One of the extremely anticipated fixtures within the 2024//25 UEFA Champions League calendar pits Bayer Leverkusen and Inter towards one another on Tuesday evening. BayArena units the stage for a heavyweight conflict between reigning Bundesliga and Serie A champions, with the automated qualification spot on the road.
Regardless of a stuttering begin to their title protection on the home entrance, Xabi Alonso’s males are heading in the right direction to safe a last-16 berth at Europe’s high desk. Leverkusen humbled out-of-sorts RB Salzburg 5-0 within the earlier spherical to elevate to sixth within the 36-team desk, albeit stage on factors with ninth-placed Aston Villa.
Given the fierce competitors for computerized promotion, there’s nearly no wriggle room as Die Werkself head into proceedings in search of a sixth consecutive win in all competitions. A decent 2-1 residence triumph towards Bundesliga newcomers St. Pauli on the weekend ensured Leverkusen didn’t lose additional floor on table-topping Bayern Munich.
Buoyed by their ongoing purple patch, the German giants entertain high-flying Inter on residence turf within the first Champions League assembly between the groups in over 20 years. Certainly, the Nerazzurri confronted Leverkusen within the 2002/03 second stage, pulling off victories in each legs, together with a 2-0 win on this floor.
Inter will intention to duplicate that success on Tuesday and take a doubtlessly important step to clinch a coveted top-eight end. The 20-time Serie A champions have loved a stellar European marketing campaign to date, successful 4 successive matches with out conceding since a scoreless draw at Manchester Metropolis on matchday one.
In consequence, they sit second within the standings, two factors adrift of table-topping Liverpool pre-round.
Match Preview
Bayer Leverkusen
With three factors separating them from Inter forward of the kick-off, Leverkusen might leapfrog their opposition within the desk if solely they’ll defy a 100% lose ratio on this fixture. Along with shedding each legs within the Champions League 21 years in the past, Die Werkself suffered a 2-1 defeat to the Nerazzurri of their 2019/20 UEFA Europa League quarter-final one-off tie.
Pushed by revenge, Alonso’s lads can be out to tug off a league-phase double towards each San Siro golf equipment after seeing off Milan 1-0 in spherical two. Including to Leverkusen’s confidence, they’ve emerged victorious from seven of their final eight residence outings in main UEFA competitions (D1), successful each such encounters this season ‘to nil.’
Triumphs towards Milan and Salzburg type a part of Leverkusen’s telling nine-game unbeaten run on the BayArena (W7, D2), with 4 of these seven wins seeing them rating 3+ targets. Delivering motion from the onset, 5 of Leverkusen’s final seven residence video games have featured a purpose on or earlier than the tenth minute.
Inter
Historical past beckons for Inter as they bid to turn into the primary Italian membership since Juventus in 2012/13 to win 5 consecutive Champions League fixtures with out conceding. Attaining that feat would, in flip, mark an unprecedented milestone on this competitors’s historical past, making the Nerazzurri the primary crew to maintain a clear sheet within the first six matches of a particular marketing campaign.
Inter will make this journey in excessive spirits after successful their final 5 aggressive away matches, seeking to defy an detached document throughout their 4 most up-to-date Champions League travels (W1, D2, L1). With 4 of these 5 victories coming ‘to nil,’ the guests appear well-positioned to enter the Champions League folklore.
Moreover, final Friday to increase their formidable unbeaten streak in all competitions to 13 matches (W11, D2) and consolidate their Scudetto protection.
Workforce Information
Patrik Schick’s availability is up within the air. The Czech ahead has sustained a calf harm and can seemingly skip this contest alongside Jonas Hofmann and Amine Adli. Schick isn’t the one lacking ahead within the Leverkusen camp, as Victor Boniface hasn’t performed for the membership since coming back from worldwide responsibility with a thigh drawback.
Alternatively, Benjamin Pavard is the one Inter star out of rivalry for the matchday squad. Certainly, Davide Frattesi, Francesco Acerbi, and Carlos Augusto have regained full health and can be at Inzaghi’s disposal for this blockbuster showdown.
Bayer Leverkusen vs Inter Potential Beginning Line-ups
Bayer Leverkusen (3-5-2): Kovar; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Xhaka, Andrich, Garcia, Grimaldo; Wirtz, Tella.
Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Dimarco; Thuram, Taremi
Bayer Leverkusen vs Inter Prediction
It’s onerous to place it previous Leverkusen to turn into the primary Champions League crew this season to interrupt Inter’s rock-solid backline. Nonetheless, we can’t envisage the Italians’ slip-up. Quite the opposite, Inzaghi’s males are in good condition to finish the Germans’ revival.