Champions League: City Question on Hold as Leverkusen Visit Town

Manchester City vs Bayer Leverkusen

The halfway stage of the Champions League has been reached and Manchester City are fairly comfortable.

Sitting in fourth position in the 36-strong table, Pep Guardiola’s men are certainly on course for automatic qualification to the last 16, thus bypassing the play-offs which teams who finish ninth to 24^th need to encounter in late winter.

Let me cut straight to the chase though: if they did face major opposition again, would they be able to avoid a repeat of the result they encountered in the play-offs last season when they were ruthlessly dispatched by Kylian Mbappe and co?

This SBOTOP author is unsure.

 

Talking Points

Don’t get me wrong. I fully expect City to deliver yet more Champions League 2025 highlights at home to Bayer Leverkusen this week and move one step closer to the knockout stages.

Even if they lose to Real Madrid before Christmas, I anticipate they will seal enough points from their clash with the German side, as well as meetings with Bodø/Glimt and Galatasaray in January, to finish in the top eight.

But have they got the edge against the European heavyweights or, as their weekend domestic defeat at Newcastle showed, have they now lost some of the ultra-consistent aura they once had?

That discussion will have to wait as they welcome Bayer Leverkusen to the Etihad Stadium.

Leverkusen, let’s not forget, are no pushovers and two seasons ago were terrific – winning the German league and cup double and going through the whole season unbeaten until meeting Atalanta in the final of the Europa League.

How things have changed though.

The club recklessly decided to part ways with Erik ten Hag just three games into his tenure. No wonder the Dutchman was unhappy if club chiefs expected instant results after selling most of their best players this summer.

And while they have made a slight improvement in recent weeks following their self-inflicted chaos, they remain well off the pace and won’t be challenging for the Bundesliga title this term.

Former Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand has actually guided them to success in seven of their last nine matches in all competitions, one of which was their first Champions League win of the season (at the fourth time of asking) earlier this month when they won 1-0 at Benfica.

After entering the international break with a 6-0 demolition of Heidenheim, Leverkusen also ran out 3-1 winners at Wolfsburg on Saturday evening and are up to third in the Bundesliga table in the process.

Another success at City would be particularly momentous as they are just one win away from their 50th triumph in Europe’s top competition.

For all their recent improvements though, they are not at the level of the top sides as shown by a 7-2 demolition by holders PSG earlier in the tournament.

Their task has been made even tougher without midfielder Robert Andrich, who is serving the second of a two-game ban, while defender Edmond Tapsoba is also suspended.

That could mean a start for former Liverpool youngster Jarell Quansah alongside Loic Bade and Jeanuel Belocian, as Axel Tape is still missing with a thigh injury.

Andrich’s ban actually leaves Leverkusen with just two available central midfielders in Ibrahim Maza and Aleix Garcia, as Equi Fernandez (ligament) and Exequiel Palacios (adductor) are both unavailable, and Maza was also taken off at half time against Wolfsburg due to a small blow to the thigh.

With the exception of midfield duo Rodri (hamstring) and Mateo Kovacic (ankle), Guardiola has a full pool of players at his disposal and could recall the likes of John Stones and Tijjani Reijnders to the starting lineup following the setback on Tyneside.

City were far too strong for another German side, Borussia Dortmund, in their last Champions League outing, and it will be a surprise if this tie produces anything other than a home win.

 

History

This will be the first ever meeting between the clubs.

 

Betting Tip

The Champions League 2025 betting odds back City all the way, priced 1X2 @ 1.21 and Asian Handicap -2.00 @ 2.05 and -2.25 @ 2.35.

By contrast, Leverkusen are on offer 1X2 @ 8.80 and Asian Handicap +1.75 @ 2.08. Even the draw is considered unlikely given you can get odds of @ 6.00.

Both of these teams can score freely so I can see the attractiveness of Total Goals 4-6 @ 2.23 and even 2-3 @ 2.36, as opposed to a tight affair – although Total Goal 0-1 will earn you a pay day @ 5.90.

It is simply difficult to see anything beyond a high-scoring home win.

   

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