With Barcelona lurking at the top of Group E, one would figure there is only one spot up for grabs for either AS Roma or Bayer Leverkusen left to get into the knockout rounds of the Champions League. With the Italian side having already lost to BATE Borisov, the supposed doormat of this group, anything less than a draw on German soil would probably end up being a death knell.
ODDS ANALYSIS
That said, it's basically a 50/50 proposition on whether Bayer will get the win or not in this game. The BayArena crowd knows that a win would all but ensure qualification for the knockout rounds halfway through the proceedings, as Leverkusen should be three clear of BATE Borisov and five of Roma at that point.
Bayer Leverkusen is a -105 favorite on the moneyline along with a total of a flat 2.5.
RECENT FORM
It's worth noting that Roma has had miserable play at the back of late, and the fact that this team continues to push forward suggests that it knows it has to score two or three times to win in any of these Champions League matches. The Italian side has scored at least twice in four straight matches and at least once in all 10 of its competitive fixtures thus far in the 2015-16 season.
However, goals have been flying in against Roma as well. It just gave up a modest one to Empoli over the weekend, but prior to that, two against Palermo domestically and three against BATE Borisov here in the UCL certainly signal a warning as the team heads to German soil.
Bayer Leverkusen hasn't been a great form either. The team was held to a scoreless draw at Hamburg over the weekend, a result which followed a relatively lifeless 1-1 draw at home against FC Augsburg before the international break.
Prior to that though, Leverkusen was really in fine form. The team deserved at least a share of the spoils at Barca and was unlikely to walk away with a 2-1 defeat, and that came on the heels of wins over Mainz and Werder Bremen domestically.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Bayer Leverkusen, for our money, is the better of these two sides. Javier Hernandez can certainly make things happen up top, while Lars Bender, Julian Brandt and Hakan Calhanoglu should be able to bring in an attacking force from the midfield as well.
If we've seen nothing else out of Leverkusen thus far in the Champions League, it is that it is going to go for it. Chicarito should've made the proceeding level at Camp Nou against Barcelona earlier in this tournament, and that was the real signal of intent that this team isn't going to go quietly into the night.
Roma has real problems at the moment as well, and though it did get back on track last weekend, we don't see quite enough here to salvage a point. There's just too many goals allowed for Miralem Pjanic and company to be able to fight back. We expect to see a late winner by Leverkusen on Tuesday to provide a real dagger in Roma's European campaign.
Beyer Leverkusen 2, AS Roma 1
The Champions League lines for this contest were first released by BookMaker Sportsbook with Bayer Leverkusen lined as a -105 moneyline favorite and a total of 2.5. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time moneylines, spreads and totals. Live betting is open during every step of this match!
Need to fund your account before the big game but don’t have your computer? No problem! BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet. Click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The fixture between Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma is scheduled for Tuesday, October 20, 2015 at 2:45 p.m. ET at BayArena. The match will be televised live on ESPN2.
