Feyenoord vs Bayer Leverkusen Prediction: Wirtz to announce himself on the UCL stage

Feyenoord and Bayer Leverkusen collide in the Champions League on Thursday (17:45, TNT Sports 2), with both teams having enjoyed decent starts to their respective league campaigns. 

Feyenoord are unbeaten in the Eredivisie, while Bayer Leverkusen have won two of their first three Bundesliga matches. Below you will find my Feyenoord vs Bayer Leverkusen prediction, accompanied by match odds and team news.

Feyenoord vs Bayer Leverkusen Odds

Feyenoord are 3/1 to win this encounter, giving them an implied probability of 25%. Leverkusen are priced at 4/5, which gives them a 55.6% chance of victory. The draw is marketed at 3/1 (25%).

Over 2.5 goals can be found at 1/2 and both teams to score can be backed at the same odds.

Feyenoord's top scorer from last season, Santiago Gimenez, has found the back of the net twice in four appearances in the league so far. He is 15/8 to score anytime on Thursday.

Leverkusen attacker Florian Wirtz has three for himself in the Bundesliga and he is 21/10 to score at any stage during this contest.

Football Odds

Team News 

Feyenoord may have lost manager Arne Slot over the summer as well as defender Lutsharel Geertruida, but they managed to keep hold of star forward Gimenez despite serious interest from Nottingham Forest. The striker is set to start for the Dutch club on Thursday evening.

Hwang In-beom and Jordan Lotomba joined the club in the transfer window and both will be itching to feature in this Champions League opener. The Rotterdam-based outfit are without the services of Calvin Stengs and loanee Hugo Bueno due to injury.

They were boosted by the return of Gernot Trauner from injury at the weekend, and the Austrian could make the bench for this clash.

Bar a late fitness test for Exequiel Palacios, Bayer Leverkusen have a clean bill of health, which could play into Xabi Alonso's hands. There will be a tussle between Patrik Schick and Victor Boniface over who starts up front, but after scoring a brace at the weekend, you'd have to favour the latter's chances.

Another decision for Alonso to make is who to partner Granit Xhaka in midfield out of Aleix Garcia and Robert Andrich. After showing off his talent in the Europa League over the past few seasons, Wirtz will be looking to seize the moment as he prepares for his Champions League debut.

Over 3.5 goals @ 6/5

Both teams boast a lot of attacking talent which I am expecting to come out on show on Thursday in Rotterdam.  This should make for an entertaining clash and one not short of goals, especially seeing as Leverkusen are involved and that was a running theme in last year's historic season.

Feyenoord and Leverkusen have both scored nine goals in their respective leagues, although the visitors have done so in two less matches. They each possess goalscorers they can depend upon. For the hosts that's Gimenez and for Leverkusen you can take your pick but it is mainly Boniface or Wirtz.

I think we will be treated to a flurry of goals in this game as a result and I like the look of over 3.5 goals at 6/5. It has been a winning selection in half of Feyenoord's league outings so far, as well as in all of Leverkusen's three matches in the Bundesliga.

Florian Wirtz anytime goalscorer @ 21/10

Wirtz will be wanting a dream debut in Europe's most glamorous competition and I think he can manage that with a goal in the Netherlands. The German international is full of confidence after his impressive start to the season which has produced three goals in the league.

He's one of the most exciting players to watch in Europe at the moment so I am sure he will give his fans something to shout about in this match. With the way that both these teams play, there should be a lot of chances available, and given that Leverkusen's squad is stronger on paper, I think they should see the lion's share.

Wirtz gets himself about on the pitch to create or drive into space and that is something that Feyenoord will struggle to deal with as they try to suppress his threat. Therefore, I think he will get the debut Champions League goal that he will have dreamt of as a kid.

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