The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League group stage kicks off on Thursday at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, where Copenhagen will take on Bayer Leverkusen from Germany. There’s a good chance of goals in this matchup, making it an interesting bet.
Match Preview
Copenhagen has reached the Champions League group stage for the third time in four years, successfully navigating the qualifiers by defeating Drita, Malmö, and Basel. At home, they have performed well, winning 5 of their last 6 UCL matches and keeping a clean sheet in 4 out of 5 games.
Historically, Copenhagen has struggled against German teams, with just one win in 15 encounters (5 draws, 10 losses). However, they tend to score at home; in 6 of their previous 8 Champions League games at Parken, they netted 1–2 goals, including matches against Bayern Munich and Manchester City.
Bayer Leverkusen finished second in the Bundesliga last season and are competing in the Champions League group stage for the third time in four years. They have not been strong starters in the tournament, with only two wins in their last eight opening matches, losing three of their last four UCL games.
Bayer is known for their attacking play but often concede goals on the road, failing to keep a clean sheet in 7 of their last 8 away matches and allowing at least two goals in five of those games. This makes the upcoming match even more intriguing for potential scoring.
Probable Lineups
- Copenhagen: Khotarski, Veskas, Pereira, Hatzidiakos, Lopez, Larsson, Clem, Lerager, Ashouri, Elyounoussi, Cornelius
- Bayer: Flekken, Tape, Quansah, Tapsoba, Grimaldo, Andrich, Garcia, Tella, Tillman, Schick, Kofane
Key Facts and Head-to-Head
- Copenhagen has won only once in their last 15 European matches against German clubs.
- At least three goals have been scored in regulation time in 5 of Bayer’s last 6 away Champions League matches.
- Copenhagen has scored in each of their last 8 home UCL games.
Prediction
With strong home performances and a tendency to score, Copenhagen is likely to find the net. Bayer’s inconsistency on the road could allow their opponents to score as well. I predict Copenhagen will score at least once, making the bet “Copenhagen over 1.0 goals” at odds of 1.65.