Bayer Leverkusen will be without Nathan Tella for their opening Champions League game against Copenhagen on Thursday night – the Nigerian attacker suffered a blow to the knee and also missed the club’s final training session. It’s not yet known how long Tella will be sidelined.
That means we could see one/or both of Eliesse Ben Seghir and Claudio Echeverri make their first starts for their new club, alongside Malik Tillman. Because Leverkusen then play again in the Bundesliga on Sunday night, Kasper Hjulmand is expected to make several changes for their Champions League game, per kicker.
In midfield, Robert Andrich and Equi Fernandez will start as they were sent off against Eintracht Frankfurt at the weekend with second bookable offences, meaning the duo will be absent for Sunday’s game against Borussia Monchengladbach – which also means that they should have no fitness issues ahead of their Bundesliga game against St. Pauli on September 27.
GGFN | Daniel Pinder