Neither side fielded their strongest starting XIs at the weekend, so let’s not waste time counting changes, life’s too short. Instead, let’s simply celebrate the star names returning to the line-ups. For Atalanta, Ademola Lookman, formerly of Charlton, Everton, Fulham and Leicester, comes back to supply the bullets for Gianluca Scamacca to fire; the young Belgian winger Charles de Ketelaere completes their attacking trio. As for Leverkusen, Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka and Josip Stanišić return, Matěj Kovář takes his usual place between the sticks in Europe, but Victor Boniface drops to the bench despite being the club’s leading scorer this season with 21 goals, Xabi Alonso handling the striker’s return from a groin injury carefully. Not a bad option to throw on later.

The teams

Kit and caboodle. Atalanta are the designated “home” team tonight, so get to wear their black and blue stripes. Berat Djimsiti, standing in as captain ahead of Rafael Tolói, who has long lost his place, and the injured vice-captain Marten De Roon, will hand over a plush if busy pennant. Leverkusen captain Jonathan Tah, dressed in second-choice white and red, will give a neat looking red-and-yellow flag in return. Squint and you’ll spot it.

Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen have met before. Their only meetings came in the round of 16 in the 2021-22 edition of this competition. Atalanta won the first leg 3-2 at home, Luis Muriel their two-goal hero. The tie remained very much in the balance during the second leg in Leverkusen, until Jeremie Boga wrapped things up in the last minute, securing a 1-0 win on the night for Atalanta and a 4-2 aggregate victory. So while the Black and Reds are favourites tonight, the Black and Blues have recent history on their side.

Preamble