2025-26 UEFA Champions League: League Phase – Bayer Leverkusen vs Newcastle

Bayer Leverkusen meet Newcastle United in a critical league phase clash in 2025-26 UEFA Champions League. 

Victory would lift Leverkusen above Newcastle and potentially into the top eight depending on results elsewhere, whilst Eddie Howe’s Magpies can return to the top eight with a win.

 

Team News

Alejandro Grimaldo is a doubt for Bayer Leverkusen after he missed their Bundesliga defeat to Augsburg with a knock.

Arthur (back), Equi Fernandez (ligament), Exequiel Palacios (adductor), Axel Tape (hamstring). Janis Blaswich and Lucas Vazquez (both muscle) remain sidelined.

Jonas Hofmann, Martin Terrier and Alejo Sarco are ineligible.

Newcastle have no fresh injury concerns to report following their 2-1 Premier League victory against Burnley.

Nick Pope (groin), Emil Krafth (knee), Sven Botman (back), William Osula (ankle) and Kieran Trippier (hamstring) remain absent.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Bayer Leverkusen host Newcastle at BayArena on Wednesday 9 December at 9pm CET (8pm GMT), live on TNT Sports 3 in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• Bayer Leverkusen have lost their two previous Champions League meetings against Newcastle.
• Newcastle won 3-1 on their only previous visit to Bayer Leverkusen in February 2003.
• Leverkusen lost both of their two previous Champ[ions League meetings against Newcastle by 3-1 results in February 2003.
• Leverkusen are yet to win a league phase game at home this season (D1, L1), having held PSV to a 1-1 draw then lost 7-2 to PSG in October.
• Four of Newcastle’s five away goals in the league phase have been scored by Harvey Barnes and Anthony Gordon, who have both scored two goals apiece.

 

Prediction

Although Leverkusen have lost just one of their five league phase matches, their form have dipped slightly with one win in their last three games since they ruthlessly stunned Manchester City a fortnight ago, but I do expect them to produce a strong fight here despite their injury issues.

Newcastle meanwhile produced a clinical first-half display to see off Burnley after a slow start but their defence did look vulnerable at times to the Clarets’ fast wide attacks, which is something that Leverkusen could look to replicate but the Magpies need to be more consistent than they were in Marseille.

My instinct though is that both teams could well cancel each other out because their defences aren’t exactly the most consistent at present.

Prediction: Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 Newcastle

Result: Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 Newcastle