Bayer Leverkusen vs AC Milan – UEFA Champions League – Preview, Team News and Updates

The allure of the Champions League is undeniable. With some of the best and biggest clubs in European football, UCL provides footballing action like no other tournament. And on Tuesday, we can count ourselves lucky, as last season’s Europa League finalist Bayer Leverkusen welcome Champions League royalty in AC Milan.

The two clubs have had contrasting starts to their Champions League campaign. While Leverkusen began their campaign by dismantling Feyenoord by a scoreline of 4-0, AC Milan were handed a humbling 3-1 loss at San Siro by Liverpool. However, on the domestic front, both the clubs have started the season in promising fashion. Die Werkself currently occupy the fourth spot in Bundesliga standings, having accumulated 10 points in five games. Meanwhile, AC Milan are third in Serie A standings, with 11 points from six games. With both teams riding high on stellar form, the anticipation for this clash is through the roof. Interestingly, these two football giants are meeting for the first time on the European stage. With the spotlight shining bright and excitement at its peak, which team will have the composure to secure a famous victory? 

Bayer Leverkusen vs AC Milan – Match Preview 

Describing Xabi Alonso’s impact on Bayer Leverkusen as transformative doesn’t quite do it justice. When the Spaniard took over the reins of the club in 2022, Die Werkself were languishing in the relegation zone of the Bundesliga. Almost two years later, Bayer are reigning Bundesliga and DFB Pokal champions. Though their dream of an unbeaten season was dashed in a tough 3-0 Europa League final loss to Atalanta, the campaign still ranks among the best in the club's history. 

Returning to the Champions League after a two-year hiatus, Leverkusen have quickly proven they belong on the biggest stage. Their 4-0 demolition of Feyenoord in their opening match was a statement, with Florian Wirtz becoming the first German player to bag a brace on his Champions League debut. That momentum carried into the Bundesliga, where they outlasted Wolfsburg in a wild 4-3 thriller before ending Bayern Munich’s perfect start to the season with a 1-1 draw. But as exhilarating as their attack has been, there’s a crack in the armor. Leverkusen’s defense has been unusually porous, shipping 10 goals in their first five Bundesliga matches. With a match against a club like AC Milan on the horizon, Alonso knows he will need to shore things up at the back in order to be viewed as serious Champions League contenders. 

While Bayer Leverkusen hit the ground running in their Champions League opener, the same can’t be said for AC Milan. The Rossoneri were comfortably defeated by Liverpool, despite taking an early lead thanks to Christian Pulisic. The fallout from that defeat was vicious, with many fans urging the hierarchy to sack new head coach Paulo Fonseca. However, Milan have turned things around. Following their dismal performance against Liverpool, Fonseca’s men secured a famous 2-1 win against bitter rivals, Inter Milan. The Rossoneri then followed that performance with a 3-0 victory over Leece. AC Milan are in a much better place than they were two weeks ago, and tonight’s clash with Bayer Leverkusen could be the perfect test of Fonseca’s progress. A win here would go a long way in silencing his critics.  

Bayer Leverkusen vs AC Milan – Team News and Updates 

Milan’s biggest threat could come from none other than Christian Pulisic, who’s been on fire in Serie A this season. The former Bundesliga star has found the back of the net in his last four games, all during the first half. Now, he’s aiming to make history as the first American to score in three consecutive Champions League appearances. 

Joining him up front are the likes of Tammy Abraham, Rafael Leao, and Alvaro Morata, giving Milan a potent attack. Meanwhile, Ruben Loftus-Cheek may return to bolster the midfield against top-tier competition. However, the Rossoneri are dealing with a few key injuries, with Marco Sportiello (hand), Ismael Bennacer (ankle), and Alessandro Florenzi (ACL) all sidelined. Captain Davide Calabria is also nursing a muscular issue. 

As for Bayer Leverkusen, they made five changes for their showdown with Bayern, but Xabi Alonso is likely to stick with most of that lineup against Milan. Granit Xhaka is a lock in midfield, while Robert Andrich, who scored against Bayern, will be vying with Aleix Garcia and Exequiel Palacios for a spot alongside him. Florian Wirtz has been in electric form in Europe, contributing to 24 goals in his last 26 European outings. Though he couldn’t find the net against Bayern, he had scored four in three games leading up to it. 

Bayer Leverkusen vs AC Milan – Kick-Off Time and Date 

The game is scheduled to take place on 2nd October 2024 (Wednesday) at Bay Arena in Cologne. The match will kick off at 12:30 AM (Indian Standard Time). 

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