Ibrahim Maza’s Bayer Leverkusen, with the Algerian international attacking midfielder, host Olympique de Marseille on Thursday at 21:00, where the Algerian internationals Amine Gouiri, a forward, and Himad Abdelli, a midfielder, play, on matchday 4 of the Europa League, ahead of the announcement of an Algeria squad list.
The BayArena hosts a Europa League match on Thursday at 21:00 that pits three Algerian internationals against each other, according to La Gazette du Fennec. Maza, Gouiri and Abdelli thus find themselves on opposite sides.
The two sides’ form could hardly be more different going into the game. Leverkusen are chasing a fourth win in as many matchdays, while OM still have no points after three European outings. The meeting therefore has a double reading: sporting, with two clubs on opposite trajectories, and Algerian, with three players representing the national team.
Maza, Leverkusen’s in-form asset
Ibrahim Maza is enjoying a start to the season that La Gazette du Fennec describes as sparkling. The outlet presents him as one of the German club’s major assets.
Maza is also among the ten nominees for the 2026 Best Young African Player award, according to Afriksoir. He will come up against two of his national team teammates, Amine Gouiri and Himad Abdelli, in opposing colours.
OM looking for their first points
At the other end, OM have no points after three European outings and travel to Germany with a blank record.
Amine Gouiri, an Algerian international forward, and Himad Abdelli, an Algerian international midfielder, are the two Marseille faces of this fixture. Abdelli was voted OM’s player of the month for October.
Abdelli is therefore, like Maza, among the ten nominees for the 2026 Best Young African Player award. The two men are candidates for the same title before facing each other on Thursday night.
An Algeria squad list expected before kick-off
Brahim Hemdani, a member of the Algeria national team’s coaching staff, leads the staff that is due to announce its list for the next training camp a few hours before the match, La Gazette du Fennec reports.
No list is known at this stage. The timing chosen therefore places the announcement just before kick-off at the BayArena, scheduled for 21:00.
Leverkusen’s flawless run on the line
Leverkusen have so far known only success in this league phase. A fourth win in as many matchdays would extend a flawless start, according to La Gazette du Fennec.