Nottingham Forest vs Bayer: Prediction, Betting Tips and Match Preview

One of the most intriguing Anglo-German friendlies of the late pre-season period is upon us. Nottingham Forest are still getting to grips with Oliver Glasner’s demands and arrive after two straight defeats, while Bayer Leverkusen under Carles Martínez have swept through all five of their summer tests victorious. Can the hosts slow down the rampant Leverkusen side?

Tactical Analysis: Nottingham Forest

Glasner only took the helm at Forest in July and immediately switched the team to his familiar system with three centre-backs. The pre-season results have been mixed so far. Victories against Notts County (2-0), Blackburn (3-0), and Portimonense (2-1) sit alongside a draw with Vitória (1-1), a heavy defeat to Sporting (1-4), and two losses on August 8th—0-1 to both Udinese and Barcelona. However, those last two outings were only 45 minutes long. Against the Catalans, the English side only conceded from a late penalty, having created several dangerous chances and even hit the woodwork.

There is a silver lining: the key players have received competitive minutes without playing a full match, so the fatigue factor should not be overstated. Far more significant is the condition of the forwards. Chris Wood felt discomfort in his thigh during the warm-up and missed the Udinese game, while Taiwo Awoniyi is dealing with a groin issue. Glasner described both situations as precautionary, but there is no need to risk them in a friendly. Therefore, Igor Jesus could once again lead the attack. In midfield, the rebuilding continues following the sale of Elliot Anderson to Manchester City.

Tactical Analysis: Bayer Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen have looked impressive since Carles Martínez took charge. They have won all five summer friendlies: 7-0 against Baumberg, 3-1 versus Kickers Offenbach, 4-0 over Genk, 3-0 against Rot-Weiss Essen, and a 2-1 victory over Sevilla. Notably, the Germans scored at least two goals in every match. The last game was especially telling: trailing 0-1 to the Spanish side, Leverkusen stepped up after the interval, and Patrick Schick, who came off the bench, bagged a brace.

The squad has changed noticeably this summer. Following Alejandro Grimaldo’s departure, the left flank is being reshaped, but Miguel Gutiérrez, signed from Napoli, already provided an assist for Schick on his debut. There are also losses: Robert Andrich stayed in Germany due to muscle discomfort, and Montrell Culbreath injured his foot in the Sevilla game. The readiness of Quansa and Palacios after their late return from the World Cup is also questionable. Logistics play a role too: just three days after facing Nottingham, the Germans must play Newcastle, so a heavy rotation after the break is likely.

Predicted Lineups

Nottingham Forest (3-4-3): Sels – Jair Cunha, Milenkovic, Murillo – Aina, Sangaré, Macati, Neco Williams – Ndaye, Igor Jesus, Gibbs-White.

Unavailable: Wood, Awoniyi (both doubtful), Savona (injured).

Head Coach: Oliver Glasner.

Bayer Leverkusen (4-2-3-1): Flekken – Lucas Vázquez, Bade, Tapsoba, Miguel Gutiérrez – Ezequiel Fernández, Aleix García – Hofmann, Maza, Moreira – Schick.

Unavailable: Andrich, Culbreath (both injured), Quansa, Palacios (both doubtful).

Head Coach: Carles Martínez.

Referee

The official for the match has not been disclosed in the source material.

Prediction and Bet

Main Prediction: Based on current fitness levels, the visitors look stronger. Nottingham are still adapting to Oliver Glasner’s demands and have been inconsistent against strong opponents: they conceded four against Sporting and suffered defeats to Udinese and Barcelona in their most recent games. Bayer, in contrast, have won all five summer friendlies and maintain a high attacking tempo even after numerous substitutions. Our selection is therefore a Bayer Leverkusen win at odds of 2.31.

Prediction on Total Goals: Leverkusen have been particularly consistent going forward this pre-season. Martínez’s team have scored 19 goals in 5 friendlies and have never been limited to just one. Nottingham, under their new system, have yet to achieve defensive reliability, but at home they have enough quality players to create chances and capitalise on the opponent’s rotation. Furthermore, the friendly format typically involves many substitutions, which can increase the number of errors after the break. So here we look toward a high-scoring affair: total goals over (2.5) at odds of 1.60.