Champions League Matchday 1: Copenhagen vs Leverkusen facts

Copenhagen return to the UEFA Champions League with a home game against Bayer Leverkusen.

Last match

The teams' only previous meeting came in the 2014/15 play-offs, Leverkusen winning 3-2 in Denmark and 4-0 in Germany.

Copenhagen recorded their first-ever victory against German opposition in their most recent encounter, 3-1 at Heidenheim in the second leg of last season's UEFA Conference League knockout phase play-offs to complete a 4-3 aggregate triumph.

The Danish club had failed to win any of their 15 previous matches against German sides (D5 L10), losing seven and drawing one at home.

Leverkusen have won their last three matches against Danish clubs, most recently those 2014 wins against Copenhagen.

Copenhagen

Copenhagen’s last appearance in the Champions League proper came in 2023/24, their second successive campaign. Overall, this is their seventh group stage/league phase participation, more than any other Danish team.

Copenhagen were 3-0 aggregate winners against Drita of Kosovo in this season's second qualifying round (2-0 h, 1-0 a) before beating Malmö 5-0 in the third (0-0 a, 5-0 h) and Basel in the play-offs (1-1 a, 2-0 h).

In 2024/25, the Danish club reached the UEFA Conference League round of 16, where they were beaten 1-3 on aggregate by eventual champions Chelsea.

Leverkusen

Leverkusen are featuring in the Champions League proper for the 15th time – although only the fourth in nine seasons.

In 2024/25 a team coached by Xabi Alonso finished sixth in the league phase (W5 D1 L2) only to lose an all-German last-16 tie to Bayern München (0-3 a, 0-2 h).

Leverkusen won 4-0 at Feyenoord on Matchday 1 last season – only their second opening victory in their last eight Champions League campaigns (D1 L5).

Alonso departed for Real Madrid in the summer, his replacement Erik ten Hag himself making way for Kasper Hjulmand, who was appointed on 8 September.

Key stats

Copenhagen were unbeaten in qualifying for this league phase (W4 D2), keeping five clean sheets in six matches.

The Danish champions won all three home matches in qualifying without conceding.

Copenhagen have lost only two of their previous 18 home Champions League group stage/league phase matches (W8 D8), keeping six clean sheets in the last nine.

Leverkusen have lost only two of their last 16 European group stage/league phase matches (W11 D3), keeping nine clean sheets in the last 15.

Die Werkself have lost their last three away Champions League games.