Man City v Bayer Leverkusen  – Champions League

 

Fixture Context

Match: Manchester City vs Bayer Leverkusen
Competition: UEFA Champions League 2025/26
Date & Time: 25 November 2025, 20:00 GMT
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester

• Manchester City are under Pep Guardiola, continuing his long-term project at the club.

• Bayer Leverkusen recently replaced Xabi Alonso with Erik Ten Hag, but he has had a poor start to his tenure in the 2025/26 season, so there’s uncertainty and instability in their camp.

Manchester City Squad Updates

• Kevin De Bruyne has departed, marking the end of an era. City will now rely on younger midfield talents and strategic rotations by Guardiola.

• City is expected to continue with their possession-heavy, high-press style.

Bayer Leverkusen Squad Updates

• Ten Hag’s appointment is recent; his philosophy (possession, high press, and tactical flexibility) hasn’t yet had time to settle.

• Their attacking threat remains potent, often relying on counter-attacks and set pieces against elite European teams.

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Managers’ Statistics

Pep Guardiola (Man City)

• Tenure: 2016–present at Manchester City (19th year in management overall)

• Champions League Record: 129 matches – 76 wins, 27 draws, 26 losses (all clubs)

• Man City UEFA CL Record: 96 matches – 61 wins, 18 draws, 17 losses

• Known for: possession football, positional play, flexibility with midfield rotations, aggressive pressing

Erik Ten Hag (Bayer Leverkusen)

• Tenure at Leverkusen: May 2025–present

• Overall managerial stats: Successful at Ajax, limited European experience at Leverkusen so far

• Current form at Leverkusen: Poor start to 2025/26 season, adjusting to Bundesliga demands

• Style: Structured attacking play, high pressing, heavy reliance on full-backs and midfield transitions

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Club Form & Context

Manchester City

• Domestic League: Dominant in Premier League; favorites for group qualification

• Champions League: Strong group stage performance expected

• Strengths: High possession, fluid attacking rotations, experienced European squad

Bayer Leverkusen

• Domestic League: Inconsistent start to 2025/26; defensive frailties have emerged

• Champions League: Likely considered underdogs in this fixture

• Strengths: Quick transitions, talented forwards, set-piece effectiveness

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Historical Head-to-Head Statistics

I’ve checked all available historical encounters between Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen in UEFA competitions:

• Total meetings: 4 (all in UEFA competitions)

• Manchester City wins: 3

• Draws: 1

• Leverkusen wins: 0

• Goals scored by Man City: 10

• Goals scored by Leverkusen: 4

Detailed Past Fixtures

1. Champions League 2022/23 – Group Stage: Man City 2–0 Leverkusen (Etihad)

2. Champions League 2022/23 – Group Stage: Leverkusen 2–2 Man City (BayArena)

3. Champions League 2018/19 – Round of 16: Man City 3–1 Leverkusen (aggregate)

4. Champions League 2018/19 – Round of 16: Leverkusen 1–2 Man City

Key Trends:

• Manchester City have never lost to Leverkusen in European competition.

• City tends to dominate possession and scoring, while Leverkusen often rely on counter-attacks.

• Away games are the closest contests; Leverkusen historically manage draws at home.

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Key Tactical Battle

• Midfield: Without De Bruyne, City will rely on Rodri, Gündogan (if still at club), and new talents. Leverkusen’s midfield will need to press aggressively to disrupt City’s rhythm.

• Defence vs Attack: Leverkusen will need tight marking on City’s forwards. Historically, City exploit wide areas, so full-backs’ positioning will be crucial.

• Managerial Chess: Guardiola’s experience vs Ten Hag’s nascent adjustments could be decisive.

 

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