Bayer Leverkusen have bigger shoes to wear this time around because now their focus is actively divided although last season it was also but this time around it will be the champions league of which they might not be able to Stand most of the top teams there and when you are playing and then you constantly lose games then the form and mentality of the team also deteriorate to a very big extent.
There's nothing different, they were have Europa League in the last season, so it's only change from Europa League to Champions League. The opponents are stronger, but the schedule is same. Looking at their performance, I really doubt they can able to make it to round of 16.
They aren't as strong as in the last season, similar to Napoli.
Different from the status of the club they will face and also different in terms of the pressure they will feel. The Europa League and the Champions League are both European competitions, but there is still a difference of at least one level. The Champions League is more prestigious than the Europa League, so that will also be a challenge for them. Leverkusen has already experienced defeat this season, it shows that they are not as strong as last season, so this may also be another consideration for people who expect them after becoming champions last season. Actually they only need to show that they can compete in the Champions League, at least they can get through the league phase and visa to be in the knockout round. Xabi is preparing for that to show that his team is ready to compete in the Champions League.