Can Leverkusen make it two from two against Milan?

• Read our 5 reasons why Leverkusen will beat Milan
• Steely Leverkusen defending frustrates Bayern
• How does the new-format Champions League work?
• Munich’s Allianz Arena will host this season’s final
• All European fixtures and results for Bundesliga teams in 2024/25
• Watch every Leverkusen goal in the Bundesliga this season

Latest

Only Bayern Munich won by a greater margin on Champions League Matchday 1 than Leverkusen, who brushed aside Feyenoord 4-0 in Rotterdam a fortnight ago. Florian Wirtz netted twice, with Alejandro Grimaldo grabbed another before an own goal in a devastating first-half display by the Bundesliga champions. And after a wobbly start to the campaign in terms of conceding goals, Xabi Alonso’s side demonstrated much greater defensive steel at the weekend as they held Bayern to a 1-1 draw in Munich, restricting the previously free-scoring league leaders to only three shots on target. Robert Andrich netted the opener on Saturday but tends to make way for Aleix García in home fixtures, so expect the Spaniard to come in alongside Granit Xhaka. Exequiel Palacios has also had minutes off the bench in the last three games and offers another option in central midfield. Victor Boniface has mostly been given the nod to start as centre-forward this season, but Patrik Schick could get an opportunity here as Alonso looks to keep his team fresh as he did throughout last year’s long campaign.

Runners-up to city rivals Inter Milan in Serie A last season, Milan are competing in the Champions League for the fourth year running after an almost decade-long absence. They looked like getting their league phase off to the perfect start when former Borussia Dortmund starlet Christian Pulisic struck inside three minutes against Liverpool, but the English club then hit three at the San Siro to condemn the Rossoneri to an opening defeat. Paulo Fonseca’s side also had a wobbly start to their domestic campaign with only two points from their first three games, but have since won three on the spin, including a derby victory over Inter and last Friday’s 3-0 win at home to Lecce that lifted them to third in the table. Pulisic is expected to continue in the front four of Álvaro Morata, Rafael Leão and Tammy Abraham, although ex-Eintracht Frankfurt man Luka Jović is also an option in a talented Milan squad.

Watch: Leverkusen held Bayern in Munich at the weekend

Match stats

• Alonso won the Champions League twice as player, including as part of the Liverpool team that famously came from 3-0 down to beat Milan on penalties in the 2004/05 final.
• Wirtz has registered six goals and one assist in eight competitive appearances so far in 2024/25.
• Leverkusen are playing Champions League football for the 14th time. Their best run was to the 2001/02 final, where they lost to Real Madrid.
• Bayer went unbeaten at home in Europe last season, winning five and drawing one of their six Europa League fixtures at the BayArena.
• Milan drew 0-0 in Dortmund, but lost the reverse tie 3-1 in last season's Champions League groups. It marked their 10th defeat in 39 UEFA competition meetings with German opposition (W17, D12).
• Pulisic produced 13 goals and 18 assists across 90 Bundesliga appearances as a Dortmund player, while Jović struck 29 times in 72 league games for Frankfurt.

Probable teams

Leverkusen: Hrádecký (c) - Mukiele, Tah, Hincapié - Frimpong, García, Xhaka, Grimaldo - Adli, Wirtz - Schick
Out: -
Doubtful: -
Coach: Xabi Alonso

Milan: Maignan - Emerson, Gabbia, Tomori, Hernández - Reijnders, Fofana - Pulisic, Morata, Leão (c) - Abraham
Out: Bennacer (calf), Florenzi (knee), Sportiello (hand)
Doubtful: Calabria (adductor), Okafor (muscular)
Coach: Paulo Fonseca

LIVE blog!