West Ham vs Bayer Leverkusen prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-04-17 19:00.
[p]Last Thursday’s 2-0 defeat in the first leg has West Ham on the ropes ahead of this UEFA Europa League (UEL) quarter-final second leg, although manager David Moyes believes the Premier League outfit still have “half a chance” in the return leg. The Hammers have already managed to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit to win the tie 5-1 against another Bundesliga side, Freiburg, earlier in the competition. Yet this is undoubtedly a much more challenging task against the newly-crowned Bundesliga champions, Bayer Leverkusen. [/p]
[p]Some inconsistent form across the Hammers’ last nine competitive outings casts doubt over their chances (W2, D3, L4), but they do have plenty of experience against Bundesliga opponents as this is their sixth such game this season (W3, L2). At home, West Ham have a respectable record against German opposition (W4, L2) and may be quietly confident of further success with 14 wins from their last 17 European home games (D1, L2). [/p]
[p]If any side can put a dent in that record, it’s Bayer Leverkusen, who confirmed their first-ever Bundesliga title with what was a 43rd straight unbeaten competitive outing as they hammered Werder Bremen 5-0 last time out. The very real prospect of an unbeaten treble is on the cards, but this is set to be one of their toughest obstacles as they travel to England having won just once here in European competition (D2, L7).[/p]
[p]Leverkusen do at least travel with an impressive record of progressing in 13 of their 14 UEFA ties in which they entered the away second leg with an advantage. They’ve also had a knack for frustrating the opposition of late, highlighted by the fact Leverkusen’s opponents have picked up a red card in five of their last 11 competitive games. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus has already scored three goals against German opposition this season, including a brace after the 75th minute at home to Freiburg One of Germany’s brightest young talents, Florian Wirtz, has seven goal contributions in this season’s UEL (G3, A4), with each goal providing Leverkusen’s first of the game. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: West Ham have progressed from two of the three UEFA knockout ties in which they had a two-goal deficit ahead of a home second leg. [/p]