Bayern Munich host Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie. Both teams are evenly matched and look set to serve up a tight contest.
Bayern are coming off a 3-1 Bundesliga win at Stuttgart, extending their unbeaten streak to eight matches, with six wins in that run. Their attacking form remains strong, especially at home, scoring at least three goals in eight of their last nine home matches in all competitions.
However, defensive frailties remain a concern, failing to keep a clean sheet in their last five Champions League matches. These struggles were evident in the playoffs as they claimed a 3-2 aggregate victory over Celtic to progress to the Round of 16.
Bayer Leverkusen arrive in strong form after a commanding 4-1 league win over Eintracht Frankfurt, extending their unbeaten run to eight matches in all competitions. Xabi Alonso’s side have been impressive in attack, scoring two or more goals in five fixtures in that run.
The German champions claimed a 2-0 victory over Sparta Prague last time out in the Champions League but have been unconvincing on their travels in Europe, losing their last two away matches. However, prior to those results, they claimed a 4-0 victory at Feyenoord and played out a 1-1 draw with Brest.
How the bookies view it: Advantage Bayern Munich
The bookies have installed Bayern Munich as favourites to edge the first leg with BoyleSports offering odds of 4/5 for home win. A victory for Bayer Leverkusen is priced at 3/1 while a draw is set at 11/4 by BoyleSports.
Head to head: Recent Leverkusen superiority
Bayern Munich have a 56-22 advantage, with 20 draws from 98 previous matches against Bayer Leverkusen. However, the visitors are unbeaten in the last six meetings, including three straight matches at the Allianz Arena, all of which have ended in stalemates and produced halftime draws.
Players to watch: Opportunist Schick
Patrick Schick has been dependable up front for Bayer Leverkusen, scoring seven times in his last nine matches. The Czech striker could be worth keeping an eye on to score anytime at odds 5/2 with BoyleSports.
Bayern Munich also have a prolific forward of their own, with Harry Kane boasting 29 goals in all competitions. Seven of those goals have come in the Champions League and the England captain is priced at evens with BoyeSports to find the net.
Probable line-ups
Bayern are optimistic that Joshua Kimmich will be fit for this clash after resuming light training over the weekend. Eric Dier and Aleksandar Pavlovic are recovering from illness, while Jamal Musiala, Joao Palhinha and Alphonso Davies are expected to be available.
Piero Hincapie returns for Bayer Leverkusen after serving a suspension but Jeanuel Belocian remains sidelined with a long-term injury. However, Florian Wirtz, Patrick Schick and Nathan Tella are all expected to keep their places in the starting lineup.
Bayern Munich: Neuer, Laimer, Kim, Upamecano, Davies, Palhinha, Goretzka, Olise, Musiala, Coman, Kane
Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky, Mukiele, Tah, Hincapie, Frimpong, Aleix Garcia, Xhaka, Grimaldo, Tella, Schick, Wirtz
Anything else catch the eye?
Both teams have scored in four of Bayern Munich’s last five Champions League matches and a repeat is expected at 6/10 with BoyleSports. The Bavarians have seen over 2.5 goals in four of their five Champions League matches and a similar outcome is priced at 4/6 with BoyleSports, who are also offering 17/10 for over 2.5 goals.
The last three meetings have produced halftime draws and with another close encounter expected, a repeat can be considered at 5/4.
This UEFA Champions League match between Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen will be played on and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
