PSV will visit Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday night for the second match in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League. It is the second time PSV will travel to Leverkusen for an official match. The first time was in 1994, when PSV lost 5-4 to the German club.
It is only the second official European match in which PSV will visit Bayer Leverkusen. The first encounter took place on September 13, 1994, already 31 years ago, during the outward match of the first round of the UEFA Cup (the forerunner of the Europa League). At the time, PSV narrowly lost 5-4 to the German club. Ronaldo and Luc Nilis managed to find the net, with Ronaldo even scoring a hat-trick. In the return at the Philips Stadium, it remained 0-0, eliminating PSV from the European tournament.
Old acquaintance
Bayer Leverkusen counts a former PSV player in the selection: Malik Tillman. The attacking midfielder made the move from PSV to the German top club this summer and will face his former teammates for the first time Wednesday in Leverkusen's black and red. Malik Tillman played two seasons for PSV's main squad, in which he played a total of 73 official matches and scored 25 goals.
Dutch acquisitions at Leverkusen
In addition to Malik, Bayer Leverkusen also attracted two Dutchmen this summer. Goalkeeper Mark Flekken came over from Brentford. The 32-year-old goalkeeper has so far been under the bar seven times for the Germans and had to concede ten goals. In addition, 21-year-old Ernest Poku was recruited from AZ Alkmaar, where he had been active since 2019 and was part of the main squad from the 2023-2024 season. On his debut for Leverkusen, Poku scored immediately, which is his only goal so far this season.
Season start Bayer Leverkusen
In the Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen has had a shaky start so far. They are currently sixth, with two wins, two draws and one defeat. In their three home games, they won one, played one tie and lost one, with a goal difference of ten for and eight against.
In the UEFA Champions League, Leverkusen started with a 2-2 against FC Copenhagen. After trailing 2-0, the Germans still managed to force a draw in the closing minutes.