Bayer Leverkusen-Hacken is a match for the first day of the Europa League group stage and is played on Thursday at 18:45: TV, predictions.
Bayer Leverkusen stroked their dream of playing in the final in Budapest last spring, but surrendered to Mourinho’s Roma after an electrifying double-header in the semi-finals. The Europa League ride was in any case a well-deserved reward in a season that started badly but which Xabi Alonso, who took over from Gerardo Seoane in the autumn, managed to straighten out, even bringing Werkself one step closer to a continental title.
In the summer, the former Real Madrid midfielder was satisfied by the club, which made an ambitious purchase campaign, acquiring players of great experience and international depth such as Xhaka and Grimaldo, as well as Union Saint-Gilloise’s goal scorer, last Europa League’s revelation, Victor Boniface. These reinforcements proved to be decisive right from the start: Bayer are currently one of the Bundesliga’s most in-form teams and proved it again on Friday, when they came back with a precious point from the challenge against multiple champions Bayern Munich, finding the goal of the final 2-2 in the midst of the recovery thanks to a penalty kick converted by Palacios. Xabi Alonso and his men are first in the standings after four matches on 10 points, right at arm’s length with the Bavarians. First place in the Europa League group should be a formality, as Hacken, Molde and Qarabag do not seem to be able to challenge the Germans.
Hacken ‘distracted’ by the league?
The Aspirins will try to set the record straight from matchday one in their match against Swedish side Hacken, who have reached the group stage from the preliminaries.
Hacken’s Layouni exults after a goal
The reigning Swedish champions had started in the Champions League but surrendered last August to the Klaksvik Faroese, who pulled off the feat by ousting the yellow-and-whites following a surprisingly balanced double-header that ended on penalties. Relegated to the Europa League, Per Mathias Hogmo’s men had to face four more matches, first eliminating the Lithuanians from Zalgiris and finally the Scots from Aberdeen. In the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s top league, they are in full fight for the title: with seven days to go, they are only two points behind leading Malmo.
The Prediction
Bayer Leverkusen are having a fantastic time and even without a few starters they have everything they need to solve Hacken. However, two teams with an often unprepossessing attitude face each other, so there will be no shortage of goals.
Bayer Leverkusen-Hacken matchday squad
- BAYER LEVSERKUSEN (3-4-2-1): Hradecky; Kossounou, Tah, Tapsoba; Frimpong, Palacios, Xhaka, Grimaldo; Hofmann, Wirtz; Boniface.
- HACKEN (4-3-3): Abrahamsson; Sanberg, Ousou, Hovland, Fridriksson; Rygaard, Gustafson, Romeo; Layouni, Sonko, Hrstic.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 3-1