Xabi Alonso returns as rivals manager to Anfield, where he won the Champions League and became a club icon. The Bayer Leverkusen manager, who is expected to manage Liverpool at some point in his career, which may take some time given Arne Slot’s impressive start, will look to crash the party on Tuesday.

Liverpool continued their hot start to the season and overtook Manchester City in the Premier League at the weekend after a fine comeback win against Brighton. They have won all three of their Champions League games so far and are on a ridiculous 13-1-1 in all competitions so far.

Bayer Leverkusen had a less impressive start. Leverkusen, which was the biggest surprise team in Europe last year, winning the Bundesliga, the German Cup and reaching the Europa League final, losing only once a year, could not maintain its performance at this level in the first two months of the season. 2024-25 campaign.

They are already seven points behind Bayern Munich in the league and catching them for back-to-back titles looks quite impossible. However, things are looking better for Alonso’s team in the Champions League. They have seven points from three games and have a busy schedule at home the rest of the way, giving them a good opportunity to break into the top eight in the league stage. .

Although Leverkusen are not in top form at the moment, they are still one of the most exciting teams in the tournament. It will be fascinating to watch their unique, dynamic and high-tempo style of play take on Liverpool’s well-oiled machine.

Odds DraftKings Sports Betting.

Money line:

Liverpool: -135
Draw: +310
Bayer Leverkusen: +350

Total Goals:

Above 3.5: +125
Below 3.5: -160

Both Teams to Score:

Yes: -195
No: +155

Radiate:

Liverpool -0.5: -135
Bayer Leverkusen +0.5: +105

Leverkusen, who scored 24 goals in 34 matches in the Bundesliga last season, conceded 15 goals in nine matches this year. They conceded at least 2 goals in the 5 matches they played.

Xabi Alonso likes to keep the ball and use the high defensive line. This could cause Leverkusen to lose space in the backfield and make them vulnerable on the counter, creating entertaining plays with pace and tempo.

This should be no different.

Normally, betting on over 2.5 or 3.5 goals in Leverkusen matches is a safe bet. But Liverpool are excellent at controlling the tempo. It can be very difficult to play against them, especially if they score early. There’s a reason why they’ve allowed just one goal in three Champions League games so far.

At the same time, Leverkusen have a stylistic advantage over the Reds. The German side generally adopt a unique 3-4-3 formation. They play fast on the wings and use wing backs Jeremie Frimpong and Alex Grimaldo to create a ton of space which causes problems for the opposition defence.

Considering one of Liverpool’s few weak points is their full-back defence, Leverkusen could cause serious problems by exploiting the spaces behind Trent Alexander-Arnold or anyone playing between Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas.

Leverkusen will probably see this as a coming out party. Both Xabi Alonso and the team will be extra motivated on the big stage and will see this as an opportunity to get their season on the right track. With the magnificent performance of 21-year-old German phenomenon Florian Wirtz, Leverkusen can leave here with a draw.

Selection: Draw +310

Match odds are updated periodically and may change.

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