Champions League
2025-11-25 - Manchester City vs Bayer Leverkusen
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: UEFA Champions League
Tuesday 25th November 2025 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV
Manchester City
The international break in September came at an important time for Manchester City after a couple of Premier League defeats, but they would not have wanted to have a fortnight between games after crushing Liverpool at home earlier this month. It was perhaps not the reason for the defeat at St James' Park this past weekend, but Manchester City have suffered a setback in the pursuit of Premier League leaders Arsenal and Pep Guardiola will be looking for an immediate response.
That will have to take place in a different competition, but Manchester City are plenty motivated to finish in the top eight of the Champions League and avoid having to compete in the Play Off Round in which they were eliminated last season. The side are 4th in the Champions League standings and one of five teams that have yet to taste defeat as we move into the second half of the expanded Group Stage format.
Manchester City had won 7 of 8 games in all competitions, including 4 in a row, but that run was ended in the 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon. This Champions League fixture is taking place at the Etihad Stadium where Manchester City have won all 7 games played in all competitions since losing 0-2 against Tottenham Hotspur in August.
Mateo Kovacic and Rodri are expected to miss out, while the manager may choose to make some rotations within his first eleven to keep players fresh ahead of a very congested calendar.
Bayer Leverkusen
Expectations have been raised around Leverkusen after the successes earned under Xabi Alonso, but there would have been concerns about how this season may play out after Sacking Erik ten Hag just a couple of games into his tenure as manager. Kasper Hjulmand came in as the replacement and Bayer Leverkusen are certainly looking a little more like they did last season under this current guidance.
Qualifying for the Knock Out Stages of the Champions League remains the ambition for Bayer Leverkusen, but the hopes of finishing in the top eight are fading. Instead, the side are 21st in the standings and will be looking for a top sixteen finish, which at least would mean being Seeded in the Play Off Round next February.
Bayer Leverkusen have won 6 of the last 9 games played in all competitions and that includes an important Champions League victory at Benfica earlier this month to move higher in the standings. They have only lost 1 of the last 9 away games in all competitions, although Bayer Leverkusen had been well beaten by Bayern Munich in that defeat.
Edmond Tapsoba is suspended and joins Robert Andrich in the 'sin bin'. There are a number of squad players dealing with injury who are expected to miss out.
Head to Head
This is the first competitive meeting between these clubs.
Prediction
The English Premier League has made a big impact in the first half of the Champions League with the six representatives sitting in the top twelve places in the standings and four inside the top eight.
You have to accept that the schedule has played an important part in the early successes and some of the Premier League clubs have important tests this week with the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain in opposition.
However, Manchester City should be pretty comfortable with the next fixture on deck as they prepare to host Bayer Leverkusen.
Pep Guardiola will be frustrated after the tight defeat at St James' Park, but his team have been motoring in the Champions League as they look to avoid having to play in the Play Off ties set for February. Last season Manchester City struggled at this level and barely finished inside the top twenty-four places, but they have looked stronger all around and have already beaten Bundesliga's Borussia Dortmund here.
They were given a few scares by Dortmund and may expect the same from an improving Bayer Leverkusen, but the visiting team have struggled for consistency in the Champions League.
Bayer Leverkusen have looked better at home and have only lost 1 of the last 9 away games in all competitions, but that was a 3-0 defeat at Bayern Munich and Manchester City are amongst the favourites in this Champions League season.
Kasper Hjulmand has guided the team well since taking over from Erik ten Hag, but Bayer Leverkusen have not really impressed in the Champions League. They do have 5 points after facing Copenhagen, PSV Eindhoven, Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica and that feels like a below par return.
You have to expect Bayer Leverkusen to have a go at Manchester City, who could make some rotations to the starting eleven, but the Premier League club have enough depth to ensure another success for the English clubs over their German counterparts this season.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Manchester City 3-0 Bayer Leverkusen
