Bayer Leverkusen is clear favourite against the almost unknown opponent Tavriya Simferopol in the
Europa League play-offs on Thursday.
Bayer Leverkusen starts into the new season with a team of high quality, especially up front. The team of coach Jupp Heynckes even counts to the candidates for the title. Besides players like Adler, Hyypiä or Kießling the former Chelsea player Michael Ballack is the star of the team. Last Saturday Leverkusen won the first match of the season in Cup at 5th class FK Pirmasens with 11:1.
The SC Tavriya Simferopol is the Ukrainian Cup winner. Because the Ukraine is sixth in the ‘Uefa 5 year ranking' they did not had to play qualifiers to get into the play-offs. Simferopol hasn't had a good start in the Ukrainian Premyer Liga and could win only two of their six matches so far.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs SC Tavriya Simferopol
UEFA Europa League: Play-offs, 1st leg
Date: 19 August 2010 - 18:30 CET
Stadium: BayArena, Leverkusen
Referee: Fredy Fautrel (France)
Leverkusen:
Keeper: Adler
Defenders: Schwaab - Reinartz - Hyypiä - Castro
Midfielders: Renato Augusto - Vidal - Ballack - Sam
Forwards: Kießling - Helmes
Coach: Heynckes
Injured: -
Booked: -
Simferopol:
Keeper: Postransky
Defenders: Gumenyuk - Markovic - Monakhov - Messias
Midfielders: Kornev - Galyuza - Ljubenovic - Golaydo
Forwards: Kovpak - Idahor
Coach: Puchkov
Injured: -
Booked: -
The BayArena holds only 30.000 spectators, but because the opponent is not very appealing, it will not be sold out anyway.
No matches so far
Two teams that are worlds apart, I suggest Leverkusen handicap win
The best odds on Leverkusen to win on handicap (-1) you can find at
