Our prediction for this Champions League match:
Bayer Leverkusen
Match Time & Date:
18/09/2019
03:00 PM
Prediction: 2-1
Lokomotiv Moscow
Since they are placed in Group D alongside Juventus and Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen face a must-win situation against Lokomotiv Moscow in the opening match of their Champions League campaign. The BayArena outfit did well to add several high-profile footballers to the squad in the summer transfer window and it is no wonder they are seen as hot favourites to win Wednesday’s football game.
A man to watch in the home side will be Kevin Volland, who scored 14 goals in the Bundesliga last term. The Russian outfit, on the other hand, have been having their ups and downs at the start of the new Russian Premier League campaign, but seeing that they are not regarded as good travelers, we are tempted to put our money on Bayer Leverkusen this time out. When the two teams met in a friendly in 2014 the Bundesliga side defeated Lokomotiv Moscow 3-1.
Highlighted Player (Leon Bailey):
Leon Bailey is a Phoenix All Stars Academy product who was born in Kingston on August 9, 1997. The Jamaica international played for the likes of FC Liefering and Trencin during his youth career, but he made his senior debut with Belgian side Genk in August, 2015 in a 3-1 win over Saint-Truiden.
The pacey winger quickly established himself as one of the best players in the Belgian top flight, but he scored only 8 goals in 56 appearances for Genk from 2015 to 2017. In the winter of 2017 Leon Bailey signed a deal with Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of €20 million. Bailey is a left-footed footballer, but he is capable of playing on both sides of the field.
The Bayer Leverkusen winger made one appearance for Jamaica U23 team, but he eventually refused to represent the Reggae Boyz at senior level as he has personal problems with the association. It has to be noted that Leon Bailley scored 12 goals in 34 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen in the 2017/2018 Bundesliga season.
Highlighted Team (Lokomotiv Moscow):
Founded in 1922 as Kazanka, Lokomotiv Moscow are a Russian football club that play their home games at RZD Arena. The stadium was opened in July 2002 and the capacity of the venue is 27.320. Lokomotiv won their first Russian Premier League trophy in 2002, with the team finishing the season just above their local rivals CSKA Moscow.
The two teams were level on points (66), but thanks to a better head-to-head record Lokomotiv eventually lifted the trophy. Two years later (2004) the capital club repeated the success and once again CSKA Moscow finished second, only one point behind the Krasno-zelyonyye (Red-Greens). Lokomotiv Moscow have always been attracting high-profile footballers and it has to be noted that the likes of Felipe Caicedo, Peter Odemwingie, Branislav Ivanovic, Igor Denisov, Dmitri Torbinski, Vedran Corluka, Emir Spahic, Lassana Diarra and Jan Durica played for the club in the past.
Lokomotiv play their home games in green shirts and red shorts, while they wear white jerseys and white shorts when playing on the travels.
Chelsea
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Fulham
Atalanta
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Burnley
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