| Odds via 22bet | |
| Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Milan | October 1, 20:00 GMT+1 |
| Bayer 04 Leverkusen odds | 1.66 |
| Milan odds | 4.56 |
| Draw | 4.26 |
| Over\Under | Total 2,5: 1.46/2.39 |
In the key match of the first half of the German Bundesliga season, Bayer 04 Leverkusen managed to secure a draw away against Bayern München.
Xabi Alonso chose to employ a defensive strategy against a formidable opponent, with his team adopting a medium-low block in a 5-4-1 formation throughout the match. This approach helped to restrict the home side’s attacks, but it also limited Leverkusen’s ability to transition from defense to offense.
Bayer only managed one shot inside the box during the entire match at the Allianz Arena, and the goal was scored by a spectacular long-range strike from Robert Andrich. Unlike in their other matches, Xabi Alonso’s team rarely attempted risky vertical passes downfield and did not frequently launch aggressive attacks.
The Spanish coach once again demonstrated his flexibility and ability to adapt to his opponents in big matches. As Leverkusen prepares to host Milan at the BayArena, it will be intriguing to see how Alonso tweaks his strategy.
Leverkusen will probably play more proactively than they did against Bayern München. However, against Milan, they are unlikely to play as attacking as they have in previous Bundesliga matches.
Moreover, it’s worth noting that without the injured Exequiel Palacios or Robert Andrich in the starting lineup, Bayer risk having significant problems against an Italian club that focuses on building attacks through the center of the pitch.
Without a powerful holding midfielder in the midfield, Aleix García and Granit Xhaka are unable to perform well in positional defense, especially in the transitions from attack to defense. Partly because of this, Leverkusen conceded three goals each from Wolfsburg and Leipzig, as well as two from M’gladbach.
Additionally, Bayer’s defenders are still not confident in high pressing, so it’s possible that the German club will be defending in the middle block against Milan.
| Recent Form | WWWLW |
| Key Player to Watch | Florian Wirtz |
| Team Strengths | Fast attacks |
| Team Weaknesses | Vulnerable play in defensive transitions |
| Key injuries and Suspensions | Exequiel Palacios (meniscus injury) |
Paulo Fonseca’s Milan struggled at the beginning of the season due to several injuries, managing to secure only one victory in their first five matches. However, the Portuguese coach gradually managed to form a more balanced starting lineup, which helped the team win the last two matches and climb to the third spot in the table, trailing the top position by just two points.
In the match against Inter, Fonseca’s team created more scoring opportunities than their opponents and displayed a well-organized defense. While Inter had some dangerous moments and Milan’s players could have conceded more than one goal, overall, they did not allow Inter to showcase their best attacking football.
The main strength of the Rossoneri’s attack is overloading the central zone of the field, where Tijjani Reijnders, Álvaro Morata, and Christian Pulisic interact brilliantly. At the same time, Rafael Leão and Theo Hernández create excellent combinations on the left flank, while Emerson Royal is always ready to effectively attack on the right.
It’s also worth noting how Tammy Abraham and Álvaro Morata interchange positions in the attack, or simultaneously attack the opponent’s penalty area together, making life difficult for their opponents.
In the defensive phase, Youssouf Fofana plays a crucial role, performing a significant amount of work and patrolling the area in front of his penalty area with high quality.
It’s important to highlight the unexpectedly reliable performance of the central defensive pair Fikayo Tomori and Matteo Gabbia, who have performed excellently in the last two matches.
| Recent Form | WWLWD |
| Key Players to Watch | Mike Maignan, Álvaro Morata, Christian Pulišić, Rafael Leão, Theo Hernández |
| Team Strengths | Positional attacks, using corners |
| Team Weaknesses | Vulnerable high defensive line |
| Key injuries and suspensions. | Noah Okafor, Davide Calabria, Ismael Bennacer, Álvaro Morata (?) |
This will be the first match in history between these teams.
Bet hereChristian Pulisic has struggled to stabilize his game in recent years due to regular injuries, but when he is in optimal physical condition, the American demonstrates top-class performance. He has scored five goals in the first seven matches of the season and has provided two assists.
Paulo Fonseca gives Pulisic the freedom to move on the right flank and in the center of the field, making it very difficult for opponents to control him. Even Liverpool couldn’t contain Pulisic when he scored a goal against them on the first day of the Champions League.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen will aim to create a 5v4 numerical advantage in the attacking line against Milan’s defense.
Considering Rafael Leão’s lack of activity in the defensive phase and the fact that AC Milan’s players do not always transition quickly from attack to defense, Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have opportunities to score after quick attacks.
On the other hand, Milan will seek to exploit the weaknesses of Bayer 04 Leverkusen’s high defensive line, especially on the left flank. Rafael Leão and Theo Hernández can challenge Jeremie Frimpong and Edmond Tapsoba, who have made several mistakes this season.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen showed a solid defensive game and the ability to adapt to the strengths of their opponent in the top match against Bayern München.
Milan, in their current state, poses a significant threat to the hosts, so they will surely try to avoid taking too many risks and act in a balanced manner.
In my opinion, Leverkusen will at least not lose in this match.
Both teams regularly score and concede goals in their matches, resulting in a total consistently exceeding one goal. In this match, Leverkusen vs Milan, it’s quite possible to expect more than one goal scored.
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