Elversberg vs Bayer Leverkusen Preview: Team News & Prediction
by Alex Lawes ·
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Elversburg are playing in their first ever Bundesliga game and it is a tough one as they take on what should be again a strong Bayer Leverkusen side.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / USA – ESPN
How to watch online: UK – Cannot be streamed / USA – ESPN+
Elversberg preview: Bundesliga debutants
Last season, Elversburg produced a major shock to finish second in 2. Bundesliga, runners-up to the giants of Schalke, and gain their first ever promotion to the top-flight under the management of Vincent Wagner.
Vincent Wagner and Elversburg have made some intriguing additions over the summer with some money granted with the arrivals of Lukasz Poreba, Maurice Krattenmacher and Cole Campbell for just short of around £10 million combined.
Bayer Leverkusen preview: More change at Leverkusen
In the 2023-24 season, Bayer Leverkusen created history as unbeaten double winners and a UEFA Europa League final. In the 2024-25 campaign, they remained strong and finished as runners-up but the departure of Xabi Alonso, as well as some big money sales, saw them massively regress last season.
Erik ten Hag was sacked after just a month, replaced by former Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand. Hjulmand led Leverkusen to sixth place and UEFA Europa League qualification but he has since been replaced by former Toulouse boss Carlos Martinez Novell.
Elversberg team news: Couple of absentees
Elversberg have a couple of absentees for this one as defender Luis Seifert begins the season sidelined alongside forward Tom Zimmerschied, with Frederik Schmahl also a doubt.
Predicted XI (3-4-3): Lehmann; Pinckert, Rohr, Sirch; Mickelson, Poreba, Conde, Gunther; Krattenmacher, Futkeu, Darvich
Unavailable: Seifert (Injured), Zimmerschied (Injured)
Questionable: Schmahl (Injured)
Bayer Leverkusen team news: Sticking with the back three
Leverkusen have almost exclusively played a back three in recent seasons and that will continue this season with that being the preferred system of Carlos Martinez Novell. They have key injury doubts such as Eliesse Ben Seghir and Martin Terrier.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Flekken; Quansah, Bade, Medina; Hofmann, Aleix Garcia, Equi Fernandez, Miguel Gutierrez; Tillman, Tella; Schick
Unavailable: Culbreath (Injured)
Questionable: Quansah (Fitness), Andrich (Injured), Eichhorn (Injured), Ben Seghir (Injured), Terrier (Injured)
Elversberg vs Bayer Leverkusen prediction
Carlos Martinez Novell did a reasonable job in charge of Toulouse and has earned a reputation for his ability to develop young talent. Elversburg were attacking in the second-tier last year and may well throw a few punches here but it has to be said that Leverkusen, after some intriguing additions in the summer such as Afonso Moreira and Miguel Gutierrez, are the firm favourites on the opening day of the season at Waldstadion an der Kaiserlinde in Spiesen-Elversburg.
Elversberg vs Bayer Leverkusen tip: Bayer Leverkusen to win
