Bayer Leverkusen vs Qarabag FK
Two clubs in Group H of the Europa League are tied at the top of the table, but only one side will emerge as the frontrunner after Leverkusen host Qarabag FK in North Rhine-Westphalia.
This would be a gigantic matchup, as Xavi Alonso’s club has yet to face this prominent club from Azerbaijan. Both clubs will boast their own brand of football and aim to stay competitive all throughout their bout.
The marquee matchup to keep an eye on is between Victor Okoh Boniface and Juninho. Both star strikers have scored seven times in their respective leagues, and both are the heavy hitters that keep their team’s offence afloat. They will surely grace fans with Europa League 2023 highlights as they showcase their goal-getting abilities on the same pitch.
Talking Points
Leverkusen shaping up to be serious contenders in the Bundesliga
Xavi Alonso and the rest of Bayer Leverkusen cling on to the top of the Bundesliga table after a win against Wolfsburg. They hang on to the top spot while Stuttgart, Bayern, and Dortmund creep up in a very tight German top flight table.
They remain undefeated after eight games, garnering a total of 22 points. Their biggest scare was against Bayern Munich last month.
Die Schwarzroten have checked all the right boxes in their campaign, but is it too early to consider them a legitimate threat to dethrone Bayern Munich as the Kings of the Bundesliga? The early signs say yes.
They have been obliterating the opposition across all competitions this season. They started cleaning up foes as soon as the season opener, when they were faced with a tall order as they hosted and defeated the DFB and Supercup winners, RB Leipzig. They also went toe-to-toe with Bayern Munich in a 2-2 draw while keeping a clean sheet against multiple teams on the side.
The month of December would give us a clearer evaluation of Xabi Alonso’s squad, as they are set to face both Dortmund and Stuttgart that month. But one thing’s for sure: Bayer 04 Leverkusen are the real deal.
The boys from Baku boast their brilliance
Qarabag continue their blistering run in both the Azerbaijan Premier League and the Europa League. They are tied with Leverkusen with two wins apiece, only separated by goal difference, and are currently tied with Zira as the top teams in the Azerbaijan Premier League.
Gurban Gurbanov and his team have been on a hot streak, staying undefeated in their last seven matches across all competitions. They have tallied six wins and one draw since their loss against Sebail last month.
Their magical run is not possible without their superstar, Juninho. The Brazilian forward has been the trailblazer for Qarabag’s offence. He has provided seven goals in 10 matches in the Azerbaijan Premier League and has scored a goal in the Europa League against Hacken to keep their record clean.
Juninho is the spearhead of his club’s offence and pace, and we expect to see more of the same when they visit Leverkusen in BayArena.
History
Die Schwarzroten have never faced a team from Azerbaijan in their history in any UEFA club competition, so it’ll be an interesting matchup to see these two sides showcase their own brand of football.
Leverkusen and Qarabag have won their first two games in the group stages and are the top seeds in Group H. The German side leads the group table as they have scored more goals than the club from Baku.
Both of them are looking to extend their winning streak to three games and separate themselves as the top seeds in their Europa League group. The last time Leverkusen won their first three group stage matches was in their 2001–02 UEFA Champions League campaign, when they surprised everyone with their Cinderella run and reached the finals.
But it won’t be a walk in the park for the German top flight leaders as they face a Qarabag squad that has yet to concede a goal in this Europa League campaign. The Azerbaijan squad, though, has a bad track record when facing German oppositions.
Qarabag have lost five of their six previous fixtures against German teams in all European competition, but they came close when they settled with a 1-1 scoreline against SC Freiburg in their 2022–23 campaign in the Europa League group stage.
Betting Tip
The SBOTOP Europa League 2023 odds have numerous lines that hold enough value for punters to be excited about.
Bayer Leverkusen are the favourites to win this contest, priced at 1.21; Qarabag FK are the overwhelming underdogs at 7.60, while the draw price is at 6.20. As the prices suggest, it would be safe to go with the home team, but there isn’t much value in it.
Personally, I think Leverkusen will come out as the victors and separate themselves as the top team in Group H. Goals under 3.50 may be a little modest for the top team in the Bundesliga, but we have to take into consideration that Qarabag’s defence has been impenetrable in the Europa League so far.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT))
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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