Manchester City will host Bayer Leverkusen at the Etihad in a UEFA Champions League clash on Tuesday, looking to bounce back from the defeat against Newcastle United.
Manchester City have been quite inconsistent this season, and they will look to put together a winning run now, starting with the game vs Bayer Leverkusen. They failed to challenge for major trophies last season, and Pep Guardiola’s charges will be expected to compete at the highest level.
The hosts need to win these games if they want to do well in the UEFA Champions League. Manchester City have picked up 10 points from four matches, and they will look to pick up a victory here. Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen are coming into this game on the back of five wins from their last six matches in all competitions.
However, they have picked up just one win in the UEFA Champions League so far. Die Werkself will look to pick up their second win of the tournament here and pull off an upset away from home. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Manchester City
Rodri (hamstring) and Mateo Kovacic (ankle) will remain sidelined for the hosts. Manchester City will shape up in their usual 4-1-4-1 formation vs Bayer Leverkusen, with Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal.
Matheus Nunes and Nico O’Reilly will start as the full-backs. They will keep things tight at the back and hit Leverkusen on the counter. Meanwhile, Ruben Dias will start alongside Josko Gvardiol at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Nico Gonzalez will start in the middle of the park, and he will look to dictate the tempo of the game from the deep. Tijjani Reijnders and Phil Foden will start as the advanced playmakers, and they will add creativity to the side.
Savinho and Jeremy Doku will add pace, flair and goals from the flanks, with Erling Haaland leading the line for Manchester City vs Bayer Leverkusen at the Etihad on Tuesday night.
Probable Lineup (4-1-4-1): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Gonzalez; Doku, Reijnders, Foden, Savinho; Haaland
Bayer Leverkusen
The away team has a number of injury problems heading into this game. They will be without multiple key players. Lucas Vazquez, Alejandro Grimaldo, Ezequiel Fernandez, and Axel Tape are all ruled out. Robert Andrich is suspended. Jonas Hofmann, Exequiel Palacios, and Alejo Sarco are ineligible for Champions League selection.
Bayer Leverkusen will shape up in a 3-4-2-1 formation vs Manchester City, with Mark Flekken in goal. In the back three, Jarell Quansah will start alongside Loic Bade and Edmond Tapsoba. Arthur and Jeanuel Belocian will start as the wing-backs. They will help out defensively and look to hit City on the break.
As for the midfield unit, Aleix Garcia and Ibrahim Maza will pair up in the central areas in the middle of the park. They will add control and composure to the side. Ernest Poku and Claudio Echeverri will start as the attacking midfielders.
They will look to create opportunities in the final third with flair, vision and technique. They could drift out as the wide players as well. Finally, Christian Kofane will spearhead the Bayer Leverkusen attack vs Manchester City on Tuesday.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Flekken; Quansah, Bade, Tapsoba; Arthur, Garcia, Maza, Belocian; Poku, Echeverri; Kofane
Key Stats
- Manchester City have picked up four wins from their last six matches across all competitions.
- Bayer Leverkusen have picked up five wins from their last six matches across all competitions.
- Bayer Leverkusen have conceded ten goals in four UEFA Champions League matches this season.
- Manchester City have scored ten goals in four UEFA Champions League matches this season.
- Manchester City rank first in the UEFA Champions League this season for successful passes (2,511), pass accuracy (91.9%), 10+ pass sequences in open play (95) and passes per sequence (6.2). At the same time, they are the only team who haven’t conceded a single opposition fast break in the current edition.
Player to Watch
Erling Haaland
Manchester City have been overly dependent on the Norwegian striker this season, and they will expect him to make a defining contribution in the final third so that they can pick up a win at home. Haaland is in spectacular form right now, and he will look to find the back of the net here. He will also look to open up opportunities for his teammates.
24 of Erling Haaland’s 31 goals for Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League have been first-time finishes (77%), with his total of 24 being the most by any player in the competition since the start of 2022/23. Bayer Leverkusen can be quite inconsistent defensively, and they have conceded six goals in the last five matches. Haaland has the quality to punish them at the back.
Prediction
Manchester City 3-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Both teams will look to pick up all three points here, and this is likely to be an open game with a fair few chances. Neither side is defensive in their approach. Manchester City have more quality in the final third, and they should be able to exploit the German outfit’s defensive vulnerabilities. A comfortable home win is on the cards for Pep Guardiola and his charges.
