The Bayer Leverkusen hype train was running as fast as the team’s breakneck style of play in the early part of the season. Leverkusen were supposed to follow suit after fellow German club Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid embraced the hard-pressing style to earn European and domestic success.
The hype train has slowed down since, with Leverkusen struggling to keep pace in the Bundesliga. The Germans can still make their mark in Europe, but it’ll have to be against an Atletico Madrid team that has used that same style to great success. Read on below for our preview of this interesting tactical battle between two like-minded teams and while you’re at it don’t miss our preview of another Champion’s League showdown: Chelsea vs. Paris Saint-Germain.
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Bayer Leverkusen vs. Atletico Madrid Betting Preview
It’s been a mighty cold winter for Bayer Leverkusen, who have cooled off significantly after a hot start to the season. Since December, Leverkusen have won just twice in 10 matches in all competitions, with three defeats and five draws. They’ve also gone three straight without a win, conceding nine goals in the process.
[sc:Soccer240banner ]Under first-year head coach Roger Schmidt, Leverkusen have transformed into a very aggressive, attack-minded team that has used its hyper-pressing game to get off to fast starts. However, the team has struggled defensively in recent games, especially in the closing stages. They conceded stoppage time goals in each of their last two games, which cost them four points.
That shaky defense won’t be helped by the suspension of first-choice central defender Omer Toprak and the possible absence of top defensive midfielder Lars Bender, who is doubtful with a knee injury, in the first leg.
Leverkusen look good going forward, though. Heung-Min Son, the team’s leading Champions League scorer with three goals, recorded a hat-trick in their incredible 5-4 shootout loss to Wolfsburg on Valentine’s Day, while Karim Bellarabi (nine goals, five assists in the Bundesliga), Hakan Calhanoglu, Josip Drmic and Stefan Kiessling (off the bench) are all capable of getting a goal.
Aggressiveness has been the name of the game for Leverkusen this season, and don’t expect them to change now. The home leg will be their best chance to beat Atletico, so look for them to come out and blitz the Spaniards right from the first whistle. However, it could be tough for them to sustain that frenetic pace without fading in the end.
Leverkusen have lost just twice in 14 home matches in the Bundesliga and Champions League this season.
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Betting on Atletico Madrid
Atletico manager Diego Simeone got a little too cute against Celta Vigo as he made too many changes to what had worked so well in their 4-0 dismantling of rivals Real Madrid the previous week. His biggest mistake was splitting up the incredibly prolific strike partnership of Mario Mandzukic and Antoine Griezmann, and he paid for it with a 2-0 defeat.
Simeone learned his lesson this past weekend against Almeria, though, and his first-choice starting lineup yielded another impressive 3-0 win. It was Atletico’s fifth win in their last six league matches.
Right on cue, the reunited Mandzukic and Griezmann had a part in all three goals. Griezmann scored two, while Mandzukic assisted on both of his partner’s goals and scored the opening goal via the penalty spot. The two have combined to score 10 goals in their last five La Liga appearances.
The way Mandzukic and Griezmann are playing at the moment, Atletico are a threat to score on just about any team. And with Leverkusen struggling and missing some key defensive personnel, the situation is definitely advantageous for them to snatch a crucial away goal or two.
Atleti utilize the same intense pressing style as Leverkusen, one which they used to great success in their run to the Champions League final last season. Simeone has drilled his Atletico team on the nuances of this style for countless hours in training, so they should be well prepared to play against it in Germany.
Atletico’s overall defense in this season’s competition has been top-notch to say the least. Since giving up three goals in a shock 3-2 defeat at Olympiakos in Matchday One, the Spanish champions have not given up a single goal in their next five Champions League matches.
Writer’s Prediction
Atletico’s defense holds firm once again, while the Griezmann-Mandzukic partnership comes through with another big goal. Take Atleti (+130) to take a 1-0 win back to Spain.
