Head coach Klaus Toppmöller made one change to the side that drew 2-2 in Manchester the previous week: Oliver Neuville started up front in place of Dimitar Berbatov – a like-for-like change that was to pay off.
Roy Keane gave the Red Devils the lead on 28 minutes. Neuville levelled in added time in the first half with a wonderful chip from 16 yards out. The provider Yildiray Bastürk was happy to recall the move in a recent interview with bayer04.de: “I played a short pass to him, Olli controlled the ball, turned and then hit his shot from a standing position under the bar. A really brilliant goal,” said Bastürk.
The match ended all square at 1-1 and Bayer 04 deservedly progressed to a Champions League final for the first time in the club’s history. Hampden Park in Glasgow was the venue for the showdown between the Werkself and Real Madrid that ended in a narrow 2-1 victory for Real. Bayer 04 TV recalls the semi-final in Leverkusen that today comes of age.
Match stats:
Bayer 04: Butt – Zivkovic, Lucio, Nowotny (Sebescen 10’), Placente – Ramelow, Ballack, Schneider, Bastürk (Vranjes 79’), Zé Roberto – Neuville (Berbatov 85’)
Manchester United: Barthez – Brown (Forlan 81’), Blanc, Johnsen (Irwin 60’), Silvestre – Roy Keane, Scholes, Butt (Solskjaer 61’), Veron, Giggs – van Nistelrooy
Goals: 0-1 Roy Keane (28’), 1-1 Neuville (45 +2’)
Referee: Kim Milton Nielsen (Denmark)
Booked: Zé Roberto – Butt, Scholes, Irwin
Attendance: 22,500 (sell out) at the BayArena
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have signed Spanish left-back Miguel Gutiérrez from Napoli. The 25-year-old has signed a contract with the club to 30 June 2031. Gutiérrez came through the youth ranks at Real Madrid; he moved to Italy a year ago from Girona, and he played a key role for Napoli with 36 appearances. The big Italian club finished last season as runners-up in Serie A.
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New signing Miguel Gutiérrez arrives in Leverkusen having won the Champions League, the Spanish league title and an Olympic gold medal. However, the 25-year-old Spaniard, signed from Napoli, is looking to the future – he wants to write the next chapter of success with the Werkself. Bayer04.de takes a closer look at the skilful, attack-minded left-back, who will wear the number 3 jersey.
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The Werkself's training camp in Weimarer Land all in one place: in our daily blog you'll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day three (Tuesday 4 August) begins with a thorough open session on the pitch. After lunch, some players have media engagements at the team hotel, and then the team come together for a barbecue in the evening.
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Nine matches against teams from nine countries, two penalty shoot-outs won, and encounters that went far beyond football: As with last year, the Inklusionswerkself enjoyed an extraordinary week at the Genuine Cup 2026 in Houston, USA, and made memories that will last a lifetime. This year, the Leverkusen side took part as Germany’s official representatives and, accordingly, took to the pitch in Germany kit. Together with 53 teams from 53 nations, the Black and Reds once again sent a powerful message of inclusion and participation – and also impressed on the pitch by winning their group.
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