Feyenoord vs. Bayer Leverkusen | UEFA Champions League | League Stage | Pre Match
Feyenoord vs. Bayer Leverkusen
INSIGHTS
Pre Match
1
Feyenoord and Bayer Leverkusen’s only previous meeting was in the last 16 of the 1987-88 UEFA Cup – the German side prevailed 3-2 on aggregate on their way to winning the trophy that season.
2
Bayer Leverkusen have never lost a major European game against a Dutch side in six previous meetings (W3 D3), though this is their first since a 0-0 draw with PSV in the UEFA Cup in September 1994.
3
Feyenoord have lost 12 of their last 15 matches in the UEFA Champions League (W3), including each of their last eight in a row away from home.
4
Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso made 119 appearances in the UEFA Champions League in his playing career, appearing for four different clubs (47 Real Madrid, 39 Liverpool, 25 Bayern Munich, 8 Real Sociedad). The only other Spaniard to play 100+ times in the competition and later manage in it is Xavi (151 games for Barcelona, who he would later manage).
5
Feyenoord had the second-youngest starting XIs in terms of average age in the UEFA Champions League last season (24y 127d), with only FC Red Bull Salzburg having a younger XI (22y 241d).
