Head coach Xabi Alonso made six changes to the XI that took on Arsenal on Wednesday. Lukas Hradecky took over from Matej Kovar between the sticks. In addition, Alejandro Grimaldo, Arthur, Robert Andrich, Jonas Hofmann and Victor Boniface started on Saturday.
The Werkself got off to a controlled start and were solid at the back while relying on many passes in their build-up play as usual. Nabil Fekir missed the first chance for the away side (12’) before Florian Wirtz’ low effort went just wide after a failed clearance (18’). Piero Hincapie let fly following fine interplay down the left, but Betis keeper Rui Silva saved his effort. The Werkself slowly but surely asserted their authority, Sevilla’s Marc Bartra beating Boniface to a Wirtz cross (34’). Hofmann missed a chance before half-time and the sides turned round with the game still goalless.
The Andalusians were dominant after the restart, Aitor Ruibal inviting sub Juanmi to score the opener (52’). Xabi Alonso made four changes now, Martin Terrier, Jeremie Frimpong, Aleix Garcia and Jeanuël Belocian coming on for Hofmann, Arthur, Hincapie and Grimaldo. The Black and Reds went looking for an equaliser and found the net, only for Wirtz’ goal to be chalked off for offside (67’). Three minutes later Boniface’s sumptuous sideways scissor-kick went just wide (70’).
Patrik Schick, Amine Adli and Odilon Kossounou came on now, and Alonso’s changes paid off when Betis keeper parried a Schick header, with Belocian on hand to mop up and score his maiden goal for Bayer 04 (78’). Schick had just found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside again. The Werkself pressed for a winner, but another goal refused to come and the last pre-season friendly ended in a stalemate.
The Werkself contest their first competitive fixture of the new season at the BayArena on Saturday 17 August (kick-off: 20:30 CEST), when German champions and DFB Cup winners Bayer 04 face off with Bundesliga runners-up VfB Stuttgart.
Match stats
Bayer 04: Hradecky – Tapsoba, Tah (Kossounou 74’), Hincapie (Garcia 60’) – Arthur (Frimpong 60’), Andrich, Xhaka, Grimaldo (Belocian 60’) – Hofmann (Terrier 60’), Wirtz (Adli 74’) – Boniface (Schick 74’)
Real Betis:Silva – Sabaly (Bellerin 61’), Bartra (Cardoso 61’), Llorente, Parraud – Roca (Diao 61’), Carvalho (Altimira 82’) – Fornals, Fekir (Losada 82’), Avila (Juanmi 46’) – Ruibal (Rodriguez 61’)
Goals: 0-1 Juanmi (52’), 1-1 Belocian (78’)
Yellow cards: Llorente, Carvalho
Referee: Sascha Stegemann (Niederkassel)
Attendance: 28,395 at the BayArena
Following last weekend’s big game against Wolfsburg, Bayer 04 Women face another exciting challenge as they visit Hoffenheim to kick off Matchday 3 in the Google Pixel Bundesliga on Friday (kick-off: 18:30 CEST).
Show more
Under the slogan ‘Holidays without War’, 60 children from war-torn Ukraine took part in the summer camp organised by the German-Ukrainian association Blau-Gelbes Kreuz in Leverkusen and the surrounding area in August. The children aged between 10 and 14 – many of whom have lost their parents in the war – come from the Ukrainian twin towns of Leverkusen, Cologne and Monheim am Rhein: Nikopol, Dnipro and Volodymyr. Bayer 04, Bayer AG and TSV Bayer 04 supported the camp to mark its 10th anniversary, enabling even more children and young people than in previous years to spend a few carefree days’ holiday away from the war in the Rhineland.
Show more
Midfielder Ruby Grant is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and joining Portuguese runners-up Sporting CP a year before her contract expires. The 24-year-old has been at the Werkself since January 2025.
Show more
Bayer 04 have loaned Brazilian full-back Arthur to Bundesliga side Werder Bremen for one year. Arthur Augusto de Matos Soares – the full name of the right-back – has a contract with Leverkusen until 30 June 2031. At Werder, the 23-year-old is expected to make an impact and help the long-established club further consolidate their position in the Bundesliga.
Show more
