Did you know? Bayer Leverkusen v FC Barcelona

Did you know? Bayer Leverkusen v FC Barcelona

We take a look at the most interesting facts and figures surrounding Wednesday's Champions League match

FC Barcelona have already won Group E of the UEFA Champions League, but are facing a Bayer Leverkusen side still fighting for a berth in the last 16. Here's what you need to know before they kick off at 8.45pm:

- Barca have six consecutive wins against Bayer Leverkusen, most recently by a score of 2–1 at Camp Nou in the second game of this season's group stage. They also previously met in the last 16 in 2011/12, a second group stage in 2002/03, and a first group stage in 2001/02. They have also met in the 1987/88 UEFA Cup quarter-finals, in which Bayer beat Barça 1–0 on aggregate. In total, there have been nine clashes between the two in Europe with six victories, 1 draw and 2 defeats for the Catalans.


- Lionel Messi leads active Barça players in scoring against Bayer Leverkusen with a total of 6 goals, all coming in the last 16 in 2011/12. Messi scored one in Germany (a 3–1 FCB win) and five in Barcelona (a 7–1 FCB win), becoming the first footballer to score five goals in a UEFA Champions League match.


- As a player, Luis Enrique Martínez faced Bayer Leverkusen in 2001/02, in the first group stage of the UEFA Champions League. The current FC Barcelona coach scored in both matches. Bayer won 2–1 in Germany and Barça won 2–1 at Camp Nou.


- With Wednesday's game, Bayer Leverkusen will tie Bayern Munich as the German team which has faced Barça the most, with eight games played. They are followed by Stuttgart and Werder Bremen with four and Schalke 04 and Hertha BSC with two.


- To qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League, Bayer Leverkusen must win and hope that AS Roma, second in qualifying Group E, lose or draw against BATE Borisov.


- Bayer have scored eleven goals in three home matches played in this edition of the Champions League, winning twice, including their 3–0 playoff win over Lazio, and a draw.


- Javier 'Chicarito' Hernandez is Bayer's top scorer with eleven goals in his last ten games.


- Barça seek to finish the group stage undefeated, something which they haven't done since the 2011/12 season.


- Three FC Barcelona players have performed national team duties with a player from Bayer Leverkusen. Marc-André ter Stegen has done so with Kramer, Bellarabi and Lars Bender; Claudio Bravo has done so with Aránguiz; and Ivan Rakitic has done so with Kresic and Jedvaj.

Força Barça
Força Barça

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