Bayer Leverkusen may be starting to fear for their place in the Champions League last 16 after their third consecutive draw in the group stage. In their 100th appearance in the competition, Leverkusen could only manage a goalless draw with Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, after having previously drawn 2-2 with CSKA Moscow and 1-1 with AS Monaco. They came within inches of claiming a win against the Premier League’s third placed side, but were unable to convert their chances into a lead.
Somewhat ironically considering Leverkusen were the home side, the game was played out in typical English weather. Both sides struggled to adapt to the wet, unstable surface in the first half, as the two teams treated the 30,000 crowd to a festival of misplaced passes and slips and struggled to put cohesive team play together.
Tottenham fail to make dominance count
The best chance of the early stages fell to Spurs, as Dele Alli headed just wide of the goal from inside the box. Striker Vincent Janssen hit the bar in the 39th minute, while Bernd Leno made another important intervention to prevent Alli from putting Spurs ahead.
Shortly after the break, Leverkusen became more threatening themselves. Chicharito had the ball in the net in the 49th minute, but it was ruled out after referee Cüneyl Cakur saw that the ball had not completely crossed the line.
Chicharito comes close twice
Bayer put Spurs under more pressure in the second half but met with a strong defensive display from the North East Londoners. Chicharito came close in the 57th minute, forcing goalkeeper Hugo Lloris into a good save from close range.
Bayer remain unbeaten at home in the competition since November 2014, but that will be scant consolation to them looking back at a game they could have won. At the halfway point of the group stage, they sit in third place, two points behind group leaders AS Monaco.
