goalkeeper Gulácsi.
Gladbach – Leipzig Head-to-head & statistics
The recent record slightly favors RB Leipzig, who have won three of the last five competitive games, with Gladbach winning once and one draw. However, Borussia Mönchengladbach managed a 1-0 home win in March 2025, showing that Borussia can certainly cause Leipzig problems at home.
Looking at the course of the games, it is noticeable that these duels were mostly tactical and tended to be low-scoring before the break. In none of the five games were more than one goal scored in the first half, with Gladbach failing to score before the break in all cases and Leipzig scoring exclusively after the break. This suggests a cautious approach for much of the first 45 minutes.
The total number of goals also remained manageable for the most part, with four of the five encounters ending with fewer than 2.5 goals. One exception was Leipzig’s 3-0 win in 2023, while the goalless game in Leipzig in November 2024 further confirms the general trend toward close games.
The tendency is for both teams to treat each other with great respect and a lot of tactical discipline, with many games being defensive and only decided late on, which tends to result in close results and comparatively low goal rates.
