Atalanta vs. Bayer Leverkusen: UEFA Europa League probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

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A torn calf muscle suffered against Mainz back in February has forced Schick to miss the last two games. However, Leverkusen have fared fine without their top scorer, running out comfortable 3-0 winners at home to Arminia Bielefeld and claiming a point away at champions Bayern Munich on Saturday. Coach Gerardo Seoane opted to play without a centre-forward that day, but is expected to revert to type in Bergamo. Lucas Alario is the most likely option after scoring three times across his last 162 minutes of action. The other alternative is Sardar Azmoun. The January signing made his Leverkusen debut in the final minute against Bayern and joins on the back of 10 goals in 21 games for Zenit Saint-Petersburg this term. The formidable young trio of Florian Wirtz, Moussa Diaby and Amine Adli are set to feature behind the striker. A European suspension for Kerem Demirbay likely means Exequiel Palacios will return to the side.

Malinovskyi ensured Atalanta reached this stage by scoring twice in the second leg of their play-off against Olympiacos and securing a 5-1 aggregate win. The Bergamo club dropped down from the UEFA Champions League after finishing third behind Manchester United and Villarreal in Group F, having claimed just one victory, at home to Young Boys. Gian Piero Gasperini's side have finished third in Serie A for the last three years, but are currently down in sixth - six points off the top four - having won only one of their last seven league outings, scoring just twice. One of those came from Malinovsky in a 1-1 draw with Juventus. They were also knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Fiorentina in that time. Injuries to Josip Ilicic and Duvan Zapata leave a team known for its attacking approach light up front, with Malinovskyi and Aleksei Miranchuk covering as centre-forwards recently.

Match stats

Across Europe's top five leagues, Schick's 20 league goals in this season's Bundesliga (from as many games) is only topped by Robert Lewandowski's 28.

The Czech struck 11 Serie A goals for Genoa in 2016/17, top scoring for the club alongside current Atalanta frontman Luis Muriel.

This is Bayer's 50th Europa League fixture. That is a record for a German club, as are their 28 wins, 96 goals scored and seven knockout stage participations. They are bidding to become the 14th club to reach a century of goals in the competition.

Leverkusen are one of five teams left in the competition to have previously won the Europa League/UEFA Cup, lifting the latter in 1988.

Atalanta have won only two of their last eight European fixtures at home in Bergamo (D3, L3).

The Italians' only previous participation in the Europa League knockout stage saw them beaten 4-3 on aggregate by Borussia Dortmund in the 2017/18 round of 32.

Probable line-ups

Atalanta: Musso - Toloi (c), Demiral, Palomino - Hateboer, de Roon, Freuler, Maehle - Pasalic, Pessina - Malinovskyi

Out: Ilicic (not included), Zapata (hamstring)

Doubtful: -

Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini

Leverkusen: Hradecky (c) - Frimpong, Tah, Tapsoba, Bakker - Aranguiz, Palacios - Adli, Wirtz, Diaby - Alario

Out: Bellarabi (hamstring), Demirbay (suspended), Lunev (ankle), Schick (calf)

Doubtful: Andrich (knee)

Coach: Gerardo Seoane