Lazio and Leverkusen twice drew 1-1 in their previous UEFA Champions League encounters but something will have to give as they come together in the play-offs.
Lazio will look to make it to the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time in eight years as they face Leverkusen in what is the Italian side's first play-off in this competition
Previous meetings
• The teams drew 1-1 home and away in their only previous meetings, in the 1999/2000 UEFA Champions League first group stage. Sven-Göran Eriksson was Lazio coach while Christoph Daum was in charge of Leverkusen.
• The teams drew 1-1 home and away in their only previous meetings, in the 1999/2000 UEFA Champions League first group stage. Sven-Göran Eriksson was Lazio coach while Christoph Daum was in charge of Leverkusen.
• The lineups for their last encounter, in Rome on 27 October 1999, were:
Lazio: Marchegiani, Favalli, Conceição (Stanković 76), Bokšić (Simone Inzaghi 59), Salas, Mihajlović, Pancaro, Nedvĕd, Verón (Simeone 89), Couto, Almeyda.
Leverkusen: Matysek, Reeb (Hejduk 67), Nowotny, Živković, Kirsten (Mamić 88), Emerson, Greško (Happe 25) , Beinlich, Schneider, Neuville, Ramelow.
Lazio: Marchegiani, Favalli, Conceição (Stanković 76), Bokšić (Simone Inzaghi 59), Salas, Mihajlović, Pancaro, Nedvĕd, Verón (Simeone 89), Couto, Almeyda.
Leverkusen: Matysek, Reeb (Hejduk 67), Nowotny, Živković, Kirsten (Mamić 88), Emerson, Greško (Happe 25) , Beinlich, Schneider, Neuville, Ramelow.
Form guide
• Leverkusen are the only German side to have avoided defeat at Lazio from a total of five Bundesliga club visits; Lazio's home record against German teams is W4 D1 L0.
• Leverkusen are the only German side to have avoided defeat at Lazio from a total of five Bundesliga club visits; Lazio's home record against German teams is W4 D1 L0.
• Leverkusen's record in games in Italy reads W1 D3 L3. They have drawn 1-1 twice in Rome, against AS Roma (in 2004) as well as against Lazio.
• Leverkusen safely negotiated the UEFA Champions League play-offs at the first attempt in 2014/15, beating FC København home and away.
• Lazio are in the UEFA Champions League play-offs for the first time, yet have successfully navigated their way through three play-offs in the UEFA Europa League.
• Lazio have not featured in the UEFA Champions League since reaching the group stage in 2007/08 under Delio Rossi.
Links and trivia
• Lazio's German striker Miroslav Klose knows Leverkusen well; between 2000 and 2011, he played 23 Bundesliga matches against Leverkusen (W11 D5 L7), scoring eight times. The 37-year-old is his country's all-time top marksman with 71 Germany goals.
• Lazio's German striker Miroslav Klose knows Leverkusen well; between 2000 and 2011, he played 23 Bundesliga matches against Leverkusen (W11 D5 L7), scoring eight times. The 37-year-old is his country's all-time top marksman with 71 Germany goals.
• Bayer midfielder Christoph Kramer and Lazio counterpart Lucas Biglia were on opposite sides in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, with Germany edging Argentina 1-0.
• Leverkusen boast Italian talent in the form of right-back Giulio Donati; the former Internazionale trainee represented Lecce, Padova and Grosseto (all on loan) before heading to Germany in 2013.
• Lazio midfielder Christopher Oikonomidis and Leverkusen forward Robbie Kruse are team-mates with Australia.
• Two Bayer notables have connections with Lazio's local rivals; midfielder Tin Jedvaj played for Roma in the 2013/14 campaign before switching to Leverkusen, while sporting director Rudi Völler hit 45 goals in 142 Serie A games for the Giallorossi from 1987–92, later coaching the club in 2004.
Preview: Lazio vs. Bayer Leverkusen
When the draw for the Champions League playoffs was made, this tie - along with Valencia vs. Monaco - was the standout fixture.
With the riches that come from qualifying for the group stages on offer, it is a vital encounter for both Lazioand Bayer Leverkusen, with the first leg to be played at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday evening.
