Feyenoord vs Bayer Leverkusen

Feyenoord suffered the joint-heaviest home defeat of their history in European competition (155th home game inc. qualifiers), level with a 4-0 loss to Manchester City in the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League group stages.

Bayer Leverkusen recorded their joint-biggest win in the UEFA Champions League (4-0 vs. Shakhtar Donetsk in October 2013) and biggest away from home in any European competition since beating Celtic 4-0 in the 2021-22 UEFA Europa League.

Bayer Leverkusen were the first away team to lead by 4+ goals at half-time of a UEFA Champions League game since Bayern Munich led 4-0 at Viktoria Plzen in October 2022.    

Feyenoord and Bayer Leverkusen’s only previous meeting was in the last 16 of the 1987-88 UEFA Cup – the German side prevailed 3-2 on aggregate on their way to winning the trophy that season.

Bayer Leverkusen have never lost a major European game against a Dutch side in six previous meetings (W3 D3), though this is their first since a 0-0 draw with PSV in the UEFA Cup in September 1994.

Feyenoord have lost 12 of their last 15 matches in the UEFA Champions League (W3), including each of their last eight in a row away from home.

Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso made 119 appearances in the UEFA Champions League in his playing career, appearing for four different clubs (47 Real Madrid, 39 Liverpool, 25 Bayern Munich, 8 Real Sociedad). The only other Spaniard to play 100+ times in the competition and later manage in it is Xavi (151 games for Barcelona, who he would later manage).

Feyenoord had the second-youngest starting XIs in terms of average age in the UEFA Champions League last season (24y 127d), with only FC Red Bull Salzburg having a younger XI (22y 241d).