Bayer Leverkusen vs Salzburg Prediction 26.11.2024 | Champions League

• Competition: Champions League
• Date: 24.11.2024.
• Kickoff: 20:00 UK / 21:00 CET
• Venue: BayArena (Leverkusen)

After a slightly longer break, the top European club football competition is back in action.

Four rounds have been played so far, and the standings look quite different from what most expected. Teams like Sporting, Monaco, and Brest sit at the top, while some favorites are still searching for their best form.

Bayer Leverkusen currently occupies 13th place in the standings with 7 points. After opening with two wins against Feyenoord and Milan and a draw against Brest, the "Pharmacists" suffered a crushing defeat at Anfield against Liverpool, losing 4-0. It was Xabi Alonso's return to the ground where he spent five fantastic seasons as a player, though it’s a match he will want to forget. Up until the 60th minute, it didn’t seem like the game would end disastrously for the visitors, but then the hosts shifted gears, scoring four goals in 30 minutes, including a hat-trick by Luis Díaz.

Ahead of this match, Bayer hosted Heidenheim in the 11th round of the Bundesliga. They secured a 5-2 victory, though it was far from easy, as they were chasing a two-goal deficit within the first 20 minutes.

On the other hand, Salzburg earned their first points and first win in the Champions League in their last match, defeating Feyenoord 3-1 away. At that moment, it seemed like they were starting to emerge from a run of poor results. However, they then suffered two completely unexpected defeats in the Austrian league, losing to Linz and LASK. These losses have dropped them to 5th place in the Austrian Bundesliga, a full 14 points behind league leaders Sturm.

Club coach Pepijn Lijnders has been under significant pressure for some time now, and it’s unclear how much more patience the board has left for him.

Bayer Leverkusen vs Salzburg pick: BAYER LEVERKUSEN TO WIN AND COVER AH -1.5

From Bayer Leverkusen's perspective, this match against Salzburg comes at the perfect time. They face an out-of-form opponent who, even in a relatively weak domestic league, is losing games in succession and whose confidence is at rock bottom.

Bayer does have some issues, primarily with player injuries, but they are an experienced, talented, and above all, high-quality team capable of overcoming such setbacks. The best example is their weekend match against Heidenheim, where, in the absence of their top striker Victor Boniface, the somewhat forgotten Patrik Schick stepped up. With three goals, he reminded everyone of his best days.

In addition to Boniface, a few other Bayer players are doubtful for the upcoming clash. However, regardless of the lineup Xabi Alonso fields on Tuesday, the hosts are overwhelming favorites in this match. At the very least, we expect a victory by a two-goal margin.