Preview: Nottingham Forest vs Bayer Leverkusen - prediction, team news, lineups

Nottingham Forest will continue their preparations for the 2026-27 Premier League campaign with a pre-season friendly against Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday night.

The Reds will begin their new league season against Leeds United on August 22, while Leverkusen's new campaign will start in the DFB Pokal against Wehen on the same day.

Match preview

Forest have been involved in seven pre-season friendlies, winning three of their first four, but they will enter this game off the back of three straight defeats.

The Reds were on the end of a 4-1 defeat to Sporting Lisbon in their final match of July, before suffering 1-0 defeats to Udinese and Barcelona in two 45-minute matches on Saturday night.

Oliver Glasner's side now have two more friendlies against Leverkusen and Brest before opening their new Premier League campaign against Leeds on August 22.

Forest have only made two signings so far this summer, bringing in Xaver Schlager and Gustavo Sa, but they will have further incomings before the window closes.

The Reds have moved seven players on, meanwhile, including Elliot Anderson, who has made the move to Manchester City in a big-money transfer.

Leverkusen, meanwhile, have enjoyed a strong pre-season, recording five straight wins over Baumberg, Offenbach, Genk, RW Essen and Sevilla.

The Bundesliga outfit now have two more friendlies against Premier League duo Forest and Newcastle United on August 12 and August 15 respectively before beginning their 2026-27 campaign with a clash against Wehen in the DFB Pokal on August 22.

Carles Martinez's side will then start their new Bundesliga campaign away to Elversberg on July 29.

The Black and Reds have made six new signings this summer, with the biggest of those, at least in terms of a transfer fee, proving to be Afonso Moreira from Lyon.

There have been 10 first-team exits, meanwhile, including departures for Piero Hincapie, Kerim Alajbegovic and Alejandro Grimaldo.

Nottingham Forest pre-season:

Bayer Leverkusen pre-season form:

Team News

Forest head coach Glasner will now be thinking about his team for the start of the new Premier League campaign, and that should be reflected by the first XI here.

Chris Wood is expected to operate in the final third of the field, while there should also be positions in the wide areas for Dan Ndoye and Gustavo Sa.

Morgan Gibbs-White is in line to operate in the number 10 spot for the English club.

Leverkusen, meanwhile, will be without the services of a number of players through injury, with Kennet Eichhorn, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Nathan Tella and Montrell Culbreath all unavailable.

Christian Kofane is likely to operate through the middle for the German outfit, with new signing Afonso Moreira also expected to be involved from the first whistle.

Jarell Quansah could also be in the squad, having now linked up with the squad following his involvement in the 2026 World Cup for England.

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:

Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, N Williams; Sangare, McAtee; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Sa; Wood

Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:

Flekken; Arthur, Bade, Tapsoba, Gutierrez; Andrich, Palacios, A Garcia; Tillman; Moreira, Kofane