At the Etihad Stadium on 25 November 2025, Manchester City host Bayer Leverkusen in a Champions League match shaped heavily by the Germans’ injury issues and structural problems - factors that clearly tilt the balance toward the reigning English champions.
Leverkusen Arrive Severely Weakened
Xabi Alonso’s midfield is stripped down to its bare minimum. Robert Andrich serves the second match of his suspension after the 2–7 loss to PSG, while Palacios and Ezequiel Fernández remain unavailable. Lucas Vázquez is still recovering, and Jonas Hofmann - Alonso’s creative solution at right-back against Wolfsburg - is not registered for the Champions League. Even more worrying is the situation of Álex Grimaldo, Leverkusen’s best performer this season, who is doubtful with a muscle issue and unlikely to be at full sharpness even if he plays.
These absences open vast spaces on the flanks, exactly where City typically dominate. The visitors may rely on the excellent form of Patrik Schick, but one in-form striker will not compensate for the structural weaknesses all over the pitch.
City’s Wide Superiority Could Decide the Match
Even with expected rotations - including the possibility of Rodri starting on the bench - Manchester City retain explosive power on the wings. Foden, Savinho and Doku should enjoy huge freedom against a Leverkusen defensive line patched together out of necessity rather than choice. Pep Guardiola will want a strong performance before the high-profile trip to the Bernabéu, and the incentives to control the match early are obvious.
Prediction: 2–0 for Manchester City
City have also shown a habit of opening the scoring inside the first half-hour in European fixtures, and with the imbalance between the teams in this matchup, the same pattern looks likely here.
