Bayer Leverkusen vs CSKA Moscow Predictions & Betting Tips, Match Previews

Bayer Leverkusen had a decent season in Germany last year when they finished 3rd in the Bundesliga, behind the dominant Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. This saw them qualify again for the Champions League group stages, but they have a tough group to navigate if they’re to make it to the knockout stages. Monaco, Tottenham Hotspur and CSKA Moscow will all feel that they have a chance of finishing in the top two and progressing in the competition.

The hosts’ season started with a 2-1 win over Hauenstein in the DFB Pokal but was followed by an opening day defeat in the Bundesliga at the hands of Borussia Monchengladbach. They did manage to find their first points of the season on Saturday though when they dispatched of Hamburger with a 3-1 win.

Bayer Leverkusen made some shrewd moves in the transfer market over the summer as well, bringing in young Hoffenheim striker Kevin Volland and the talented centre back Aleksandar Dragovic from Dynamo Kiev. This should bode well for the rest of the season, but Volland is out injured for this clash along with fellow strikers Javier Hernandez and Stefan Kiebling.

CSKA Moscow will be hoping to take advantage of their oppositions’ lack of striking options on Tuesday, and they themselves are doing pretty well at the beginning of this campaign. They lost the Russian Super Cup to Zenit, but since then they have won four and drawn two of their six Russian Premier League games, conceding just one goal in the process.

Their defence is something they’ve had to work on,considering they lost star striker Ahmed Musa to Leicester this summer but,so far, they seem to be dealing with the change in dynamics rather well.

There’s a bit of a quality gap between these two sides, but it’s not a huge gulf in class, and CSKA Moscow have started the season well. Considering Bayer Leverkusen’s lack of striking options and the visitors’ in form defence I think they have a real chance. Odds of 13/10 for a CSKA Moscow Win or Draw Double Chance look excellent value as well, so I’m backing that along with a 1-1 correct score prediction at 13/2.