Liverpool vs. Bayer Leverkusen: UEFA Champions League team ...
Liverpool legend Xabi Alonso returns to Anfield at the helm of Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, who boast the in-form Florian Wirtz in their ranks. - © Getty/Dean Mouhtaropoulos
Liverpool legend Xabi Alonso returns to Anfield at the helm of Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, who boast the in-form Florian Wirtz in their ranks. - © Getty/Dean Mouhtaropoulos
Bayer Leverkusen will look to continue their strong start to the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League campaign as they travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Tuesday night (kick-off: 9pm CET).
5 reasons why Leverkusen will beat Liverpool Alonso returns to Anfield a master coach See how all eight German teams are getting on in Europe this season Leverkusen held in stalemate by Stuttgart ahead of trip to LiverpoolLatest
Whilst Leverkusen's recent domestic form has been relatively underwhelming as they have recorded two consecutive draws away to Werder Bremen and at home to VfB Stuttgart, their European results are solid. They are unbeaten after three games, having taken seven points from an available nine and sit in sixth place in the 32-team league hhase table. However, they'll be hoping to improve on their most recent outing, a 1-1 draw away at Brest. For this clash, Alonso will be glad to be able to select a team from a near complete pool of available players, with Victor Boniface expected to lead the line once again after missing the Brest encounter. Amine Adli will miss out, Jeanuël Belocian and Nordi Mukiele are all set to miss out. Martin Terrier should return after sitting out the Stuttgart game. Alongside Boniface, the likes of Florian Wirtz and Jonas Hofmann will be hoping to cause the Reds' backline plenty of problems.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are one of the in-form teams in Europe. Arne Slot's side are one of only two teams in Europe's premier club competition to have won every one of their games in the tournament so far (alongside Aston Villa), most recently a 1-0 victory over RB Leipzig. Domestically, too, they are fine fettle as they sit at the top of the Premier League with just one defeat this season across all competitions. They may be without Diogo Jota, Federico Chiesa, Harvey Elliott and ex-Leipzig centre-back Ibrahima Konaté for this fixture but are still stacked with talent all across the pitch with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cody Gakpo all at Slot's disposal. Bundesliga alumni Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endō and Ryan Gravenberch could all also feature.
Watch: The best link-ups between Wirtz and Boniface
Match stats
Wirtz has three goals in three career Champions League appearances, all coming away from home. Only two players aged 21 or under have ever scored in each of their first three away Champions League games (Erling Haaland and Manor Solomon). Aleix García’s 13 line-breaking passes ending in the final third is the most of any midfielder in the Champions League this season. He has also completed 100 percent of his long passes (16/16). Leverkusen’s only defeat in their last 17 European fixtures was last season’s UEFA Europa League final against Atalanta. They have won 11 and drawn the other five. No team has more wins (11) or scored more goals (37) in European competition since the start of 2023/24 than Die Werkself. Alonso made 210 competitive appearances for Liverpool as a player between 2004 and 2009. One of his 18 goals on Merseyside came in the famous Miracle of Istanbul to beat AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final. Liverpool’s only defeat in their last 21 European meetings with German opposition came against Leverkusen, who won 4-2 in the 2001/02 quarter-final second leg to advance en route to the final.Probable teams
Liverpool: Kelleher - Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Van Dijk (c), Robertson - Gravenberch, Mac Allister - Salah, Jones, Díaz - NúñezOut: Alisson (hamstring), Chiesa (muscular), Elliott (broken foot), Diogo Jota (upper body)Doubtful: -Coach: Arne Slot
Leverkusen: Hrádecký (c) - Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapié - Frimpong, Xhaka, Andrich, Grimaldo - Hofmann, Wirtz - BonifaceOut: Adli (fibula), Belocian (ankle), Mukiele (thigh)Doubtful: - Coach: Xabi Alonso
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Arne Slot will be without Alisson Becker, Federico Chiesa, Harvey Elliott and Diogo Jota for this encounter, while Ibrahim Konaté may be unavailable after suffering an injury against Brighton. The main threat to the Leverkusen back line is, of course, Mohamed Salah, who has nine goals and seven assists in all competitions this term.
© IMAGO/Visionhaus
Amine Adli, Jeanuël Belocian and Nordi Mukiele are all expected to be on the sidelines for this clash. Otherwise, though, Alonso has a full squad to choose from. Victor Boniface should lead the line once more, with Florian Wirtz sitting in behind him.
© IMAGO/Joachim Bywaletz
There are four former Bundesliga players in the Liverpool squad. While Ibrahim Konaté, previously of RB Leipzig, could miss out due to injury, Dominik Szoboszlai (Leipzig), Wataru Endō (Stuttgart) and Ryan Gravenberch could all feature.
Jürgen Klopp was an emblematic figure during his time in the Anfield dugout, but replacement Arne Slot has adapted to the scrutiny and pressure fantastically since taking over in the summer. Liverpool currently sit top of the Premier League table, winning eight out of their 10 matches so far, while they have won all three of their opening UEFA Champions League matches - RB Leipzig were one of their victims.
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Xabi Alonso will be eager to see a strong performance from the Nigerian. Enjoy all of his goals in the German top flight to remind yourself of how lethal he can be.
These two teams have met in this competition four times before, with the Premier League side dominating their previous encounters. They won three and drew one of those four meetings, the last of which was a 3-1 win away at the BayArena in the 2004/05 season.
Leverkusen are yet to lose in Europe this season, winning two and drawing one of their UCL fixtures so far. They'll do well to maintain this record against the Premier League table toppers Liverpool, who have won three from three and conceded just one goal in the competition.
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Leverkusen come into this game on the back of a goalless draw at home to Stuttgart.
Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of Bayer Leverkusen's fourth UEFA Champions League game of the 2024/25 league phase away at Liverpool on Tuesday.
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