In the words of Outkast “from here on out, it only gets rougher.” That is the path for West Ham United, in the UEFA Europa League, as their next opponents are Bayer Leverkusen, the champions-elect of the German Bundesliga. They are a clinical, ruthless result getting machine right now, as they boast a 41 games and counting undefeated streak.
That is a new German record. Yes, not even Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund have done what Bayer is doing right now.
West Ham United at Bayer Leverkusen FYIs
Kickoff: Thurs. April 11, 8pm, Bay Arena
Competition: UEFA Europa League Quarterfinal Leg 1/2
Fun Fact: The last time Bayer Leverkusen faced an English side, in European competition, it was also a London club, Tottenham Hotspur, in the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
West Ham Preview Content: Team News Starting XI Prediction
It’s safe to say that this is the biggest match of the season for the Irons.
West Ham United Starting XI Prediction at Bayer Leverkusen
Lukasz Fabianski; Vladimir Coufal, Mavropanos, Kurt Zouma, Emerson Palmieri; Tomas Soucek, Edson Alvarez; , Lucas Paqueta, James Ward-Prowse, Mohammed Kudus; Michail Antonio
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Twitter.