'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Club Brugge will host Bayer Leverkusen at the Jan Breydel Stadium on Wednesday night in the opening week of the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League campaign.
The Belgian club have enjoyed a solid start to their season. They picked up a clinical 4-0 win over Cercle Brugge in the Bruges Derby on Friday and will now turn their attention to Europe. Brugge have made the UEFA Champions League group stage in the last four seasosn but have failed to advance to the knockouts each time.
Leverkusen, meanwhile, have struggled this season, sitting in the bottom half of the Bundesliga standings. They were beaten 3-2 by Freiburg in their last game and will hope for better luck in the continent.
Die Werkself opened their European campaign last season with a 2-1 comeback win over Ferencvarosi and will look to start on a positive note once again.
Club Brugge vs Bayer Leverkusen Head-to-Head
Wednesday's game will mark just the second meeting between Brugge and Leverkusen. Their first meeting came in the UEFA Europa League group stage in the 2006-07 campaign, which ended 1-1.
Club Brugge Form Guide (all competitions): W-W-W-W-D
Bayer Leverkusen Form Guide (all competitions): L-W-L-L-L
Club Brugge vs Bayer Leverkusen Team News
Club Brugge
Clinton Mata came off injured in the derby last week and is a major doubt for this one. Noa Lang, Tajon Buchanan and Mats Rits have all been ruled out with injury.
Injured: Noa Lang, Tajon Buchanan, Mats Rits
Doubtful: Clinton Mata
Suspended: None
Unavailable: None
Bayer Leverkusen
The visitors also have a few absentees ahead of their European opener. Amine Adli, Florian Wirtz, Karim Bellarabi and goalkeeper Andrey Lunev will miss out due to injury.
Injured: Amine Adli, Florian Wirtz, Karim Bellarabi, Andrey Lunev
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Unavailable: None
Club Brugge vs Bayer Leverkusen Predicted XIs
Club Brugge (3-5-2): Simon Mignolet; Brandon Mechele, Raphael Onyedika, Abakar Sylla; Andreas Skov Olsen, Casper Nielsen, Hans Vanaken, Denis Odoi, Bjorn Meijer; Kamal Sowah, Ferran Jutgla
Bayer Leverkusen (3-5-2): Lukas Hradecky; Edmond Tapsoba, Jonathan Tah, Piero Hincapie; Jeremie Frimpong, Robert Andrich, Exequiel Palacios, Kerem Demirbay, Callum Hudson-Odoi; Moussa Diaby, Patrik Schick
Club Brugge vs Bayer Leverkusen Prediction
The Blauw-Zwart are on a four-game winning streak and have lost just one of their eight games across competitions this season. They are unbeaten in their last ten competitive games at the Jan Breydel Stadium.
The visitors have won just once this season across competitions. The Belgian outfit are in much better form ahead of their European opener and should come out on top.
Prediction: Club Brugge 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen
