Nottingham Forest vs Bayer Leverkusen - prediction, team news, lineups

By Matt Law | 10 Aug 2026 18:15, Last updated: 10 Aug 2026 18:18

Nottingham Forest volition proceed their preparations for the 2026-27 Premier League run with a pre-season affable against Bayer Leverkusen connected Wednesday night.

The Reds volition statesman their caller league play against Leeds United connected August 22, portion Leverkusen's caller run volition commencement successful the DFB Pokal against Wehen connected the aforesaid day.

Match preview

Forest person been progressive successful 7 pre-season friendlies, winning 3 of their archetypal four, but they volition participate this crippled disconnected the backmost of 3 consecutive defeats.

The Reds were connected the extremity of a 4-1 decision to Sporting Lisbon successful their last lucifer of July, earlier suffering 1-0 defeats to Udinese and Barcelona successful 2 45-minute matches connected Saturday night.

Oliver Glasner's broadside present person 2 much friendlies against Leverkusen and Brest earlier opening their caller Premier League run against Leeds connected August 22.

Forest person lone made 2 signings truthful acold this summer, bringing successful Xaver Schlager and Gustavo Sa, but they volition person further incomings earlier the model closes.

The Reds person moved 7 players on, meanwhile, including Elliot Anderson, who has made the determination to Manchester City successful a big-money transfer.

Leverkusen, meanwhile, person enjoyed a beardown pre-season, signaling 5 consecutive wins implicit Baumberg, Offenbach, Genk, RW Essen and Sevilla.

The Bundesliga outfit present person 2 much friendlies against Premier League duo Forest and Newcastle United connected August 12 and August 15 respectively earlier opening their 2026-27 run with a clash against Wehen successful the DFB Pokal connected August 22.

Carles Martinez's broadside volition past commencement their caller Bundesliga run distant to Elversberg connected July 29.

The Black and Reds person made six caller signings this summer, with the biggest of those, astatine slightest successful presumption of a transportation fee, proving to beryllium Afonso Moreira from Lyon.

There person been 10 first-team exits, meanwhile, including departures for Piero Hincapie, Kerim Alajbegovic and Alejandro Grimaldo.

Nottingham Forest pre-season:

Bayer Leverkusen pre-season form:

Team News

Forest caput manager Glasner volition present beryllium reasoning astir his squad for the commencement of the caller Premier League campaign, and that should beryllium reflected by the archetypal XI here.

Chris Wood is expected to run successful the last 3rd of the field, portion determination should besides beryllium positions successful the wide areas for Dan Ndoye and Gustavo Sa.

Morgan Gibbs-White is successful enactment to run successful the fig 10 spot for the English club.

Leverkusen, meanwhile, volition beryllium without the services of a fig of players done injury, with Kennet Eichhorn, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Nathan Tella and Montrell Culbreath each unavailable.

Christian Kofane is apt to run done the mediate for the German outfit, with caller signing Afonso Moreira besides expected to beryllium progressive from the archetypal whistle.

Jarell Quansah could besides beryllium successful the squad, having present linked up with the squad pursuing his engagement successful the 2026 World Cup for England.

Nottingham Forest imaginable starting lineup:

Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, N Williams; Sangare, McAtee; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Sa; Wood

Bayer Leverkusen imaginable starting lineup:

Flekken; Arthur, Bade, Tapsoba, Gutierrez; Andrich, Palacios, A Garcia; Tillman; Moreira, Kofane

We say: Nottingham Forest 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen

There volition beryllium plentifulness of attacking endowment connected show successful this match, and we are expecting an entertaining lucifer to decorativeness each square.

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