Bayer Leverkusen-Ferencvaros is a Europa League round of 16 first leg match played on Thursday at 18:45: predictions.
Ninth in the Bundesliga, with a significant gap to close to those teams fighting for a European place, Bayer Leverkusen are aiming for the Europa League, as did Eintracht Frankfurt last year. The Aspirins are dreaming of emulating Oliver Glasner’s men, who triumphed in the second continental competition from eleventh, gaining access to the Champions League.
Xabi Alonso would immediately put his signature on a similar outcome, bearing in mind that when he arrived on the Werkself bench last autumn he first had to ensure that the team moved away from the relegation zone. The Spanish coach, in his first experience at a certain level, is slowly getting things back on track, but in the league his Bayer Leverkusen team seems too far behind. The fact that he is at the helm of a quality group, however, was demonstrated in the double play-off against Monaco: after losing the first leg 3-2 in Germany, their hopes of qualifying for the round of 16 were at rock bottom, but Schick and his team-mates went on to win with the same result in the Principality, winning on penalties. The beneficial effects of that success also reverberated in the Bundesliga, where the Aspirins returned to a run of two good results in a row, drawing 1-1 at home to Freiburg and overwhelming Hertha Berlin 4-1.
Bayer Leverkusen, all about the cup
The draw was certainly not unfavourable for Xabi Alonso and his men, who will face Hungarian side Ferencvaros in the round of 16.
Cherchesov
The Hungarians, coached by former Russian coach Stanislav Cherchesov, had won their group match ahead of Monaco: having finished level on points with the Monegasques, they prevailed thanks to their advantage in the direct clashes. Ferencvaros have been used to hanging around in Europe for a few seasons now and have accumulated some international experience, but it had not had the opportunity to play in a knockout round for some 20 years. At home, however, the green-and-whites are as dominant as ever and currently boast a fourteen-point lead over the second-placed team.
The prediction
Bayer Leverkusen are the favourites in this double-header, which could be an exciting one given the two teams’ strong attacking attitudes. Xabi Alonso’s side showed in the play-off against Munich that they find the way of goal with some ease – they have players like Wirtz, Diaby and Schick in front of them, who can see the goal – but at the same time struggle in the non-possession phase. They are likely to be successful in a match with at least three goals in total.
Bayer Leverkusen-Ferencvaros matchday squad
- BAYER LEVERKUSEN (4-2-3-1): Hradecky; Kossounou, Tah, Tapsoba, Hincapié; Palacios, Andrich; Hudson-Odoi, Wirtz, Diaby; Schick.
- FERENCVAROS (5-4-1): Dibusz; Wingo, Botka, S. Mmaee, Knoester, Civic; Traoré, Vecsei, Zachariassen, Nguen; R. Mmaee.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 3-1
