Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan will aim to continue their unbeaten runs when they clash at BayArena on Tuesday.
The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League resumes with Matchday 2 of the first round as teams and fans alike continue to get used to the new format. One of the most eye-catching matches on Tuesday will feature Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan, with the two powerhouses locking horns at BayArena.
Bayer Leverkusen reached the UEFA Champions League by winning the 2023/24 Bundesliga title. The German giants were hot off the blocks in Europe, cruising to a 4-0 win over Feyenoord on Matchday 1. However, Xabi Alonso’s men have not been at their best thus far in the Bundesliga, although they are only three points behind the table-topping Bayern Munich.
As for AC Milan, they have blown hot and cold in the early days of the 2024/25 season, although they have recovered from a slow start to their Serie A campaign. After beating Lecce 3-0 this past weekend, the Rossoneri moved within two points of the top of the Serie A table, only two points behind Napoli. However, Paulo Fonseca’s men began their UEFA Champions League campaign with a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool.
Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan will clash for the first time on Tuesday. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the maiden meeting between the two sides at BayArena this midweek.
Team News & Tactics
Bayer Leverkusen
Xabi Alonso does not have any new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against AC Milan on Tuesday, the Bayer Leverkusen manager will have a full-strength squad.
Lukas Hradecky should take his spot between the sticks, with Bayer Leverkusen lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him against AC Milan. The central defensive unit should feature Edmond Tapsoba, Jonathan Tah, and Piero Hincapie.
Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo are automatic picks as the wing-back pairing, with the duo taking charge of creating the bulk of the chances for the home side. The wide pair will flank Robert Andrich and Granit Xhaka, who will look to hold the fort in the central areas.
Victor Boniface should spearhead the Bayer Leverkusen attack against AC Milan on Tuesday, with Amine Adli an option on the bench. Finally, Martin Terrier and Florian Wirtz will line up behind Boniface, looking to provide the creative impetus from the central areas.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Andrich, Xhaka, Grimaldo; Terrier, Wirtz; Boniface
AC Milan
Unlike his counterpart in the Bayer Leverkusen dugout, Paulo Fonseca has a few fitness issues to deal with ahead of the trip to BayArena. The AC Milan manager will be without five first-team players on Tuesday.
Ismael Bennacer is the most notable absentee, with the experienced midfielder recovering from an ankle injury. The Algerian international accompanies Marco Sportiello (hand), Davide Calabria (muscular), Alessandro Florenzi (knee), and Noah Okafor (muscular) on the sidelines.
Mike Maignan is an automatic pick between the sticks, with AC Milan lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of the Frenchman against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday. The backline should feature Emerson Royal, Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia, and Theo Hernandez.
As for the midfield unit, Wesley Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders will pair up in the double pivot, looking to keep things tight in the middle of the park and providing the forward thrust from the central areas. Ruben Loftus-Cheek will reprise the no. 10 role, with Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao being the two wide attackers. Finally, Tammy Abraham should lead the line for the away side.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Emerson, Tomori, Gabbia, Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Abraham
Key Stats
- Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan have never previously met in European competition. In their previous 12 games against Italian clubs in the UEFA Champions League, the German giants have only managed two victories (D4 L6), losing the last three games. On the other hand, the Serie A heavyweights have only lost one of their eight most recent games against German clubs in the UEFA Champions League (W3 D4), although that one defeat came in the most recent such game.
- Bayer Leverkusen are unbeaten in their last nine games at BayArena in major European competition (W6 D3), while they have never previously gone ten successive home matches without defeat.
- AC Milan have won their first away game in only one of their previous seven UEFA Champions League campaigns (D5 L1), failing to do so in the four most recent outings (D1) since beating Zenit St Petersburg in 2012/13 (3-2).
- Following the 4-0 victory over Feyenoord last time out, Bayer Leverkusen could win their opening two games of a UEFA Champions League campaign for the first time since 2001/02, a season in which they reached the final and lost 1-2 to Real Madrid.
- Florian Wirtz has been directly involved in 24 goals in his last 26 starts for Bayer Leverkusen in European competition (12 goals, 12 assists). He became the first German player to score twice on his UEFA Champions League debut on Matchday 1 against Feyenoord.
Player to Watch
Christian Pulisic
Christian Pulisic has resurrected his stuttering career since joining AC Milan from Chelsea last year. While the American attacker was prone to bouts of inconsistency in his debut season, he has stepped up in the first few weeks of the 2024/25 season, scoring five goals and providing two assists in seven appearances thus far.
Pulisic has found the back of the net in his last two UEFA Champions League appearances for AC Milan (two goals). He can become the first player from the USA to score in three consecutive appearances in the competition. The 26-year-old will be the best bet for the Rossoneri to get something from Tuesday’s game at BayArena.
Prediction
Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 AC Milan
Tuesday’s match at BayArena should produce some fireworks, considering AC Milan’s improving form — apart from the drubbing they received from Liverpool — and Bayer Leverkusen’s habit of breaching the net game after game. Both teams have world-class attackers, while their defensive units have been vulnerable.
However, AC Milan’s backline has been worse than the home side’s, and Florian Wirtz should run riot in the final third. The game should stretch to the final moments, with The Hard Tackle predicting a 2-1 win for Xabi Alonso and his charges.