- This is the 11th meeting of these clubs, with three wins each and four draws previously
- Atletico Madrid have lost five of nine games against German opposition since 2019
- Recommended bet: Bayer Leverkusen to win

A heavyweight tussle takes place in the Spanish capital on Tuesday evening as Atletico Madrid entertain Bayer Leverkusen at the Estadio Metropolitano on the penultimate matchday of the maiden Champions League league phase.

Ahead of this tussle, the Bundesliga champions have accumulated 13 points from six games, winning four and drawing one, leaving them sitting in fourth spot.

In a congested table, Atleti are just one point but seven places below Xabi Alonso's visiting side.

Victory here for either side would provide a major boost in the bid to secure a top-eight finish and automatic passage into the last-16.

Team news

Home boss Diego Simeone was without forward Alexander Sorloth for the weekend loss at Leganes, the Norwegian having previously scored a brace in the 4-0 Copa del Rey win at Elche.

Defender Jose Maria Gimenez hasn't feature since the pre-Christmas La Liga victory away at Barcelona, missing four games.

A thigh problem has caused talented forward Victor Boniface to miss out since November for Leverkusen and the likes of Jeanuel Belocian, Matija Marsenic (both cruciate ligament) and Amine Adli (broken fibula) are also absent for the German champions.

The stats

These teams have met 10 times previously, with three wins apiece and four draws.

Leverkusen are yet to beat Atletico on Spanish soil, but have drawn in three of the four previous meetings.

The sides last met in the 2022/23 Champions League, with Leverkusen winning 2-0 at home before a 2-2 draw in the Spanish capital.

Atletico have lost five of their nine games against German opposition since 2019.

Leverkusen have lost nine of their last 15 away games against Spanish clubs.

Aside from the 4-0 loss at Liverpool, Leverkusen have conceded just one goal in five Champions League games.

Prediction

Atletico saw their 15-game winning sequence – a club record – end at the weekend in a LaLiga defeat at Leganes in which Antoine Griezmann missed a stoppage-time penalty.

Leverkusen, meanwhile, cruised past Borussia Monchengladbach 3-1 on Saturday evening, only conceding in the 91st minute as Florian Wirtz excelled.

The 21-year-old has started four Bundesliga games and played a second-half cameo in a 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund since the December win over Inter Milan in this competition.

In that sequence he has four goals and five assists, including a brace last time out. He also has five Champions League goals already in six games and could be key to Leverkusen's chances now.

Simeone's side have conceded 10 times in six games in this competition, an unexpected rate and they could be vulnerable against the German champions, who have conceded just once in five games, excluding the defeat at Liverpool.

Leverkusen scored twice home and away when these teams met in 2022/23 and a repeat may be enough for a priceless away win.

Back Bayer Leverkusen to win @ 7/4 with LiveScore Bet

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