Bayer Leverkusen Getty Images Roger Schmidt's side will make the toughest trip of the season full of confidence after reaching the group stage of the Champions League with an impressive second-leg victory over Lazio on Wednesday night. Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Leverkusen dominated from the first whistle to progress with goals from Hakan Calhanoglu, Admir Mehmedi and Karim Bellarabi, and the performance suggested that they are strong enough to qualify for the knockout stages for the second campaign in a row. Their reward for qualifying was a place in Group E alongside Bate, Roma and defending champions Barcelona. It was another example of the progress being made under Schmidt, whose side were left thanking Calhanoglu last weekend when his stunning free kick led them to a 1-0 triumph over Hannover, and he will be keen for Leverkusen to make a statement at the Allianz Arena. Finishing behind Bayern, Wolfsburg and Borussia Monchengladbach was enough to earn them a place in the Champions League, but with a talented mix of exciting youngsters and influential veterans, the optimism surrounding the club is clear as they bid to improve on last season's fourth-place finish. Keeping key players at the club is key, with the likes of Calhanoglu, Bellarabi and Julian Brandt proving that the future is bright, but the Leverkusen attack is expected to be dealt a blow as Son Heung-min closes in on a move to Tottenham Hotspur. It remains unclear whether they will reinvest before the deadline, but Schmidt and the current squad will be quietly confident of surprising the champions with a win on Saturday evening.
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