Match Preview: Bayer Leverkusen 0-1 Atalanta Prediction and Betting Tips | EUROPA LEAGUE

Bayer Leverkusen – Atalanta Prediction and Tips for today, Match 17, 2022

Football: EUROPA LEAGUE – PLAY OFFS – 1/8-FINALS
Kick-off: 18:45 Bayer Leverkusen – Atalanta
Tip: Over 2.5 Goals
Odds: 1.52
Bookmaker: Bet365
Match Result: 0:1 LOST

Bayer Leverkusen – Atalanta Match Preview

• Things couldn’t have gone much worse for Bayer Leverkusen over the weekend as not only did they lose 1-0 at home to fierce rivals Cologne in Bundesliga action, but star midfielder Florian Wirtz limped off with what turned out to be a season-ending ACL injury. That’s hardly ideal preparation for this UEFA Europa League (UEL) Round of 16 second-leg visit of Atalanta then, after a whirlwind first-leg saw the Italian side come from behind to run out 3-2 victors.
• Leverkusen’s leaky defence was again to blame for that first-leg defeat, especially as it remarkably extended their streak to just one clean sheet across their prior 17 competitive outings. In that run, Leverkusen have conceded two or more goals on nine occasions, yet their potent attack could still turn this tie around after netting an average of 3.1 goals across their prior ten competitive home outings (W7, D2, L1).
• Atalanta saw their Serie A top-four ambitions take another hit as they could only manage a 0-0 draw at home to relegation-threatened Genoa at the weekend. Although not an ideal result, that stalemate did at least extend the club’s run to just two losses across their previous eight competitive outings (W4, D2) as they look to reach the last eight of a European competition for the second time in three seasons.
• Gian Piero Gasperini’s side have struggled on the road of late though (W1, D1, L2), conceding eight goals across their four European away outings this campaign. Atalanta will instead take confidence from their UEL record then, as they’ve lost just one of their 11 prior UEL fixtures (W7, D3).
• Players to watch: Leverkusen will likely be reliant on Moussa Diaby in this clash as the French winger has netted eight goals across his last eight competitive outings, including one in the first-leg. Meanwhile, Ruslan Malinovskyi has now been involved in Atalanta’s previous five UEL goals (G3, A2)!
• Hot stat: Leverkusen averaged 7.3 corners per match across their three home UEL group stage matches.