Alonso handed debuts to summer signings Alejandro Grimaldo, Jonas Hofmann and Granit Xhaka. Alongside captain Lukas Hradecky, the starting XI also featured Jeremie Frimpong, Edmond Tapsoba, Odilon Kossounou, Exequiel Palacios, Florian Wirtz, Amine Adli and Azmoun in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
The crowd of roughly 1,890 saw the Werkself start strong in their newly released away strip for the coming campaign. The first chance of the game fell to Adli from Xhaka with eight minutes gone, but it was saved. Moments later, Hofmann delivered a teasing cross into the box, but nobody could get on the end of it.
Then Paderborn carved out their first chance, which Hradecky turned behind for a corner. The second division club had the ball in the back of the net from the subsequent set piece, but referee Nico Fuchs signalled offside. A chip from Palacios and a free-kick from Grimaldo midway through the first half came close to putting Leverkusen ahead.
The Werkself finally got the first goal of the day when a through ball from Tapsoba found Azmoun, who finished into the bottom right corner to open Bayer 04’s account for 2023/24. Paderborn responded in the 45th minute, however, with a long-range effort from Florent Muslija.
Paderborn opened the second half with another attempt from distance that went just wide. Although substitute Adam Hlozek almost restored the advantage for Leverkusen, it was the opposition who struck next when a cross from the left found Filip Bilbija.
The Werkself pushed for an equaliser of their own but were unable to find a way through an assured Paderborn defence. Nadiem Amiri almost did it with 10 minutes to go but fired narrowly wide as Bayer 04 slipped to a 2-1 defeat but learned some valuable lessons in the first game of pre-season.
Alonso and his team head off to their training camp in Saalfelden, Austria on Sunday, 23 July. They will then go directly to San Sebastian in Spain on Friday, 28 July for the second friendly against Champions League qualifiers Real Sociedad. The game on Saturday, 29 July kicks off at 18:00 CEST at the Estadio Reale Arena.
Match stats:
Bayer 04: Hradecky (Pentz 45') - Frimpong (Puerta 65'), Tapsoba (Fosu-Mensah 73'), Kossounou (Monamay 45'), Grimaldo (Bäuerle 65') - Palacios (Mbamba 45'), Xhaka (Marsenic 73') - Hofmann (Arthur 45'), Wirtz (Demirbay 45'), Adli (Amiri 45') - Azmoun (Hlozek 45')
Paderborn: Huth - Schuster, Musliu, Hoffmeier - Curda, Klefisch (Hansen 72'), Rohr, Ezekwem - Kinsombi, Bilbija, Muslija
Goals: 1-0 Azmoun (40'), 1-1 Muslija (45'), 1-2 Bilbija (58')
Yellow card: Musliu
Referee: Nico Fuchs
Attendance: 1,890 at the IMS Arena in Velbert
Former Werkself star Michael Ballack, who won the German Footballer of the Year award in 2002 while playing in Leverkusen, celebrates his 50th birthday on Saturday. Bayer 04 sends him its best wishes!
Show more
Attention Werkself fans: In addition to tickets for the floodlit home match against Werder Bremen, tickets are now also available for the Bayer 04 women’s team’s two subsequent fixtures against Eintracht Frankfurt and Hamburger SV at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. Both matches in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga will take place at family-friendly kick-off times on Saturday afternoons. Here is the latest information on matchday ticket sales.
Show more
Guéla Doué’s first 30 minutes in a Bayer 04 shirt during the draw away at Augsburg have definitely made the summer signing eager for more. The 23-year-old may have had to bide his time following his move from Strasbourg due to a muscular injury, but he’s been able to get a good taste of the BayArena atmosphere while watching from the stands in the home wins over Celje and RB Leipzig, as the Ivory Coast international explained in a chat with media representatives. “The fans’ enthusiasm and passion are incredible,” said Doué, looking forward to what lies ahead. The defender also spoke about his plans for a comeback, his teammates and his younger brother Désiré.
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen welcomes a new official member to the Sponsors’ Club at the start of the 2026/27 campaign. KKV Kabelverlegung GmbH & Co. KG is expanding its existing partnership and will, with immediate effect, act as a supporter of the Bundesliga club at the second-highest partner level, just below the premium tier. As an official partner in the Sponsors’ Club, KKV will now enjoy significantly enhanced visibility during Werkself matches at the BayArena. The new contract is initially valid until 30 June 2028.
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen has extended the existing partnership agreement with EDO Personalservice GmbH and, at the same time, expanded its collaboration with the Cologne-based company. The official partner in the Business Club has been upgraded within Bayer 04’s partner network. The revised and enhanced support for the club has initially been agreed for two years, running until 30 June 2028.
Show more