Lazio
Having finished third in Serie A last term, Lazio are now on the cusp of booking their place in the group phase of the Champions League for the first time since 2007.
Yet, while there should be plenty of positivity surrounding the Rome-based outfit at a time like this, it is not all sweetness and light.
There are four new faces in the squad, including former Manchester United and West Ham United playmaker Ravel Morrison. Once dubbed the bad boy of English football, the 22-year-old was recently branded the 'new Gazza' by sections of the Italian press.
Of the other three signings - Wesley Hoedt, Patric and Ricardo Kishna - only the latter cost a fee and that was around £2m. Not just that, none of the fresh arrivals are over the age 22, which has resulted in suggestions that Stefano Pioli's squad is perhaps lacking in experience in some key areas.
Lazio's pre-season form has also been worrying, with defeats being suffered at the hands of Vicenza, Anderlecht and Mainz 05. That was then followed by the Italian Super Cup in Shanghai - a game that saw champions Juventus run out 2-0 winners.
Despite all this, Aquile can at least take some heart from their recent European record in the playoffs. They may never have featured at this stage of the Champions League, yet they have successfully navigated their way through three playoffs in the Europa League over recent years.
Recent form: DDLWLL
Recent form (all competitions): WWLLLL
Recent form (all competitions): WWLLLL
Bayer Leverkusen
Having reached the final of the Champions League at Hampden Park in 2002, for a number of years afterwards, Bayer struggled to maintain that sort of form in Europe's top club competition.
However, in recent years the men from Leverkusen have started to make more of an impact on the tournament once again.
In the last four installments, the Red and Blacks have advanced beyond the groups on three occasions, although their interest has then ended at the last-16 stage each time. They are also no strangers to the playoffs, having come through against Copenhagen 7-2 on aggregate 12 months ago.
As far as recent performances go, a run of three pre-season friendly triumphs proved to be just the tonic for the start of the Bundesliga campaign at the weekend.
Roger Schmidt's men actually fell behind at home to Hoffenheim when Steven Zuber found the net in just the fifth minute, but goals from Stefan Kiessling and young substitute Julian Brandt secured a 2-1 win for the hosts.
The departures of Gonzalo Castro and Josip Drmic to Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Monchengladbach was bound to have been a source of disappointment for supporters, but that blow is likely to have been eased by the arrivals of Admir Mehmedi, Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Chile international Charles Aranguiz.
Recent form: WWLDWL
Recent form (all competitions): LDWWWW
Recent form (all competitions): LDWWWW
Team News
As mentioned above, Morrison has impressed during his short time in the Italian capital, but he is not expected to play any part in this encounter because of an ankle problem.
The Englishman suffered the complaint against Vicenza in July and he was seen leaving the ground on crutches, but Lazio are yet to confirm the extent of the damage.
It is also unlikely that goalkeeper Federico Marchetti will feature because of a rib injury, which should hand an opportunity to Etrit Berisha between the posts.
As for Bayer, it is doubtful that new signing Aranguiz will start given that he has only recently started training following his exploits with Chile at the Copa America.
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Berisha; Lulic, De Vrij, Gentiletti, Basta; Parolo, Biglia, Onazi; Anderson, Klose, Candreva
Berisha; Lulic, De Vrij, Gentiletti, Basta; Parolo, Biglia, Onazi; Anderson, Klose, Candreva
Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:
Leno; Hilbert, Tah, Papadopoulos, Wendell; Bender, Kramer; Bellarabi, Calhanoglu, Son; Kiessling
Leno; Hilbert, Tah, Papadopoulos, Wendell; Bender, Kramer; Bellarabi, Calhanoglu, Son; Kiessling
Head To Head
These two sides met twice during the group stages of the 1999-2000 tournament.
On both occasions there was nothing to split them, with the games ending in 1-1 draws. All four goals were scored in the first halves of those games, so a goal after the restart in the upcoming encounters would be a first.
One player that Leverkusen are likely to be wary of is Miroslav Klose. From his time in Germany with Kaiserslautern, Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich, the experienced striker faced Bayer 23 times, from which he scored eight goals. The 37-year-old was also on the winning side on 11 occasions.
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