Bayer Leverkusen-Club Brugge is a match for the sixth day of the group stage of the Champions League and is played on Tuesday at 18:45: statistics, likely formations, predictions, live TV and streaming.
Below. Everything, or almost everything, is in fact turned upside down in this surprising Group B, by far the most full of unexpected verdicts in this edition of the Champions League. Yes, because the team that was initially predicted by most insiders as the possible bottom of the group, Club Brugge, has instead qualified for the round of 16 with two rounds in advance. And in the last ninety minutes of the group stage, they will even be masters of their own destiny. In the sense that, with a victory, the Belgians would be sure of first place without worrying about what happens at the same time in Portugal, in the match between Porto and Atletico Madrid.
Carl Hoefkens’ Nerazzurri, who are on a roll thanks to three wins in their first three matches and a draw at the Metropolitano, lead the table with 10 points, one more than Conceiçao’s Lusitanians. Both will play in the knockout phase, it only needs to be decided who will be top seed in the draw and who will not.
A week ago, however, Club Brugge perhaps relaxed too much, conceding their first defeat in the continental event. Porto handed them back the 4-0 win with which Lang and his team-mates had conquered the Do Dragao in the first leg. A pyrotechnic last league match against Oostende, however, who were beaten 4-2 after averting a possible comeback. According to the bookmakers, despite their lead, Hoefkens and his men are not favourites against Bayer Leverkusen, who are last in the table and only in the running for relegation to the Europa League. The Aspirins, who have been led by Xabi Alonso for a few weeks now, have one point less than Atletico Madrid and are forced to hope for a ‘non-win’ for the Colchoneros in Porto to avoid being left out of everything. In the Bundesliga, meanwhile, things are getting worse and worse: against Leipzig last Saturday came yet another defeat (2-0) that sank the Rossoneri to third-last place and into the relegation zone.
Hlozek
The Prediction
Again, the script of the match could vary depending on what happens in Portugal. It is likely, however, that both sides will play it out in the open. And unlike the first leg – which ended 1-0 to the Belgians – the total number of goals should be at least two. It cannot be ruled out that Bayer Leverkusen will manage to avoid defeat.
Bayer Leverkusen v Club Brugge likely line-up
- BAYER LEVERKUSEN (4-3-3): Hradecky; Kossounou, Tapsoba, Tah, Bakker; Andrich, Palacios, Amiri; Adli, Schick, Hlozek.
- CLUB BRUGGE (4-3-3): Mignolet; Meijer, Mechele, Boyata, Sobol; Nielsen, Balanta, Vanaken; Sowah, Jutgla, Lang.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
