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

“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.”

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,

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.

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

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".

Bayer Leverkusen have started the year with a big boost to their hopes of defending the Bundesliga title by beating a depleted Borussia Dortmund line-up.

Following Bayern Munich's victory over Wolfsburg earlier, Bayer Leverkusen returned to within four points of the Bundesliga leaders with an 11th straight win across all competitions

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.