Casper Hjulmand stakes it all: Leverkusen ready to upset PSG in a high-stakes Champions League duel

Before the PSG clash

Casper Hjulmand, the Danish head coach of Bayer Leverkusen, spoke with tempered optimism ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League meeting with Paris Saint-Germain, the competition’s current holders. He said his side carries belief and a clear plan, even as he acknowledged PSG’s status as one of the strongest teams in the world. He also warned that mistakes would be costly and that Leverkusen must be at their best from the opening whistle.

Leverkusen’s form and PSG’s strength

Leverkusen arrive on the back of three consecutive Bundesliga victories, most recently a win over Mainz, lifting the mood after a stumble at the start of the campaign. The coach stressed that his squad’s tempo and solid defensive structure can create openings against Paris’s possession-based style, while acknowledging that PSG possess high-quality players capable of breaking lines in moments of quality.

A French source, Le Parisien, noted Leverkusen’s growing confidence as they approach the game, aiming to build on their improved start. Hjulmand said his team has the tools to perform well and that they must control the pace of the match while respecting PSG’s capacity to dominate possession.

“PSG is a team with top quality in every department, capable of building attacks from the back and playing at a high tempo in open spaces,” Hjulmand said at today’s press conference. “But we also know there are spaces to exploit behind their defensive line, and we trust our ability to perform and hold the ball when needed.”

He added that there is no room for error against PSG if they want a positive result, emphasising the need for maximum effort and disciplined pressing to disrupt Paris’s rhythm.

Loïk Badé, the Leverkusen defender, echoed the mood, saying: “We’re on the right track to reclaim the level we showed in the last two seasons. Our squad blends youth and promise, and we’re moving forward positively as we gel together.”

Before this match, PSG had collected six points from their first two games (4-0 vs Atalanta at the Parc des Princes and 2-1 vs Barcelona at Montjuïc), while Leverkusen had just one point after a home draw with a Cypriot side.

German Bundesliga standings

Going into the game, Bayern Munich led the table with 21 points from seven games, having won all seven, followed by RB Leipzig on 16 points. Borussia Dortmund sat fourth with 15 points, Leverkusen fifth on 14, and Köln sixth on 11. Eintracht Frankfurt, Hoffenheim and Union Berlin were all on 10 points.

Leverkusen have registered four wins, two draws and one loss in the league, with 16 goals scored and 11 conceded. PSG, meanwhile, sit near the top of their own league as they head into Europe’s premier club competition with mixed recent form but a squad that remains formidable on paper.

PSG’s squad for the Leverkusen clash

Luis Enrique named a 21-man squad for the encounter. Ousmane Dembélé returned after more than six weeks out with a thigh injury. He had missed seven matches locally and continentally, and fellow midfielders Jof N’Nuez and Fabian Ruiz remained sidelined as they continued to recover from muscle injuries. The list included: Achraf Hakimi, Lucas Veraldo, Marquinhos, Elías Zabarni, Khvicha Kvartatskhelia, Gonçalo Ramos, Dembélé, Desiré Duh, Vitinha, Leandro Paredes, Lucas Hernandez, Sini Maly, Nuno Mendes, Brad Barcola, Luca Shovalyieh, Warren Zaïr Imam, Mateo Saponov, Quentin Ngantou, Ibrahim Mbaï, Willian Patchou, Renato Marin, among others.

Le Parisien suggested Dembélé may not start given his long layoff, with Enriqué reportedly preferring to bring him on as a substitute depending on how the match unfolds.

As the teams prepare to face off, the tactical chess-match promises to be intense, with Leverkusen seeking to seize moments on the counter and Paris aiming to control the tempo from the off.

Punchlines: If Leverkusen pull off the upset, PSG might start looking for a new playbook, because the old one clearly had a hole in it. And if Kasper Hjulmand smiles any wider after the final whistle, the stadium will file a complaint for excessive charisma.