Bayer Leverkusen vs Celje prediction, odds and how to watch

Slovan Bratislava dominated nearly every meaningful attacking metric against Celje in this Champions League qualifier, yet had to settle for a 1-1 draw that the statistics suggest they did not deserve. Sophie Hargreaves breaks down why the pattern of play told a very different story to the result.

Bayer Leverkusen host RB Leipzig on Sunday carrying six absentees, a defence that has not kept a clean sheet in ten Bundesliga matches, and the memory of a 4-1 hammering of this same opponent in May. Leipzig arrive in the kind of form that makes comfortable predictions uncomfortable.

FC Augsburg host Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday carrying genuine home momentum and a tactical identity that could make this trickier than the standings suggest. The question is whether their structure holds against an opponent who averaged 69 per cent possession across their last ten home games.

Bayer Leverkusen host Union Berlin on Saturday looking to leverage one of the Bundesliga's most commanding home structures, but the data tells a more complicated story than the eye test might suggest.

Elversberg welcome Bayer Leverkusen to the Saarland on 29 August in what promises to be one of the more intriguing early-season Bundesliga encounters. The hosts are formidable at home. The visitors are capable of something special. Rafael Mbeki considers what the form tells us, and what it does not.

Slovan Bratislava arrive in Slovenia on the back of four unbeaten results, while Celje's limited home data tells an intriguing story. Marcus Vale breaks down what the numbers actually say about this Champions League qualifier.

Ipswich Town have signed Argentina World Cup winner Exequiel Palacios from Bayer Leverkusen on a four-year deal, the headline arrival in a £150m summer spend that signals genuine top-flight ambition rather than survival mode.