Bayer Leverkusen put their 100 percent UEFA Champions League record on the line as they visit French debutants Brest, who are also still perfect, on Wednesday (kick-off: 6.45pm CEST).

• 5 reasons Leverkusen will see off Brest
• A closer look at bullish Boniface
• Bayer edged high-flying Frankfurt at the weekend
• Watch all of Leverkusen's Bundesliga goals this season
• Keep across all results involving Bundesliga clubs in Europe

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Leverkusen have enjoyed a perfect start on their return to the Champions League and begin Matchday 3 as one of seven teams with two wins from two after beating Feyenoord and AC Milan, while also not conceding a single goal. They come into this clash on the back of a morale-boosting 2-1 victory over in-form Eintracht Frankfurt as they look to compete on all fronts this campaign. Robert Andrich and Victor Boniface were both on the scoresheet in that clash, and should keep their places in the starting line-up for this trip to France. Xabi Alonso has a clean bill of health for this encounter, with Florian Wirtz also available after coming on from the bench against Frankfurt. The Spaniard has rotated his side for Champions League matches this term, so the likes of Amine Adli and Aleix García could be in contention for the starting XI here.

After a historic 2023/24 campaign that saw them qualify for continental footbal for the first time in their history, Brest have struggled to juggle their commitments this season, which has seen their Ligue 1 form suffer. However, they were victorious in each of their first two Champions League matches, with a 4-0 win away at Red Bull Salzburg last time out particularly eye-catching. At the Stade du Roudourou - the Pirates are having to play their European games at local rivals Guingamp's stadium this term instead of their Stade Francis-Le Blé - they will be without key player Abdallah Sima, who already has three Champions League goals this term, due to a hamstring issue. Bradley Locko will also be unavailable because of an achilles tendon problem, but Eric Roy will otherwise have a full squad to choose from as his team looks to continue their fairytale journey.

Watch: Analysing Leverkusen's Boniface

Match stats

• Leverkusen have lost just two of their past 63 games in all competitions.
• Die Werkself are unbeaten in their past three visits to France, winning two and drawing one.
• Leverkusen have won seven of their 13 matches against French opposition, losing four and drawing the other two.
• This will be Brest's first-ever match against a German club, with this campaign representing their maiden involvement in any European competition.
• Ludovic Ajorque and Soumaïla Coulibaly previously played in Germany, turning out for Mainz and Borussia Dortmund respectively.
• Leverkusen are yet to concede in this season's Champions League.

Probable teams

Leverkusen: Hrádecký (c) - Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapié - Tella, García, Xhaka, Grimaldo - Adli, Wirtz - Boniface
Out: -
Doubtful: - 
Coach: Xabi Alonso

Brest: Bizot - Lala, Le Cardinal, Coulibaly, Haidara - Fernandes, Magnetti (c), Camara - Del Castillo, Ajorque, Sima
Out: Locko (ineligible), Zogbé (ineligible)
Doubtful: -
Coach: Eric Roy

LIVE blog!

VS

Brest

Wed, 23.10 16:45

Leverkusen

Champions League
League phase, Matchday 3 League phase, Matchday 3 Stade du Roudourou, Guingamp

2:03

Watch: Leverkusen 2-1 Frankfurt

Victor Boniface was on target again as Leverkusen came from behind to beat Frankfurt.

Domestic form

Brest have won three, drawn one and lost four of their opening eight Ligue 1 games and currently sit in 11th. Leverkusen have won four, drawn two and lost one of their opening seven games and sit in 4th.

Clash of the unbeaten

Leverkusen and Brest are two sides with a 100 percent record so far in the Champions League, creating an intriguing tie between two sides hoping to remain unbeaten. Brest have beaten Austrian sides Sturm Graz and RB Salzburg while Leverkusen have triumphed against Feyenoord and AC Milan.

3:32

The Alonso revolution

Brest may be adept at catching opponents off guard, but Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso has forged a side of steely-minded winners who can never be counted out. The Werkself have lost just once in ten outings so far this season (3-2 to Leipzig on Matchday 2) and have already clinched a title - the DFL-Supercup (6-5 on pens. over Stuttgart).

Bonjour

One player in Xavi Alonso' side is no stranger to surprise packet Brest: Martin Terrier, who arrived in Leverkusen from Rennes - Les Pirates' Brittany derby rivals - in the summer. The elegant attacking midfielder racked up three goals and an assist in his eight league clashes with Brest (playing for Rennes and Lyon before that) and is a strong chance for a starting berth in Guingamp.

© IMAGO/Oliver Zimmermann

Wirtz on the mend

There have been question marks over Bayer's Germany playmaker Florian Wirtz, who picked up an ankle injury while on national-team duty, but the 21-year-old looks to be recovering quickly and is tipped to be good to resume his six-goal, one-assist season (across all competitions) by the time Wednesday rolls around.

© IMAGO/Gladys Chai von der Laage

Surprise!

Although Bayer Leverkusen have never faced off against French outfit Brest before, the sides do have something in common: it's best not to underestimate them! Like Xavi Alonso's historic Bundesliga champions, Brest played out of their skins last season, and duly earned a place in the continent's top competition for the first time ever. And like Leverkusen, Les Pirates have won both of their matches so far this campaign. An intriguing matchup as second play host to fourth at the Stade du Roudourou in Guingamp on Wednesday...

© IMAGO/kolbert-press/Marc Niemeyer

Welcome!

Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of Bayer Leverkusen's third UEFA Champions League game of the 2024/25 league phase away at Brest on Wednesday.

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