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Background: Leverkusen v København

With this season's final being staged in Germany, Bayer 04 Leverkusen have an extra incentive to make it past FC København and into the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Leverkusen goalscorer Karim Bellarabi (right) is challenged by FCK's Tom Høgli in the first leg
Leverkusen goalscorer Karim Bellarabi (right) is challenged by FCK's Tom Høgli in the first leg ©Getty Images

Bayer 04 Leverkusen will look to book a ninth UEFA Champions League group stage campaign as they welcome FC København to Germany in their play-off decider leading 3-2.

Previous meetings
Leverkusen trailed 2-1 after 13 minutes of the first leg but came back to claim a narrow victory as Karim Bellarabi and Son Heung-Min added to Stefan Kiessling's opener. Goals from Mathias Jørgensen and Daniel Amartey had briefly turned the tie in the Lions' favour.

Form guide
• Following the first leg, Leverkusen's record in four games against Danish clubs is W2 D1 L1 (W1 D1 L0 at home – W1 D0 L1 in Denmark).

FCK's record in nine matches against German sides was W0 D3 L6 (W0 D0 L5 at home – W0 D3 L1 in Germany).

• Of the two sides who merged to form FCK in 1992, Kjøbenhavns BK took FC Schalke 04 to a replay in the 1959 European Champion Clubs' Cup preliminary round, the Gelsenkirchen side prevailing 3-1 in Enschede after a 3-0 away loss and a 5-2 home win. Meanwhile, B1903 København's four meetings with German sides ended W1 D0 L3, with that lone victory a sensational 6-2 against FC Bayern München in the 1991/92 UEFA Cup.

FCK have featured in the UEFA Champions League group stage three times, and are hoping to do so for the first time in successive seasons in 2014/15. Leverkusen have made it to the group stage on eight occasions.

Links and trivia
Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender and FCK striker Marvin Pourie were team-mates at German second division side TSV 1860 München for much of 2009. They played just one match together, though Pourie also came on for Bender in a German Cup game against Hamburger SV.

FCK coach Ståle Solbakken took on Leverkusen twice in his time as 1. FC Köln coach, from 2011–12. His side won 4-1 in Leverkusen but lost 2-0 in Cologne, Lars Bender scoring both goals in that game.

FCK attacking midfielder Nicolai Jørgensen played for Leverkusen from 2010–12, but failed to score in ten appearances for the club – and an additional five while on loan at 1. FC Kaiserslautern – joining FCK after a successful loan spell in the summer of 2012.

FCK's Swedish defender Per Nilsson played alongside Leverkusen's Philipp Wollscheid (1. FC Nürnberg, 2010–12) and Josip Drmić (1. FC Nürnberg, 2013–14) during his seven-year spell in Germany. His eight games against Leverkusen with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and Nürnberg ended W1 D1 L6.

• This season's UEFA Champions league final will be staged at Berlin's Olympiastadion on 6 June, with Leverkusen one of four German sides with a chance to play in the decider on home soil.