5 reasons why Bayer Leverkusen can beat Juventus in the UEFA Champions League
From a fit-again Kai Havertz to a maturing, in-form Bayer Leverkusen side, there are plenty of reasons for Die Werkself fans to be optimistic ahead of their UEFA Champions League clash at home to Juventus on Wednesday.
bundesliga.com outlines five reasons why Peter Bosz's side can come away with the points…
1) Havertz is back
Juve may boast the likes Cristiano Ronaldo and world champion Blaise Matuidi among their ranks, but Leverkusen also have a player the envy of the rest of Europe in Havertz. Ask the Old Lady if they would like to have the 20-year-old German playmaker in their team and they would bite your hand off, but he will instead be plotting their downfall on Wednesday.
With 17 goals from 34 Bundesliga games last term, Havertz was Europe's second most prolific midfielder, only behind Sporting Lisbon's Bruno Fernandes. He became the only teenager ever to score 15 goals for a German club in a single season and could largely be credited with getting Leverkusen into the Champions League at all. For all Juve's quality going forward, they had best beware of the threat Havertz can pose if he's given more than an inch in midfield.
The left-footer missed recent matches against Freiburg, Bayern Munich and Lokomotiv Moscow with a muscle strain, but is now fully fit once more and led Leverkusen's charge in their hard-fought 2-1 win at home to Schalke at the weekend.
Watch: Havertz discusses his path to the top of the game
2) Leverkusen have matured
Bosz must feel a quiet sense of paternal pride when watching his young squad in action these days, having overseen a rapid - and necessary - period of growth. Die Werkself played well in their first three continental outings this season, winning plaudits for a bold approach in passing out from the back and taking the game to the opposition.
As pleasing as it was on the eye, Leverkusen's inexperience showed and unforced individual errors contributed to them losing all three games, leaving them on the verge of crashing out of Europe altogether.
They have become more streetwise since then, choosing more shrewdly when to attack and when - and how - to defend, now no longer averse to a long punt forward if necessary. A 2-1 home win against Atletico Madrid in early November provided a welcome boost for morale, giving the players belief that they are able to compete with the very best at this level. That was followed by a 2-0 win in Moscow a fortnight ago to rekindle hopes of progressing to the next stage, with a minimum of Europa League football already guaranteed after the winter break.
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3) Red-hot hosts
Leverkusen might only be sixth in the Bundesliga table at present, but don't let that fool you: Bosz's side are one of the best teams in Germany right now. The victory over Atletico has sparked a six-game unbeaten run in all competitions, with Bayer winning five and drawing one.
And not against teams supposedly weaker on paper. Oh no. That streak includes away triumphs over Wolfsburg - who had the best defence in the Bundesliga at the time - Bayern and Lokomotiv, as well as a home victory over a high-flying Schalke side at the weekend.
With 11 goals scored and just four conceded over that period, Leverkusen are playing well, confident and unafraid of anyone.
Watch: Highlights of Leverkusen's win over Bayern
4) Irrepressible attack
All of which brings us neatly to the threat Leverkusen pose. Under Bosz they are masters in transition, blessed with jet-heeled attackers who get the ball forward quickly and directly.
Bosz's men are averaging 1.7 goals a game this season, having scored 36 times in their 21 competitive outings so far, so it will be hard for Juventus to keep them quiet over 90 minutes. And with Germany international Kerem Demirbay pulling the strings in midfield and Kevin Volland – who has five Bundesliga goals and five assists in in 2019/20 – in form and leading the line, goals could well be on the cards.
And when you factor in that Leverkusen are the hardest-running team in Germany's top flight, collectively covering an average of 74.77 miles per game, and average 16 shots per game (the third-highest tally in the Bundesliga), then it becomes clear that Juve's ageing outfit are in for an tiring night.
5) Strength in depth
Leverkusen had arguably one of the best summer transfer windows of all Bundesliga clubs, signing players with proven quality in Demirbay, Germany U21 international Nadiem Amiri, highly rated youngsters Moussa Diaby and Daley Sinkgraven.
And with the likes of Lucas Alario and Paulinho already waiting in the wings, Bosz has plenty of options, particularly in the final third, if his Plan A proves unsuccessful. Their youthful exuberance, combined with the experience of the Bender siblings, Julian Baumgartlinger and Charles Aranguiz, makes for a potent combination.
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