Bayer Leverkusen vs Celje - prediction, team news, lineups

Kicking disconnected their Europa League campaign, the Bundesliga's Bayer Leverkusen volition invited managerless Slovenian champions Celje to BayArena connected Wednesday for their archetypal league-phase fixture.

Die Werkself are looking for their 3rd triumph of the play this week, portion the Counts are hopeless to debar a thrashing aft a hard month.

Match preview

Carles Martinez Novell's Leverkusen person made a commendable commencement to 2026-27, and volition beryllium hoping to widen that into continental competition.

Die Werkself hammered Wehen Wiesbaden 4-0 successful the DFB-Pokal connected August 22, mounting the code for an ongoing four-match tally successful which they person scored astatine slightest doubly successful each game.

Martinez Novell's broadside were capable to repetition the instrumentality successful the Bundesliga, erstwhile they battered Union Berlin 4-0 connected September 5, courtesy of goals from 4 antithetic players.

That triumph served to amusement the assortment of attacking options disposable to Leverkusen, though they were held to a 2-2 gully by Augsburg past clip out, surrendering an aboriginal pb and requiring a 89th-minute equaliser from Patrick Schick to salvage a point.

Hoping to spot their squad get backmost to winning ways connected Wednesday, the Werkself faithful astatine BayArena volition beryllium buoyed by the hosts' awesome grounds astatine the ground, which features conscionable 2 defeats connected location turf since January.

Meanwhile, Celje are successful disarray aft erstwhile manager Vitor Campelos near the nine connected Monday, making a pugnacious travel to Germany that overmuch much challenging.

The Counts' hierarchy held a gathering with the Portuguese manager astatine the commencement of the week, and it has been reported that the 2 sides decided to portion ways aft large disagreements were brought to light.

Fans of the visitors - who were already the underdogs connected insubstantial - volition beryllium looking for reasons to beryllium optimistic up of Wednesday's showdown, but the world is that they are successful dire form.

Celje were downed 2-1 by Bravo connected Saturday, a frustrating decision that means the nine person mislaid 4 of their past 5 outings crossed each competitions.

The Slovenian champions person been marginally amended connected the roadworthy successful caller weeks, but they person won conscionable doubly distant from location since May.

Bayer Leverkusen signifier (all competitions):

Celje signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Leverkusen are without a fig of players successful cardinal areas, including 17-year-old antiaircraft midfielder Kennet Eichhorn, who continues to woody with a mitochondrial disorder, arsenic good arsenic the much attack-minded Nathan Tella, who is recovering from a backmost injury.

Eliesse Ben Seghir is besides a uncertainty with a thigh issue, truthful expect to spot Equi Fernandez and Aleix Garcia commencement down Ibrahim Maza successful the mediate third.

Die Werkself close wing-back Montrell Culbreath is moving his mode backmost to afloat fittingness pursuing a ft injury, but Jarell Quansah volition beryllium acceptable to run connected the close of a four-man defence alongside Facundo Medina, Edmond Tapsoba and Miguel Gutierrez.

As for Celje, they are missing suspended midfielder Andrej Kotnik, though Papa Daniel and Mark Zavukovnik should beryllium connected manus to commencement successful a treble pivot, with Svit Seslar successful the fig 10 role.

Elsewhere, Darko Hrka and Artemijus Tutyskinas look acceptable to enactment up astatine the bosom of the visitors' defence, flanked by full-backs Pijus Sirvys and Milot Avdyli.

Bayer Leverkusen imaginable starting lineup:

Flekken; Quansah, Medina, Tapsoba, Gutierrez; Fernandez, Garcia; Diaby, Maza, Moreira; Schick

Celje imaginable starting lineup:

Leban; Sirvys, Hrka, Tutyskinas, Avdyli; Daniel, Zabukovnik; Dukuly, Seslar, Kvesic; Kucys

We say: Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 Celje

Leverkusen are the favourites connected paper, and their dominance should travel done against the managerless visitors connected Wednesday.

Die Werkself person been successful good signifier going guardant this season, and it would not beryllium astonishing to see Celje concede astatine slightest 3 successful midweek.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.