This week's Champions League match between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen is sure to be one of those great battles. On one side, Liverpool is on a perfect winning run, confidently positioned as one of the clear favorites for the tournament alongside Aston Villa. On the opposing side, Leverkusen will come into this match as another great opponent, having let in just one goal so far and still unbeaten.
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Liverpool: Favorite with the Thirst for Victory
Arne Slot-coached Liverpool is on fire. While they have straight three wins in the Champions League, coupled with clear dominance in the Premier League, the Reds stand out not just because of individual talents like Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold but because of tactical consistency instilled by their coach in them. But even without the likes of Diogo Jota, Federico Chiesa, and Harvey Elliott, there's no shortage of stellar talent in the current Liverpool squad capable of addressing the challenge at hand.
Defensively, the leadership of Van Dijk has kept things solid at the back, while up front, Salah and Cody Gakpo bring a surgical precision to the attack. That lethal combination makes Liverpool one of the most feared teams at the moment. Yet, there's genuine concern on defense wherein Tsimikas, a standout in their last match against RB Leipzig, mentioned how the team needs to build up its lead earlier and avoid last-minute goals to secure their wins.
Leverkusen's Challenge at Anfield
Liverpool may be dominant, but Bayer Leverkusen, under the guidance of former Reds great Xabi Alonso, aren't here to make it easy. Top form in the Champions League, Leverkusen has managed seven points in three games and finds itself well placed in the standings. Expectation levels are high for this match at Anfield, above all considering how Leverkusen stands as the only team to have beaten Liverpool in a European matchup in two decades-a memorable 4-2 victory in 2001/02.
He has nearly his complete squad for this match, with Victor Boniface coming back for this match, who had missed the last match and is the current top scorer. Besides Boniface, who gives power and mobility to the attack, Liverpool's defense has got to cope with the youthful exuberance of Florian Wirtz and the dangerous precision of Jonas Hofmann. At the same time, Wirtz can boast of a remarkable record, as, having scored three away goals in this season's Champions League, he has entered the ranks of such young stars as Erling Haaland, who scored in each of the first three away matches of the competition.
History and Challenge: Liverpool's Unbeaten Streak against German Teams
Indeed, the English powerhouse has gone unbeaten in their last 13 European competition matches against German opponents with ten wins and three draws. The only defeat? In a match against Leverkusen, which makes this rematch an even spicier one. If their supporters and players are looking for just another reason to bet on a Reds victory, that's it, especially playing at Anfield, where their aggressive and dynamic play shines.
Leverkusen's defense will face its toughest test, having leaked only one goal in the tournament so far. Resisting Liverpool's initial pressure will be key if they are to keep the game balanced; otherwise, the Anfield factor becomes almost insurmountable.