A key Bayer Leverkusen man is highly unlikely to face West Ham with an inexperienced star filling in during the quarter-final tie.
West Ham fly to Germany tomorrow ahead of the huge Europa League quarter-final first leg with Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday.
The Hammers go into their biggest game of the season so far off the back of a 2-1 win at Wolves.
As most West Ham fans will be well aware by now, Leverkusen go into the first leg off the back of a 41-game unbeaten streak in all competitions.
That form has made Xabi Alonso’s side second favourites to win the Europa League.
And should Leverkusen beat Werder Bremen at the weekend they will also be crowned Bundesliga champions.
Hammers relish being party poopers
West Ham have been all but written off by the media ahead of the first leg.
But the Hammers historically relish the chance to spoil another team’s party. Just ask Tottenham and Man United fans to name but two.
West Ham will be without key midfielder Edson Alvarez due to suspension. And David Moyes is also sweating on the fitness of top scorer Jarrod Bowen.
But there may be a crucial element of Alonso’s team selection that gives the Hammers great encouragement too.
Because a key Bayer Leverkusen man is unlikely to face West Ham with an inexperienced star filling in.
Bayer Leverkusen captain unlikely to face West Ham
Leverkusen’s captain Lukas Hradecky looks likely to sit the tie out.
Veteran goalkeeper Hradecky is a club legend with nearly 250 appearances for the side.
The 34-year-old also has nearly 100 caps for Finland. He’s seen a lot in his 600 plus senior career matches and is about to lead West Ham’s opponents to their first ever German title.
He is Leverkusen’s number one goalkeeper. But Alonso rotates his stoppers between the league and Europe just like Moyes does with Alphonse Areola and Lukasz Fabianski.
And a player well known to West Ham’s Czech mates Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal – Matej Kovar – will, if Alonso sticks to his principles as expected, be in the sticks for the quarter-final tie instead.
Kovar made a mistake which cost Czech Republic a goal in their win over Armenia during the last international break.
West Ham must test inexperienced young goalkeeper
The young 6ft 5in ‘keeper has only made one league appearance for Leverkusen but has played in seven of their eight Europa League games this term.
The 23-year-old is a top up-and-coming ‘keeper. But he has limited experience after joining Leverkusen signed him from Man United in the summer.
Kovar has played on loan at Swindon and Burton. So these will be the biggest games and occasions of his career so far by a long way.
West Ham will be hoping they can take advantage but putting him under pressure from set-pieces and testing him as often as possible. Someone like James Ward-Prowse may well be licking their lips.
Qarabag showed West Ham what can be done
The Hammers will be given hope by the fact Azerbajani side Qarabag scored four goals in their two legs against Leverkusen in the last 16.
In fact they came within minutes of knocking West Ham’s last eight opponents out.
Ironically, Leverkusen’s number one Hradecky stated how much he is looking forward to facing West Ham and hearing the club’s famous Bubbles anthem.
It looks like he’ll be listening to it from the bench rather than the pitch.
West Ham may have been written off by many ahead of the tie but a top German football expert has told Hammers News that Moyes’ side can burst the Bayer bubble.