Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Champions League match.
On Saturday, Atlético Madrid’s 15-match winning streak came to an end, while Bayer Leverkusen have achieved 11 consecutive victories. This meeting between two European giants is sure to delight football fans, as each side needs points to cement their place in the top eight.
Atlético Madrid
Before the setback against Leganés (0:1), Atlético Madrid were on an exemplary run, which included significant victories such as 2:1 wins over Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. In the Champions League, they have gone through all six matches with a total over 2.5—a feat matched only by Barcelona, Red Star Belgrade, and Feyenoord. Since the beginning of November, Atlético Madrid have scored 11 goals in three European matches, making them the joint most effective attack alongside Barcelona. They trail the leading eight by just one point, so the team will be willing to take risks.
Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen experienced a dip at the turn of October and November in the current Champions League campaign, drawing with Stade Brestois (1:1) and suffering a heavy defeat to Liverpool at Anfield (0:4). Since 14 December, Leverkusen have scored 14 goals over five Bundesliga rounds, narrowing the gap to Bayern Munich in the title race. Patrik Schick and Florian Wirtz have hit incredible form—on Saturday against Borussia Mönchengladbach (3:1), they were involved in every goal-scoring move, contributing a combined tally of 3 goals and 1 assist.
Atlético Madrid vs Bayer Leverkusen Prediction
The last meeting between Atlético Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen was in autumn 2022, with the match in Madrid ending in a high-scoring draw (2:2). It’s likely the two potent attacks will challenge each other right from the start once again.
