Bayer Leverkusen vs AC Milan prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-09-30 19:00.
[p]Two sides who had contrasting starts to their UEFA Champions League (UCL) campaigns meet here as Bayer Leverkusen welcome AC Milan. Die Werkself are looking to build on their standout 4-0 win away at Feyenoord on matchday one in what was their biggest ever away victory in the UCL, while they can also take heart from a backs-to-the-wall performance in a 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich on Saturday.[/p]
[p]While that’s sure to give Xabi Alonso’s men confidence heading into this one, it’s fair to say they haven’t relished recent encounters against Italian opposition. Serie A outfit Atalanta handed them their only competitive loss last season notably in the Europa League final (3-0), while Leverkusen are without a win in five home games against Serie A sides (D3, L2). [/p]
[p]Milan have bounced back well from their disappointing UCL opener which saw them fall to a 3-1 home defeat against Liverpool. The Rossoneri first beat arch-rivals Inter before routinely seeing off Lecce with a 3-0 victory on Friday night. That should help inspire them to believe they can maintain what is a pretty impressive record on German soil, with no loss in the country since way back in 2002 against Borussia Dortmund (W3, D4). [/p]
[p]Away form in general in the UCL has been a struggle for Milan of late, however. Victory at Newcastle on matchday six last term ended a run of no win in five away UCL matches (D3, L2) – a run that saw them fail to score four times – so there’s obvious room for improvement for new boss Paulo Fonseca.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Leverkusen midfielder Robert Andrich got things going against Feyenoord on matchday one with an assist. He then bagged his side’s crucial goal against Bayern this past weekend, although three yellow cards in his last four competitive club matches suggests he’ll be involved in more ways than one. Christian Pulisic is in red-hot form for Milan, scoring in four successive matches – the former Dortmund man also boasts one goal and two assists in six H2H matches against Leverkusen. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Alonso is taking on Milan for the first time as a coach, but he faced them six times in his playing career, avoiding defeat four times (W2, D2) and scoring en route to Liverpool’s UCL final penalty shootout success in 2005. [/p]
[p][i]Written by David H[/i][/p]