Bayer Leverkusen host Olympique Marseille on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at 9 PM local time in their UEFA Europa League group stage opener. The Werkself are looking to bounce back from a 2-4 home defeat to VfB Stuttgart last weekend and gain momentum in European competition. That loss on Saturday, 31 October, was part of a recent run of three wins and two defeats from their last five Bundesliga matches.
Their record from those eight games reads four wins, one draw and three losses, with 18 goals scored and 16 conceded. Their recent form shows three wins and two losses from the last five games. Top scorer Patrik Schick, with seven goals in eight appearances this season, found the net in both the loss to Stuttgart and the 5-2 victory over 1. FC Nürnberg.
Recent Lineups
The starting eleven against Stuttgart featured goalkeeper Flekken and a back four of Quansah, Edmond Tapsoba, Medina and Miguel Gutiérrez. Fernández and Aleix García played in midfield, with Lucas Vázquez, Ibrahim Maza, Afonso Moreira and Patrik Schick leading the attack. Marseille's lineup in their last Ligue 1 match, a 2-0 win over Toulouse, included goalkeeper de Lange, defender Aguerd and forward Gouiri.
The French side arrives at the BayArena following a 0-1 loss to Sturm Graz. For Leverkusen, the Europa League fixture is followed by a Bundesliga away match at 1. FC Köln, who are 13th in the table, on Sunday, 8 November.
Preparation for the Marseille clash is underway. The squad is training this week with an emphasis on defensive solidity after conceding 16 goals in their first eight league games. A positive result would provide a confidence boost ahead of the Rhineland derby in Cologne. Recent results prior to the Stuttgart defeat include a 5-2 win over 1. FC Nürnberg, a 3-0 loss at 1899 Hoffenheim, a 2-0 victory against OFI and a 2-1 win over SC Freiburg.
