Bayer Leverkusen dropped more points in the Bundesliga on Friday night, as Xabi Alonso’s side struggled for top form ahead of the trip to Liverpool.
The Reds host the reigning Bundesliga holders in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, looking to win a fourth game in a row in the competition this season.
Alonso’s Leverkusen side were the talk of Europe in 2023/24, going the entire league season unbeaten and also reaching the Europa League final.
Things aren’t going as swimmingly this time around, however, with the Bundesliga champions only managing a 0-0 draw at home to VfB Stuttgart on Friday.
It’s a result that leaves them seven points adrift of leaders Bayern Munich in the table, who won 3-0 against Union Berlin in another Harry Kane-inspired victory.
Leverkusen have now only won one of their last five matches in the Bundesliga, highlighting their drop-off in form, and they only drew 1-1 at Brest in their last Champions League game.
Alonso: “Big game to play at Anfield”
That said, Alonso remained in confident spirits after the Stuttgart match, hailing his side’s performance despite the dropped points.
“We are unhappy. We thought we had done enough to win it,” Alonso said via Reuters.
“Maybe the most complete performance from us even though we did not score. It was a top game. From Monday we focus on Liverpool, big game to play in Anfield.”
He added: “It’s a huge game. To play in the Champions League at Anfield, it can’t get much better than that. The atmosphere is super.
“They are one of best teams in Europe, they are dominant so it’s a huge challenge, they will make it difficult for us.”
Leverkusen don’t look the force they were last season – such imperious form is arguably unsustainable two years in a row – so Liverpool should be confident of taking more points on Tuesday.
Alonso’s side remain a top quality team who will cause the Reds problems, however, not least in the form of star man Florian Wirtz, who has been linked with a move to Europe’s elite clubs.
Victory for Liverpool would be another major step towards qualification for the knockout rounds, making some of their later group stage games less pressurised.
Bayer Leverkusen’s XI vs. Stuttgart: Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Mukiele, Xhaka, Andrich, Grimaldo; Frimpong, Wirtz; Boniface
