Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso joked Monday he may be forced to return to the pitch amid his side's injury crisis "if they give me a player contract".

The fixtures are starting to pile up for Bayer Leverkusen, but so are their injury problems as Xabi Alonso's squad is being stretched thin.

Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso has included three youth players in his squad to host Salzburg in the Champions League on Tuesday given an injury crisis. Francis Onyeka, Ben Hawighorst and Artem Stepanov - a Ukrainian refugee - are in the squad for Leverkusen's first European match against an Austrian team.

French striker Martin Terrier joined Leverkusen’s long injury list on Sunday when the 27-year-old fractured his right forearm minutes before its 5-2 win over Heidenheim.

Bayer Leverkusen are dealing with several injury concerns ahead of Tuesday's Champions League home game against RB Salzburg and manager Xabi Alonso stressed that he needs all his players to compete in a packed schedule.