UEFA Champions League 2024-25 | Bayer Leverkusen vs AC Milan | Match Preview, Head-to-head, Possible Lineups and Fantasy XI Prediction

The German champions Bayer Leverkusen will host the Italian side AC Milan on the opening matchday of the second match-week of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25. Leverkusen has started their UCL campaign in style, destroying Feyenoord by 4-0 at Feyenood's home. Whereas, AC Milan faced a humiliating defeat by 1-3 against Liverpool in their opening match at their home ground, San Siro. From possible starting XIs to Fantasy predictions, here is everything you need to know about the League match of Bayer Leverkusen vs AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League 2024-25. 

Match Details 

Match: Bayer Leverkusen vs AC Milan - UEFA Champions League 2024-25 League Match

Date:  2 October 2024

Time: 12:30 AM IST

Venue: BayArena Stadium, Leverkusen, Germany 

How to watch the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 League Match between Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan

The match will be streamed Live on the Sony Liv app and website. Viewers can also watch the game live on TV on Sony Sports Network. 

Team News

Bayer Leverkusen

Ending Bayern's perfect start in the Bundesliga with a 1-1 draw, Xavi Alonso's men will return to their home to host AC Milan in the second UCL match-week.

Bayer Leverkusen has had a dominating 4-0 victory over Dutch side Feyenoord in their return to UCL. Following that win, Bayer went on to defeat Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga by 4-3 as Victor Boniface scored a last-minute goal to steal the win.

It's Champions League week baby! 🖤❤️ pic.twitter.com/kTS500f2LO

— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) September 30, 2024

Coach Xabi Alonso will have the full squad at his disposal and he will field the best eleven from his team for this all-important clash. Bayer has no injury concerns or updates as of now.

Leverkusen fans will expect their 21-year-old youngster, Florian Wirtz to show his goalscoring prowess in this match too. Wirtz has already scored 4 goals and provided 1 assist in 5 Bundesliga games this season. He became the first German player to score a brace on his UCL debut scoring two goals against Feyenoord on the UCL first match-week of this season. 

Read Also | Bayern Leverkusen and their Fairytale Run: Diving deeper into the 2024 Bundesliga Champions

Victor Boniface has become another player for the Bayer fans to look up to as the Nigerian has scored 3 goals in 5 Bundesliga matches so far while providing one assist. 

Currently in the 3rd position in the UEFA Champions League table, Bayer Leverkusen will try to show their utmost dominance against AC Milan to ensure their second consecutive UCL win.   

Last 5 Matches: W W W W D

AC Milan 

AC Milan has been facing turmoils on and off the pitch as they faced a humiliating defeat by 1-3 against Liverpool in the first UCL match-week and captain Davide Calabria suffered an injury in that game. 

However, two consecutive victories in the Serie A gave a lifeline to the team and they received a confidence boost as well with a 2-1 win over their rivals, Inter Milan in the Milan Derby with Matteo Gabbia scoring an 89th-minute winner for the Rossoneris.

Shifting focus to #BayerMilan 🎯#UCL #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/00Z9HHxKg4

— AC Milan (@acmilan) September 28, 2024

Coach Paulo Fonseca will have to construct his game plan without the service of Alessandro Florenzi and Ismael Benaccer as they are excluded for injuries. On the other hand, Fonseca will have Noah Okafor and Davide Calabria back after missing out on the Lecce game in Serie A, but they have completed the training on 29th September along with the squad. 

Christian Pulisic is in fine form for AC Milan scoring 4 goals and providing 2 assists so far in 6 Serie A games. He also scored the only goal against Liverpool in their opening match. 

Read Also | Most Iconic Rivalries in European Football Leagues: History & Stats

The French international, Theo Hernandez will be the leader in Milan's defence alongside Tomori and Pavlovic to stop Leverkusen's furious attacking sprees. Theo's attacking capability will solidify Milan's attacks from the wings as well. 

Standing at the 29th position in the UCL League table right now, AC Milan will give their all to bounce back from their first UCL loss and progress in the league table. 

Last 5 Matches: D W L W W 

Read Also: UEFA Champions League 2024-25 first round highlights

Head-to-head

Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan have never faced each other in the UEFA Champions League. 

Leverkusen has only 2 wins in 12 matches against an Italian side in the UCL while and suffered 6 defeats. On the contrary, Milan lost only once in 7 meetings against a German side in the UCL and they have managed to have 3 wins. 

Possible Playing XI

Bayern Leverkusen

Lukas Hradecky (GK), Piero Hincapié, Jonathan Tah, Edmond Tapsoba, Jeremie Frimpong, Granit Xhaka, Alejandro Grimaldo, Robert Andrich, Martin Terrier, Florian Wirtz, Victor Boniface

AC Milan 

Mike Maignan (GK), Emerson Royal, Matteo Gabbia, Fikayo Tomori, Theo Hernandez, Youssouf Fofana, Tijjani Reijnders, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Christian Pulisic, Alvaro Morata, Rafael Leão

Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan: Fantasy XI Prediction

Maignan, Tah, Theo, Hincapie, Frimpong, Grimaldo, Andrich, Loftus-Cheek, Pulisic, Wirtz, Boniface.