What the papers say: Wasted chances and bad luck with injuries

The Welt am Sonntag reports: "In a highly competitive match, the visitors were the more fortunate team and ended up winning 1-0. Leverkusen had significantly more chances on goal but their finishing lacked accuracy." With these lines, the newspaper describes the events early on in the game where the Black and Reds created several clear-cut opportunities – centre forward Lucas Alario came closest to scoring the opening goal with a header against the right-hand post (6').

The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger explains the build-up to the Wolfsburg goal at 1-0 on 35 minutes as follows: "After a half-cleared counter-attack, the ball comes […] to Renato Steffen down the left flank and he finds the Bayer defence in a state of disorganisation. The winger is allowed the time to cross over the central defence to the unnoticed Ridle Baku. The young Germany international finds it very easy to head the ball into the net from five yards out. Keeper Lukas Hradecky had to play the role of spectator."

The individual allocation of best marks in the KStA went to goalkeeper Hradecky plus the captain Charles Aránguiz, who was in the starting line-up for the second time in succession after three months out injured. The performance of the experienced duo received a mark of three each.

BamS: Werkself "hobble out of title race"

The report in the Bild am Sonntag contains the line of "Leverkusen hobble out of title race." The BamS focuses on the substitutions of Lars Bender and Julian Baumgartlinger. About the right-back, the tabloid says: "In the 1-0 defeat against Wolfsburg, a bruise to the back of the head was diagnosed after an accidental kick by Wolfsburg’s Renato Steffen. Bender was taken off at half-time and he also picked up a calf injury."

The newspaper reports in relation to the Austria captain: "Baumgartlinger had to be helped off the pitch just six minutes after being brought on (81'). Suspected torn cruciate. Head coach Peter Bosz: 'I fear it's a bad one.'"

Defeat after impressive first half a season

The 1-0 defeat against the Wolves marks the start of the second half of the 2020/21 Bundesliga campaign for the Werkself. The match report in the Rheinische Post starts with a brief look at the points total after the first 17 league matches – and it is certainly worth it. Bayer 04 had a total of 32 points after last Tuesday's 2-1 home win against Borussia Dortmund. According to the RP, "The best return for the Werkself since 2013/14."

The next chance for the first points in the second half of the season for the Bosz team is on Saturday 30 January. RB Leipzig await in the next top match. The kick-off in Saxony is at 18.30 CET.