Bayer Leverkusen are enjoying a fantastic period under Xabi Alonso and are one of the favorites for the Europa League. They are unbeaten in 41 matches in all competitions in the 23-24 season. This statistic is an incredible start for Alonso. Leverkusen had a very difficult time against Karabakh in the previous round, but managed to get through and they have a chance to claim the Bundesliga title this weekend.
Leverkusen rotated their squad for the game against Union Berlin and I think they had the opportunity to prepare well for West Ham. Last season's Conference League champions West Ham lost away to Freiburg in the previous round but won the rematch with a different score. Even though things are not going well for West Ham in the Premier League, they will come into this game with extra motivation. Leverkusen are the favorites for this match but I think West Ham have the potential to surprise.
It’s good that they now have such an opportunity to prepare for the match with West Ham, and can give the players a rest, if Bayern had followed them, they definitely would not have had such an opportunity. They play the first match at home, and they need to win. West Ham are not the most difficult team in the Premier League, but they are in the standings near Manchester United and Newcastle. Bayer needs to score as many goals as possible, this is very important for a home match.