Bayern Leverkusen finished second in the German Bundesliga a year ago, but few consider them one of the two best teams in Germany. Those top two spots belong to Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, but Leverkusen still have their spot as a very good team and one that will challenge Chelsea when the two open up UEFA Champions League group play action on Tuesday at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea Vs. Bayer Leverkusen, 2011 UEFA Champions League: Can Blues Create Width? - We Ain’t Got No History
With Chelsea led by a new manager, Andre Villas-Boas, no one is exactly sure how he will send his team out. There isn’t much of a history to lean on and make an educated guess as to how his Blues side will come out. Graham MacAree from SB Nation’s Chelsea blog We Ain’t Go No History does his best to predict how Chelsea will play, with a nod towards using the Blues’ two fantastic fullbacks to create width.
The midfield is the most interesting tactical battle between the two sides, and Andre Villas-Boas may choose to match Leverkusen's 4-2-3-1 to lock up the centre and instead focus on the flanks. Ashley Cole was back to something approximating his best against Sunderland and with Jose Bosingwa experiencing a renaissance under the new manager Chelsea can hit any team hard down the wings. Their visitors on Tuesday won't be an exception.
If Chelsea can get Cole and Bosingwa into the attack, any team will have trouble figuring out how to stop them. Of course there is also the question of who Villas-Boas chooses to play in the midfield and up top, something that MacAree also dives into in anticipation of one of the most intriguing fixtures on the first Champions League match day.
For more on Chelsea FC and this match, head over to SB Nation’s Chelsea blog We Ain’t Got No History. Keep it on our Chelsea vs. Bayer Leverkusen StoryStream for updates leading up to the match, during the match and post-match. Check out SB Nation Soccer for news and updates on all of the UEFA Champions League action.
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