Champions League: Leverkusen Test for the Champions

Bayer Leverkusen vs PSG

Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain aim to keep up their 100 per cent record on Tuesday when they travel to Germany to continue their title defence against Bayer Leverkusen.

Luis Enrique’s PSG have two wins from two so far, handing out a severe beating to Atalanta in a 4-0 opening win, and then they edged out Barcelona 2-1 in what could easily be a pre-run of the 2026 final. But there is a long way to go and, on Tuesday they will meet a Leverkusen side rejuvenated since the appointment of Kasper Hjulmand, and the BayArena is not an easy place to go to at any time.   

Leverkusen have recorded two draws in the competition so far, a 1-1 stalemate at home to PSV Eindhoven and a 2-2 draw away to FC Copenhagen, but they come into this game with three consecutive league wins, while their visitors have two draws on the bounce.

We’re in for a tasty clash folks, so let’s take a look at the two camps and try to work out who’s going to be smiling at the Bayarena on Tuesday night.    

 

Talking Points

Hjulmand has Die Werkself working well

After a poor start to the 2025/25 campaign a change in the dugout after the swift departure of Erik Ten Hag has done the trick and, three league wins on the bounce have lifted Die Werkself up to fifth place in the Bundesliga table. While Bayer have just picked up two draws in the Champions League they have beaten St Pauli away, FC Union Berln at home and, on Saturday they won a seven goal thriller away to FSV Mainz.

At the weekend, the excellent Alex Grimaldo scored a first half brace, punctuated by a Mainz goal and another for Bayer from the in form Christian Kofane made it 3-1 at the break. Former Leverkusen star Nadiem Amiri scored from the spot to make it 3-2 but Martin Terrier, making his first appearance since January, climbed off the bench to slot home from six yards and, despite Mainz scoring a late third, Bayer ran out deserved winners.      

With 20 shots and eight on target Die Werkself attacked with intent in Mainz, but Hjulmand will work on his defence which struggled to deal with long balls into the penalty area, and that is a tactic Enrique can resort to if the game is, as I expect, tight.      

 

Europe is a comfort for PSG

The Champions League reigning champions have started their European defence superbly, but back on French soil things are not going quite smoothly. After a flawless start to their Ligue 1 campaign, winning four from four, Luis Enrique’s men have just been toppled of the summit of the Ligue 1 table by Olympique Marseilles who have recorded five consecutive league wins. 

But the Parisians early Champions League 2025 results must have been as good as Enrique dared to hope. They dismantled a dangerous Atalanta side with a star performance and a goal from Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who is a potential match winner every time he walks on the pitch. Then in Barcelona, they recovered from an early Ferran Torres goal to win thanks to a last minute Goncalo Ramos strike. 

The Portuguese striker was on target again in the 3-3 draw with Strasbourg on Friday, as was the in form Desire Doue, and Enrique is hoping to welcome back Ousmane Dembele who has been sidelined weeks with a hamstring injury; though the latest news from the Paris camp suggests Tuesday may come to early for the France star.          

 

History

This is the first time these two teams have met in the Champions League since 2014, when the Parisians won 6-1 in a Round of 16 clash. After walloping Die Werkself 4-0 at the Bayarena, PSG won their home tie 2-1 to advance to the quarter finals.   

Leverkusen have found some great consistency under Hjulmand and have won three and drawn three of the last six games, while PSG have won three, drawn two and lost one in all competitions.

The reigning champions are the club to beat according to the early Champions League 2025 betting odds, with Arsenal and Barcelona the main rivals; but how will they fare in their next test in a hostile Westphalia? 

 

Betting Tip

Leverkusen are out at SBOTOP odds of 4.95 to win this clash with PSG hot favourites at 1.67, while the draw is available at a price of 4.20. Enrique’s men have thrived so far in their title defence but they have hit the skids in domestic football at a time when Die Werkself are gathering momentum; so I’m backing PSG to drop their first points of the 2025/26 campaign. 

   

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