Having started the season as Victor Boniface's back-up, Patrik Schick has stepped up while the Nigeria international has been out injured.The Czech international makes no secret of the fact that he

Xabi Alonso could make up to five changes to his Bayer Leverkusen side ahead of their Champions League against Atlético Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano on Tuesday night.Lukas Hradecky, Arthur,

“Players like Xabi Alonso in midfield have the capacity to read the whole game,” Simeone said then. “Alonso’s return meant Madrid found the famous ‘balance’ their coach (then Carlo Ancelotti) was looking for. But the balance is Xabi Alonso, not the others.”

Concerns about the loss of Victor Boniface have quickly faded for Bayer Leverkusen the reigning Bundesliga champions The Nigerian forward sidelined

Bundesliga betting tips for Bayer Leverkusen v Mainz as Betfair tipster Paul Higham picks out a 13-2 goalscorer double on Patrik Schick & Jonathan Burkardt at the BayArena

Xabi Alonso believed that Bayer Leverkusen's Bundesliga victory over Borussia Dortmund on Friday showed the improved discipline of the reigning champions.

The two standout German teams from last season are on opposite trajectories as the pressure mounts in the Bundesliga and Champions League.

Bayer Leverkusen has started the year with a big boost to its hopes of defending the Bundesliga title after beating a depleted Borussia Dortmund 3-2.

Patrik Schick scored a first-half brace as Bayer Leverkusen ... we're focused on ourselves and we're on the right track," Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka told DAZN. Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso benched in-form midfielder Florian Wirtz due to an "internal issue".

The German Bundesliga returns after the winter break with Borussia Dortmund at home to defending champions Bayer Leverkusen on Friday. Nuri Sahin's men host Xabi Alonso's side at Signal Iduna Park with BVB having won just one of their last five games pre-Christmas.

Having started the season as Victor Boniface's back-up, Patrik Schick has stepped up while the Nigeria international has been out injured. The Czech international makes no secret of the fact that he wasn't happy with his role at the start of the season ...

Bayer Leverkusen’s 11-match winning run in all competitions was ended by a stunning comeback from the 10 men of Atlético Madrid, who emerged 2-1 winners in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) to overtake the German champions and climb into the top three.