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

bundesliga.com, 23 November 2021, 22:25
Florian Wirtz will hope to steer Bayer Leverkusen to a UEFA Europa League Group G-topping win over Celtic on Thursday (kick-off: 6.45pm CET).
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Wirtz has registered seven goals and as many assists in 15 competitive appearance so far this season, with his three strikes in four Europa League matches helping Leverkusen secure their passage to the last 32 with room to spare. Gerardo Seoane's side have so far claimed 10 points from a possible 12, and will advance as section winners if they make it a double over second-placed Celtic. Amine Adli, who scored the only goal of the game against Bochum at the weekend, is expected to lead the line in Patrik Schick's stead once again. Defender Piero Hincapie and attacking midfielder Paulinho are among those who could be rotated in.

Celtic are also through to the knockouts, despite falling to a comprehensive 4-0 defeat in the reverse fixture. They're unbeaten in nine since, most recently edging out St. Johnstone in the Scottish League Cup semi-finals, but have never won a UEFA fixture on German soil. Head coach Ange Postecoglou can count on influential forward Kyogo Furuhashi, but first-choice defenders Carl Starfelt and Greg Taylor are sidelined by injury, as is the coach's Australian countryman, midfielder Tom Rogic. Striker Giorgos Giakoumakis is a doubt, meanwhile, for a club that has failed to score in nine of 12 matches away to Bundesliga opposition.

Match stats

Leverkusen have never lost at home in the UEFA Europa League group stage, winning 11 of their 14 matches, including the last five, in which they have scored 20 goals.

Only Lyon's Karl Toko Ekambi (six goals, two assists) has had a direct hand in more goals than Wirtz (three goals, one assist) in this season's Europa League.

Moussa Diaby tops the Europa League assist charts with three in four games.

Hincapie's opener in the reverse leg was his first ever goal in his 29th appearance at senior professional level.

Jeremie Frimpong made 51 appearances in all competitions for Celtic, before moving to Leverkusen in January.

Leverkusen beat Celtic's Glasgow rivals Rangers 4-1 on aggregate in the last 16 of the 2019/20 Europa League.

Probable line-ups

Leverkusen: Hradecky (c) - Frimpong, Tah, Tapsoba, Hincapie - Andrich, Demirbay - Diaby, Wirtz, Paulinho - Adli

Out: Alario (calf), Bakker (ankle), Baumgartlinger (knee), Fosu-Mensah (knee)

Doubtful: Aranguiz (calf), Schick (ankle)

Coach: Gerardo Seoane

Celtic: Hart - Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Welsh, Juranovic - Bitton - Abada, Turnbull, McGregor (c), Jota - Furuhashi

Out: Dembele (ankle), Jullien (knee), Rogic (hamstring), Starfelt (hamstring), Taylor (shoulder)

Doubtful: Giakoumakis (knee)

Coach: Ange Postecoglou

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