Bayer Leverkusen have a must-win game against Sparta Prague with nothing to play for after they were knocked out of the tournament after their last loss, though hardly anyone ever thought they had a chance at all.
Atletico Madrid reminded Bayer Leverkusen fans what it's like to lose a game. It had only happened twice in all competitions so far, with Xabi Alonso's team also having 12 consecutive wins. What is harder to fathom is that Leverkusen led 1-0 until the 52nd minute and Atletico were red-carded in the 23rd minute.
Yet the hosts came through to turn the match around and make Bayer Leverkusen's task more difficult. They are currently in eighth place in the standings and need a win by a big score to secure their place among the top eight. Fortunately, Sparta Prague have no reason to play and a big result is highly probable.
The visitors from the Czech Republic are out of the competition after five losses in seven rounds. Their campaign started with a win and a draw, but things quickly turned around. Sparta conceded 18 goals in their last five Champions League games and lost each one.
It should be noted that so far they are performing decently compared to most other teams at the bottom. At least they scored some goals and showed some spirit against bigger teams like Feyenoord. But they are highly likely to lose one more time against Leverkusen.
How the bookies view it: Leverkusen with an almost extreme advantage
You'd hardly expect to find value in this particular game. The odds are completely one-sided, with Bayer Leverkusen being just 3/20. Sparta Prague are one of the biggest underdogs in the final round and have odds of 16/1. If you're interested in the draw, you can pick it at 17/2.
Recent head to head: No recent games but not their first meeting either
Bayer Leverkusen and Sparta Prague have met once in 2007 when the Europa League was still the UEFA Cup. Their match was in the group stage and the German side won 1-0.
Players to watch: Wirtz one more time in the League Phase
Florian Wirtz is Bayer Leverkusen's most impactful player in the Champions League this season but he has had some struggles in the last few rounds. He hasn't scored since Leverkusen dismantled Salzburg three rounds ago. This is the best time to step up and lead his team to the quarter-finals.
Probable line-ups
Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky, Tapsoba, Tah, Mukiele, Grimaldo, Xhaka, Palacios, Frimpong, Wirtz, Hofmann, Boniface
Sparta Prague: Vindahl, Vitik, Panak, Sorensen, Wiesner, Sadilek, Kairinen, Laci, Rynes, Birmancevis, Olatunji
Anything else catch the eye?
Bayer Leverkusen are yet to concede a goal as hosts in this Champions League campaign. But they have also scored just seven, which is quite low compared to quite a few of the other favourites to qualify.
That means Leverkusen have to find a way to win by a bigger margin in this final game. There are as many as 16 teams that can displace them if they lose this match.
Nothing is certain and Alonso's players have no room for error. Unfortunately, the odds are not very good. Even in this case, it's hard for us to expect more than 3.5 goals, although it's highly likely that they will score them.
Rather, we plan to go for corners. Both teams have had almost none in their games so far. The line of 10.5 has never been crossed.
Under 10.5 is a great possibility, considering we expect Bayer Leverkusen to have most of the possession of the ball. Also Under 3.5 for Sparta Prague.
This UEFA Champions League match between Bayer Leverkusen and Sparta Prague will be played on Jan 29, 2025 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Bayer Leverkusen vs Sparta Prague prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
