Martinez demands daily improvement as Leverkusen prepare for Freiburg

Carles Martinez says his Bayer Leverkusen side are on the right track after a 4-0 Europa League win and demands belief and daily improvement ahead of Sunday's Bundesliga clash with leaders SC Freiburg.

Carles Martinez believes Bayer Leverkusen are on the right path after a fourth consecutive victory. Ahead of Sunday's Bundesliga top-of-the-table clash against unbeaten leaders SC Freiburg, the head coach demanded continued belief and daily improvement from his squad on Friday. "We must continue to believe in ourselves and get a little better every day," said Martinez. The 42-year-old stressed he is starting to see what the team wants: a balance between possession and vertical play, attacks inside and out.

The Werkself secured a 4-0 (3:0) win at Polish side Lech Poznań in the Europa League on Thursday night. Patrik Schick scored twice from the penalty spot, with Malik Tillman and Ibrahim Maza completing the comprehensive victory. Schick is currently the team's top scorer with five goals in five season appearances. The side sits fourth in the Bundesliga with ten points from five games, leaving them three points behind their next opponent Freiburg. Their record from those five league matches is three wins, one draw and one loss. The current standings show the tight situation at the top.

Preparing for the league leaders

Martinez stated the team must now recharge physically and mentally for the tough task ahead. A fifth straight win would be "incredible," the Spaniard said. SC Freiburg have not lost a single official match this season in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal or UEFA Conference League. The last meeting between the two teams ended 3-3 on 7 March 2026. Around 2,000 away fans from Freiburg are expected for the clash at a sold-out BayArena. The next fixture is on Sunday 18 October.

Personnel concerns before the top match

The availability of Martin Terrier is uncertain. The forward had to be substituted with discomfort in the first half in Poznań and is undergoing further tests. Christian Kofane, Montrell Culbreath and Eliesse Ben Seghir are also unavailable. However, Martinez still has strong attacking profiles at his disposal with Patrik Schick and Victor Boniface. The team has won six of eight competitive matches under Martinez, averaging 2.29 points per game. The recent positive form is also evident in the last four matches, where Leverkusen scored 14 goals and conceded only four. Across the last five matches in all competitions, the team's form reads four wins and a draw, putting them on a four-game winning run. In the league this season, they have scored 14 goals and conceded eight.

Bayer Leverkusen host SC Freiburg at the BayArena on Sunday at 15:30. A win would bring the Werkself closer to the league leader in the title race.