Bayer Leverkusen vs West Ham prediction, odds, and best bets for Europa League quarterfinal first leg

With their historic Bundesliga title essentially wrapped up and Xabi Alonso committed to the club's immediate future, Bayer Leverkusen are gunning for two more notable achievements as they host West Ham in the first leg of their Europa League quarterfinal.

The German side remains the only team amongst the Big 5 European leagues without a single defeat across the entire 2023/24 campaign, as they continually refuse to lay down at the end of matches.

Even reaching this point took two heroic late-game efforts, as they dramatically dispatched Azerbaijani side Qarabag on goals in the 93rd and 98th minute by Patrik Schick, just a week after the first leg ended with a 92nd minute equalizer from the same player. Even in league play they continue to earn points on late goals, with goals in the 88th and 91st minutes snatching a 2-1 win over Hoffenheim in late March.

CLAIM YOUR BONUS BETS AT DRAFTKINGS TODAY

Defending Europa Conference League champions West Ham sit seventh in the Premier League table amidst a furious battle for European places, but they know that derailing Leverkusen's seemingly destined season would provide not just a famous result but a platform to build off towards another deep European run.

USA: Click here to see the latest odds for Bayer 04 vs West Ham and bet Europa League matches

Bayer Leverkusen have played with fire plenty over the past few months against inferior sides, but thanks to their massive lead atop the Bundesliga table, they've been afforded the chance to focus on the European journey.

While Patrik Schick has been a late-game hero on a few occasions recently, they got first-choice striker Victor Boniface back from a long-term injury over the weekend, and he could be deployed from the start for the