The combination of declining form and a modest home record means that Atalanta are not the same well-oiled machine that impressed Europe with their attractive style and odds-defying achievements.
Therefore, a more fluent and confident Leverkusen will head into the second leg on level terms, with their incisive forward line capable of frightening even the tightest of defences.
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Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Bayer Leverkusen win with a probability of 39.88%. A win for Atalanta BC had a probability of 33.8% and a draw had a probability of 26.3%.
The most likely scoreline for a Bayer Leverkusen win was 0-1 with a probability of 10.12%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 1-2 (8.55%) and 0-2 (6.92%). The likeliest Atalanta BC win was 1-0 (9.16%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (12.51%). The actual scoreline of 3-2 was predicted with a 2.2% likelihood.