Heiko Herrlich, who gave his players the day off on Sunday after the match, kept to his word by fielding a completely different starting eleven for the match against Preußen Münster. Only the U19 player, Jakub Bednarczyk, who played for 15 minutes against Fürth on Friday, was back on the pitch against the third division side. Benny Henrichs returned after recovering from a bruised foot and he lined up in defence alongside Tin Jedvaj and Wendell. Leon Bailey, suffering from a cold, was rested with the Jamaican completing a one-to-one session with fitness coach Daniel Jouvin in the morning. Bayer 04 played with three up front: Joel Pohjanpalo, Stefan Kießling (captain for the day) and Lucas Alario.
The powerful attacking trio were the focus of attention from the start in front of the 1,500 crowd. After a one-two with Alario, Pohjanpalo put the ball just wide of the top corner on six minutes. The Argentinian then opened the scoring from a precision pass from Kießling on eight minutes. The busy Alario remained centre stage and, after being thwarted by the Münster keeper Nils-Jonathan Körber on 27 minutes, then doubled the lead on 33 minutes – the central striker initially slipped from Bellarabi's cross but he was quick to make amends and cease his chance. Bayer 04 could have had a clearer lead if Pohjanpalo not missed good chances on 30 and 38 minutes. Münster then took advantage of the hosts losing possession in the build-up with almost the whole team moving up the pitch. Ramazan Özcan made a save, Wendell then cleared off the line before Lennart Stoll turned the ball into the net to make it 2-1 on 39 minutes.
There were two changes at half-time: Niklas Lomb took the place of Özcan in goal, Sam Schreck replaced Bednarczyk as an attacking midfielder on the left. And then there were clear-cut chances for the Werkself: A powerful shot from Bellarabi on 50 minutes was saved by the keeper Schulze Niehues, and Alario failed to convert the rebound to complete his hat-trick. The visitors were now more effective and they levelled the scores at 2-2 with a free kick from Akono on 63 minutes. Münster, who changed the whole team at half-time, looked much more lively. Bellarabi then went off injured on 79 minutes with the winger being replaced by Hajdar Shala. Both sides had the chance to win before the end of the match: A shot from Adriano Grimaldi was saved by Lomb with his foot on 88 minutes and the Münster keeper kept out Pohjanpalo at the other end a minute later.
"Of course, we can't be happy with the conversion rate. But I'm satisfied with the performance. Most of the players had to cope with jet lag or not having played 90 minutes recently. As they were supposed to put the opposition under pressure the whole time, it was clear to me we would ease off after 60 or 65 minutes," said head coach Heiko Herrlich after the game. The Werkself have time for a breather on Sunday before returning on Monday for a double training session in preparation for the game against Bayern.
Bayer 04: Özcan (Lomb 46') – Henrichs, Jedvaj, Wendell (Akkaynak 72') – Bellarabi (Shala 79'), Frey, Aránguiz, Bednarczyk (Schreck 46') – Pohjanpalo, Kießling, Alario
Bayer 04 Leverkusen has secured a new network partner in Extreme Networks GmbH. The leading provider of AI-powered network automation has agreed a five-year partnership with the Bundesliga club, running until 30 June 2031. As part of this, the club’s existing Wi-Fi 5 infrastructure will be replaced by more than 400 Wi-Fi 7 access points, which are specifically designed to meet the requirements of a stadium with a high user density. The aim is to enhance the fan experience while optimising operational processes and security.
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New signing Miguel Gutiérrez has made a good start at Leverkusen and has promptly earned a nomination for Player of the Month in his first few weeks in the Bundesliga. He has scored one goal and provided three assists in four league games. The Spanish left-back has also brought some impressive stats with him to Bayer 04. Issue #56 of the Werkself magazine has taken a look at these figures. ‘Facts & Fun’ with Miguel Gutiérrez.
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With seven points, Mainz 05 are currently joint seventh, level on points with sixth-placed Bayer 04. In today’s head-to-head clash (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself must be particularly wary of the clinical Mainz strike duo. For Leverkusen fans who have left it to the last minute, there are still a few tickets available from the matchday ticket office. Those following the Black and Reds from home, on the other hand, have a choice: RTL is broadcasting the match on free-to-air TV, and Werkself Radio is also offering the expert commentary of former Bayer 04 player Falko Götz. Today’s matchday news.
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FSV Mainz 05 went into the international break on the back of an away win at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Currently sixth in the table, the Rheinhessen side – who have been impressive on the road – now aim to continue their good start to the Bundesliga campaign at home when they face the Werkself on Saturday, 10 October (kick-off: 15:30 CEST). In terms of squad selection, Urs Fischer once again has more options at his disposal. Up front, the Mainz coach is likely to continue relying on what is currently the league’s most successful strike partnership. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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