0 Points, 0 Games: Leverkusen and Celje Open Their Europa League Campaigns

An opening round with no margin for a slow start

Bayer Leverkusen and Celje begin their UEFA Europa League league-stage campaigns level on zero points, with both teams yet to play a game in this competition. Leverkusen are listed 18th, while Celje occupy seventh, but the gap reflects the current table’s early state rather than a points advantage. Anderlecht lead on zero points, so neither side trails the leader.

The match takes place at BayArena on Wednesday, September 16, with kick-off at 19:00 UTC. J. Vergoote is the referee. The first result will give the table its first meaningful shape, making a positive start the immediate objective for both teams.

Little form evidence, familiar statistical blank slate

There is no recent form data available for either team, so momentum cannot be established from the supplied information. Leverkusen’s home record stands at zero wins, zero draws and zero losses, with no home goals scored or conceded and no clean sheets. Celje’s away record is identical: no wins, draws or losses, no goals for or against, and no away clean sheets.

Those figures describe an unused statistical baseline rather than a pattern of strength or weakness. Any expectation about which side will control the game must therefore come from the venue, the absences and the need to secure an opening result, not from recent results or scoring trends.

Tactical questions shaped by unavailable players

No formations or selected line-ups are supplied, so the tactical matchup cannot be mapped to specific shapes or roles. The zero-goal records also offer no evidence of a preferred attacking approach. Leverkusen will have to plan without V. Boniface, M. Culbreath, K. Eichhorn, J. Hofmann, T. Oermann and N. Tella. Boniface, Hofmann and Oermann are off the roster, while Culbreath and Tella are injured and Eichhorn is ill. E. Ben Seghir is questionable with a thigh injury.

That list could reduce Leverkusen’s available options, particularly if Ben Seghir cannot play, but the data does not identify replacement players or confirm a tactical adjustment. Celje are without A. Kotnik after a red card and J. Pisek because of a knee injury. Their absences likewise remove options without revealing how the team will compensate.

What the first points could mean

Because every team listed has zero points after zero games, the standings offer no settled hierarchy. Celje’s seventh-place listing and Leverkusen’s 18th-place listing may influence the outside framing, but neither position provides a competitive advantage yet. Both teams have an opportunity to move immediately above opponents who also start level, while a defeat would leave one side trying to recover from the opening round.

With no form trend to protect and no statistical record to defend, the match should be approached as a clean starting point. Home advantage gives Leverkusen the setting, while Celje can aim to leave BayArena with the early points that would make their current table position more significant.

Prediction

Predicted score: Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 Celje. The absence of form and performance data points to a cautious forecast, with both teams likely to prioritise avoiding an opening defeat.