Bayer Leverkusen get their UEFA Champions League campaign underway against Feyenoord on Thursday and come into this year’s new-look edition as German titleholders. Xabi Alonso’s side dislodged Bayern Munchen from the summit and will open their quest against last year’s Eredivisie runners-up at De Kuip in one of the early kick-offs.
Dutch champions back in 2023, Feyenoord finished behind PSV Eindhoven last season despite a greater points tally than the 16th Dutch title in their history the year before. The Rotterdam giants did win the KNVB Beker but Arne Slot has moved on to Liverpool and has been replaced by Brian Priske who came in from Sparta Praha. It has been tricky for the Dane so far with one win from four Eredivisie games as well as a Johan Cruijff Shield success over Ajax and a nine-point gap to PSV could already be too great. Back in the UCL again for their second straight campaign which is a first since 2002 — the 1970 European Cup winners have only been in this competition twice in the past 22 years. De Kuip is a tough place to go and the hosts have lost just once in their last 18 continental games there with 14 of those wins.
Aside from Leverkusen’s loss to Atalanta in the Europa League final, it was a stunning term for Die Werkself who are 1988 UEFA Cup winners and saw off Feyenoord that year in the third round. That is their only previous competitive meeting and the DFB Pokal winners will be looking to compete in this year’s new-look UCL having enjoyed deep European runs so far under Alonso. This is only a third outing in eight seasons at this level but one defeat from 11 away games in Europe will make this one a hard-fought encounter with the road to Munich — and therefore a German final — starting here.
Here are our storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Thursday, Sept. 19 | Time: 12:45 p.m. ET
- Location: De Kuip – Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Feyenoord +333; Draw +320; Leverkusen -138
League Phase
Feyenoord: Bayer Leverkusen (home), Girona (away), Benfica (away), RB Salzburg (home), Manchester City (away), Sparta Praha (home), Bayern Munchen (home) and Lille (away).
Leverkusen: Feyenoord (away), Milan (home), Brest (away), Liverpool (away), RB Salzburg (home), Inter (home), Atletico Madrid (away) and Sparta Praha (home).
Team news
Feyenoord: Arne Slot has left along with Lutsharel Geertruida who now stars for RB Leipzig in Germany. Feyenoord did keep Santiago Gimenez and he should start while Jordan Lotomba and Hwang In-beom could also both feature. However, Calvin Stengs and Hugo Bueno are both out injured. Gernot Trauner returned to action over the weekend and should be fit enough for the bench.
Possible Feyenoord XI: Wellenreuther; Lotomba, Beelen, Hancko, Smal; Timber, Zechiel; Nieuwkoop, Nadje, Paixao; Gimenez.
Leverkusen: Xabi Alonso has more or less a full squad available with only Exequiel Palacios needing a late fitness test. Victor Boniface and Patrick Schick will dispute a starting role up top while Robert Andrich or Aleix Garcia will hope to pair with captain Granit Xhaka in the middle. Florian Wirtz will make his awaited Champions League debut and the Germany international has been involved in 12 goals and 12 assists in other UEFA competitions.
Possible Leverkusen XI: Kovar; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Andrich, Xhaka, Grimaldo; Terrier, Wirtz; Boniface.
Prediction
Expect this one to be tight but for Leverkusen to just about edge it. A draw would not be too surprising but the Germans should just about have enough to sneak the win by a single goal. Pick: Feyenoord 1, Leverkusen 2.
