Edmond Tapsoba is likely to play on the right side of Bayer Leverkusen’s three-man defence. Over his last six European appearances, Tapsoba has racked up nine fouls, committing at least one per game, with two fouls in half of those matches. In the Bundesliga, he has committed six fouls in five games, including one during the recent matchup with Bayern Munich.

Tapsoba will be up against Rafael Leao, who has been fouled seven times in six games, with two of those fouls occurring in two of his last three matches. Supporting Leao, attacking full-back Theo Hernandez has been fouled eight times in six games, including three fouls drawn in the game against Liverpool.

Theo Hernandez, an attacking full-back, has been fouled eight times across six domestic matches with a further three coming in a match against Liverpool.

In last season’s European campaign, he played six games and was fouled nine times, drawing at least one foul in five of those appearances. Hernandez will like to get forward and with his pace he is likely to cause Tapsoba issues.

Florian Wirtz has been in exceptional form, playing a crucial role in Bayer Leverkusen’s attack. In his last nine European starts, he has contributed directly to 10 goals. This season, Wirtz has already netted four goals and provided one assist, recording 14 shots with eight on target. His performance in Leverkusen’s 4-0 Champions League victory over Feyenoord, where he scored twice, further highlights his attacking capabilities. Last season, Wirtz was integral to his team’s success with his consistency, tallying 11 goals and 11 assists in 32 Bundesliga matches.

Milan struggled in their opening game and conceded 11 shots on target to Liverpool. In their last 12 away European ties they have conceded an average of 4.75 shots on target.

Swiss referee Sandro Scharer has gained a reputation for his firm officiating style. This season, Scharer has officiated three matches, with an average of five yellow cards per game. Out of the six teams involved in these matches, five have received at least two cards, demonstrating his unwillingness to overlook fouls.

In the Champions League, Scharer has officiated 17 matches, maintaining an average of 4.41 cards per game. Impressively, both teams in each of these games have received at least one card. During Matchday One of this season’s Champions League, he presided over the Dynamo Kyiv vs Salzburg match, issuing two yellow cards to each team.

Milan’s match against Liverpool saw both sides collect two cards each. Milan have also collected two or more cards in 10 of their last 12 away European fixtures.

Florian Wirtz is likely to register at least two shots on target here, due to his outstanding form and key role in their attack. So far this season, Wirtz has already scored four goals and provided one assist, highlighting his ability to consistently threaten opposing defences. He has taken 14 shots, with eight of those being on target, underlining his accuracy.

In Leverkusen’s 4-0 Champions League victory over Feyenoord, Wirtz’s two-goal performance highlighted his sharp attacking instincts. As a central figure in Leverkusen’s offense this season, Wirtz will undoubtedly be involved in key attacking moments, increasing the likelihood of him registering multiple shots on target during the game. Liverpool registered 11 shots on target against Milan in the opening game of the Champions League.

Theo Hernandez is likely to draw a couple of fouls against Bayer Leverkusen due to his dynamic attacking style and speed. He has already been fouled eight times in six domestic matches, including three times in a single game against Liverpool on matchday 1.

In last season’s European campaign, Hernandez was fouled nine times across six games, drawing at least one foul in five of those matches. His tendency to push forward and use his pace will trouble Tapsoba, who has shown a pattern of committing fouls in recent matches. Hernandez’s aggressive runs down the left flank will put pressure on Leverkusen’s defence, making it highly probable he will draw multiple fouls throughout the game.

Bayer Leverkusen v AC Milan promises to be a high-scoring affair, given both teams’ attacking capabilities and defensive vulnerabilities. Leverkusen have started the season strongly, including a 4-0 thrashing of Feyenoord in their Champions League opener. They have scored 10 goals in their last three matches. However, defensive issues persist, as they have conceded 10 goals in their first five Bundesliga games and kept only one clean sheet in their last five matches.

AC Milan have also shown solid form but have struggled defensively, conceding two or more goals in three of their six Serie A matches and three goals against Liverpool in their Champions League opener. Milan’s defence has been especially shaky in European away games, where they have managed just four wins in their last 15 matches. Given Leverkusen’s home advantage and offensive firepower, combined with Milan’s defensive frailties, it is likely that both sides will find the net, leading to at least three goals.

There are likely to be at least three cards in the Bayer Leverkusen v AC Milan game, given the officiating style of Swiss referee Sandro Scharer and both teams’ disciplinary records. Scharer is known for his strict approach, averaging five yellow cards per game this season.

In the 17 Champions League matches he is officiated, he has issued an average of 4.41 cards per game, with both teams receiving at least one card in every match.