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

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Schick has returned to light training after missing Leverkusen's last four matches, including the first leg in Italy, with a calf injury. However, this return fixture looks to have come too soon for the Bundesliga's 20-goal second-top scorer this season. It has unfortunately also come at the wrong time for Wirtz, who tore his ACL in Sunday's derby defeat to Cologne and will be out for a considerable period of time. Jeremie Frimpong and Odilon Kossounou are also doubts after going off injured in that game as well. Die Werkself do at least have the in-form Moussa Diaby, who will buzz around either Lucas Alario or Sardar Azmoun - or both, if coach Gerardo Seoane decides to go for two centre-forwards to get the win by two goals that Bayer need to guarantee their place in the quarter-finals. Remember that away goals have been abolished, so a win by one will take the tie to extra-time.

Although famed for their free-flowing attacking play, Atalanta have drawn blanks in their last two Serie A outings, losing 1-0 at Roma and drawing 0-0 at home to Genoa on Sunday. On top of that, it's also only one win in their last eight domestic league outings, which was one of just three matches in that run where they have scored. It leaves them in sixth and eight points adrift of the top four. Italy's last remaining Europa League representative has also only won one of their last five European away games. First-leg goalscorers Malinovskyi and Luis Muriel are likely to start again for Gian Piero Gasperini's side on their first visit to Germany since losing 3-2 in Dortmund in 2018, but Aleksei Miranchuk is out with a hip problem. Marten de Roon should also return after missing the weekend through suspension.

Match stats

Diaby has four goals in his last three Europa League starts.

Leverkusen have won four of the eight UEFA ties in which they lost the first leg away.

Die Werkself's overall home record in the UEFA Europa League, play-offs included, is W17 D5 L3. Their last defeat on home turf came last year against a Young Boys side then coached by Seoane.

Atalanta have never won in Germany, having previously lost 3-2 to Dortmund in the 2017/18 round of 32 and drawn 1-1 with Cologne in 1991.

Leverkusen forward Schick and Atalanta counterpart Muriel were strike partners at Sampdoria in 2016/17. They each scored 11 Serie A goals that season.

Currently on 98 goals, Leverkusen are bidding to become the 14th club to reach a century of goals in the competition. This is their 51st match in the competition.

Probable line-ups

Leverkusen: Hradecky (c) - Fosu-Mensah, Tah, Tapsoba, Bakker - Aranguiz, Demirbay - Diaby, Adli, Paulinho - Alario

Out: Frimpong (ankle), Lunev (ankle), Wirtz (knee)

Doubtful: Bellarabi (hamstring), Kossounou (thigh), Schick (calf)

Coach: Gerardo Seoane

Atalanta: Musso - Toloi (c), Demiral, Djimsiti - Hateboer, Koopmeiners, de Roon, Freuler, Maehle - Malinovskyi, Muriel

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

Doubtful: -

Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini