Bayer Leverkusen are set to take on RB Salzburg in the Champions League on Tuesday, 26 February with the home team looking to bounce back from their 4-0 defeat to Liverpool.
That loss at Anfield has left Leverkusen in 13th position in the new Champions League table but a win here could see them move back into the top eight.
RB Salzburg, meanwhile, recorded their first CL win of the season on the previous matchday, and will now feel very much alive when it comes to qualifying for the knockout stages.
How the bookies view it: Leverkusen start as big favourites
On paper, this will be Bayer Leverkusen's ‘easiest' Champions League fixture this season and as a result, they come into the match as heavy favourites with the bookies. Betfred have priced a Bayer Leverkusen win at 2/11 while a victory for RB Salzburg has been priced at 10/1. The draw, which would be a great result for the visitors, has been priced at 5/1.
Recent head-to-head: A first competitive meeting
This will be the first time in their respective histories that Bayer Leverkusen and RB Salzburg have met in a competitive fixture. The two clubs have met in two pre-season friendly matches, however, with Leverkusen winning 4-0 in July 2011 and the sides playing out a 1-1 draw in July 2015.
Players to watch: Red hot Schick to strike again?
With first-choice striker, Victor Boniface out injured, Patrik Schick has been given the opportunity to spearhead the Bayer Leverkusen attack in recent games. The Czech forward scored one against Bochum in the game directly before the November international break before scoring a brilliant hat-trick against Heidenheim this weekend.
The 28-year-old has been at the club since 2020 but has seen his role reduced since Xabi Alonso became manager in 2022. If he can keep his current run of form up and take it into the Champions League then Alonso will have a serious decision to make when Boniface is fit again.
Another play of interest on Tuesday night is RB Salzburg's Oscar Gloukh. The Israeli attacking midfielder is reportedly a target for many big European clubs so it will be interesting to see how he gets on against one of Europe's best teams.
Predicted line-ups
As mentioned Victor Boniface will miss out for Bayer Leverkusen and he is joined in the treatment room by Jonas Hofmann, Martin Terrier, Jeremie Frimpong, Amine Adli and Nordi Mukiele. RB Salzburg will welcome back goalkeeper, Alexander Schlager to the fold after he served a suspension last time out.
Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky – Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie – Tella, Andrich, Xhaka, Grimaldo – Garcia, Wirtz – Schick
RB Salzburg: Schlager – Dedic, Baidoo, Piatkowski, Terzic – Clark, Diambou, Gourna-Douath – Nene, Konate, Gloukh
Anything else catch the eye?
Bayer Leverkusen re-affirmed their status at the weekend as Europe's most entertaining club for the neutral with a seven-goal thriller against Heidenheim. A total of 13 goals have now been scored across their last three matches at an average of just over four goals per match. Over 3.5 goals to be scored on Tuesday has been priced at 5/6 by Betfred.
This UEFA Champions League match between Bayer Leverkusen and RB Salzburg will be played on Nov 26, 2024 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Bayer Leverkusen vs RB Salzburg prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
