Will the Werkself impress in Poland as well?
The Lech Poznań vs. Leverkusen pick is primarily shaped by the Werkself’s current upward trend in form. After a difficult start to the season with a 2–3 loss to Elversberg, Bayer has followed that up with four wins and one draw, most recently demonstrating its offensive prowess once again in a spectacular 4–3 victory in Mainz. The team also got off to a successful start in the Europa League with a 2–0 win over NK Celje. Although Lech Poznan, as the reigning Polish champion, should not be underestimated, they suffered a decisive 0-4 loss to Crystal Palace to kick off the league season.
The Lech Poznan vs. Leverkusen prediction therefore clearly favors the visitors, even though the trip to Poland is unlikely to be a walk in the park. Following the aforementioned thrashing by Crystal Palace, Lech recently bounced back impressively, celebrating two lopsided victories (4–1 and 5–1) at the national level. They currently sit in second place in the standings, three points and one game behind Podolski’s club, Gornik Zabrze.
Bayer, on the other hand, currently possesses significantly more offensive firepower, a fact recognized by the top bookmakers. Patrik Schick has scored in each of the first five Bundesliga matchdays and leads the scoring charts with five goals. It’s worth noting that the 2024 double champions have scored at least two goals in each of their seven competitive matches this season. Only Bayern and RB Leipzig currently boast even more potent attacking lines than the Rhinelanders in the German top flight!
When it comes to the Lech vs. Leverkusen odds, I think it’s especially worth considering a Bayer 04 Leverkusen away win. After a slow start in the Bundesliga, the Werkself quickly found their footing, going undefeated in their last four league matches in a row and already picking up three points in the Europa League. The club from the “pharmaceutical city” has won 15 of its last 17 Europa League matches in the group or league stages! Despite the Poles’ home-field advantage, I see Bayer as having the edge in terms of quality and form, not least because of the statistics cited above.
Lech Poznań – Leverkusen Head-to-Head Record
The head-to-head history between Lech Poznań and Bayer Leverkusen is brief, as this is the first-ever direct matchup between these two clubs. The head-to-head record therefore has no impact on the betting odds offered ahead of Lech Poznań’s match against Leverkusen.
While Lech Poznan remains winless in five European Cup matches against German teams (0-2-3), the Werkself’s record against Polish opponents is flawless. Leverkusen has won all four of its international matches against teams from Poland so far and now aims to continue this streak.
Lech Poznań vs. Leverkusen Prediction
When the floodlights come on in Poznań on Thursday evening, two teams in completely different situations will face off. Lech Poznań is already under pressure following a lopsided 0-4 loss to Crystal Palace in their first Europa League match, while Bayer Leverkusen is brimming with confidence after a 2-0 win over Celje and their recent 4-3 thriller in Mainz.
Although Lech has won seven of its nine competitive matches at home this season, it has also lost four of its last six home games in the Europa League group stage. Meanwhile, the Werkself arrives with a strong international record, having won 15 of its last 17 group stage and knockout round matches in the Europa League.
For Leverkusen, the match in Poland offers a chance to confirm their upward momentum on the European stage as well. My pick is therefore an away win for Leverkusen against Lech Poznań, though risk-taking bettors might consider the -1.5 handicap at attractive odds, provided Bayer continues its recent form in the Bundesliga.
At the same time, there are good reasons to expect a high-scoring evening. Nine of Lech’s last ten competitive matches have ended with more than 2.5 goals, while Leverkusen has averaged 2.4 goals per game in its last 14 Europa League matches.
