For most teams the priority after a three goal hammering at Bayern Munich’s hands would simply be to avoid any further embarrassment in the second leg. Then again Bayer Leverkusen have long since imbued the idea that there is no comeback that is beyond them, even without missing star Florian Wirtz.
Xabi Alonso said on Tuesday: “The team is convinced that we can [comeback] because of many, many reasons, but there is one very important one: we are in a position in which we have nothing to lose, only Bayern can lose something. A hundred percent of Bayern fans think that they are through. And we have only things to win.”
Leverkusen, who were unbeaten in six meetings with Bayern before last week’s error-strewn 3-0 loss, might well be entitled to believe they are able to win on the night, but with implied odds to reach the quarterfinals of barely five percent it would take something miraculous for this to be a night that ends with the hosts celebrating. Then again, the miraculous was Leverkusen’s stock trade last season.
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Team news
Bayer Leverkusen: To make Leverkusen’s task all the more challenging, Monday brought the revelation that Florian Wirtz would be missing for several weeks with a knee ligament injury. It is hard to overstate Wirtz’s talent or the impact that his loss will have on Alonso’s side. “I’m very sorry for Flo, especially since he was in a top moment,” said Alonso. “But now is a good moment to show that we are a complete team and that we can win without him. [It’s important] for him that we continue in the Champions League, so that he can play Champions League again this season. There’s no bigger test than tomorrow without Flo.”
Leverkusen’s injury worries don’t end there. Martin Terrier might have stepped in for Wirtz if he were fit but he has been suffering an Achilles issue and will be unavailable. Meanwhile Alonso is awaiting further news on the illnesses of of Granit Xhaka, Edmond Tapsoba, Robert Andrich and Jonas Hoffman. The first three did at least take part in training on Monday. Nordi Mukiele is suspended after receiving a red card in the first leg.
Possible Bayer Leverkusen XI: Kovar; Tapsoba, Tah, Hinacpie; Frimpong, Xhaka, Palacios, Grimaldo; Tella, Schick, Adli
Bayern Munich: There are not quite so many injury headaches for Vincent Kompany to mull after the first leg. Manuel Neuer limped off in the second half and is out for the foreseeable future with a calf injury while illness has also caught up with Aleksandar Pavlovic.
There are other matters of Kompany to mull, however. Few in the heavily rotated side that lost 3-2 to Bochum at the weekend will feel they did much to earn a starting spot on Tuesday but might there be a case to persevere with Joao Palhinha, sent off in that game, and in the process ensure Leon Goretzka does not pick up the yellow card that would sideline him for the first leg of the quarterfinal? Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry are also on that disciplinary tightrope though Bayern are not short of options in their positions.
Possible Bayern Munich XI: Urbig; Laimer, Upamecano, Kim, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka; Olise, Musiala, Coman; Kane
Viewing information
- Date: Tuesday, March 11 | Time: 4 p.m. ET
- Location: Bay Arena — Leverkusen, Germany
- Watch: Paramount+
- Odds: Bayer Leverkusen +170; Draw +250; Bayern Munich +150
Prediction
Leverkusen will surely go down swinging but this might just be too much for the Bundesliga champions. PICK: Leverkusen 2, Bayern Munich 0
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