Carles Martínez eyes fourth straight home win for Bayer Leverkusen

Carles Martínez has won his first three Bundesliga home games as Bayer Leverkusen coach and could match a feat last achieved by Sami Hyypiä in the 2013/14 season.

Carles Martínez is on the verge of a fourth consecutive Bundesliga home win with Bayer Leverkusen. The 42-year-old coach has won all of his first three home games in charge, matching a run last achieved by Sami Hyypiä in the 2013/14 season.

Martínez, who took over at the start of the current campaign, stressed the importance of fan support. "I firmly believe in the connection with the fans," said the Spaniard. The team currently sits fourth in the standings with 13 points, firmly in the hunt for Champions League qualification. From their first seven games this season, the team's record stands at four wins, one draw and two defeats, with a recent run of one draw and four wins in their last five matches.

Team Context and Injury Concerns

The current form shows the positive trend. After a bumpy start to the season with a defeat, four wins and a draw have followed in the last five matches. However, an extensive injury list burdens the squad ahead of the next matchday. A total of seven players are ruled out: Kennet Eichhorn, Guéla Doué, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Christian Kofane, Martin Terrier, Moussa Diaby and Loïc Badé. The attack continues to be led by Patrik Schick, who is the current top scorer with six season goals in seven appearances.

The Record of Klaus Augenthaler

The historical benchmark for a home winning streak at Bayer Leverkusen is high. The record is held by Klaus Augenthaler, now 69 and a club legend. The former manager took over the team on the 33rd matchday of the 2002/03 season and led them to seven consecutive home wins at that time. Martínez is unfazed by this pressure. "For me, that changes nothing," he commented on the historical statistic.

A Look at the Next Opponent

The next target is the away fixture. Leverkusen travels to face 1. FC Köln on November 8th, with Köln currently in 12th place. Martínez's team aims to use the positive momentum to further close the gap to the top of the table. They currently trail leaders Bayern Munich by four points. Patrik Schick remains the key attacking threat with six season goals in seven appearances. The Werkself must handle the upcoming challenges with a depleted squad before the home streak can be continued. Their season tally so far is 16 goals scored and 12 conceded, giving them a goal difference of plus four.