Compared with the side in the win on penalties against VfB Stuttgart in the Supercup, head coach Xabi Alonso made five changes to his starting line-up. Jonathan Tah, Jeremie Frimpong, Alejandro Grimaldo, Florian Wirtz and Jonas Hofmann came into the side. In front of a full house at Borussia Park, the champions of Germany started with a high press and lots of possession – and they were rewarded with a fantastic finish on twelve minutes.
A cross from Frimpong was deflected by a Mönchengladbach player out of the penalty area where Granit Xhaka was ready to fire the ball into the top left corner from 20 metres out – the lead and the first league goal for the Werkself. Shortly after that, Victor Boniface went close with a shot that hit the bar (18'). Two minutes later, the Gladbach keeper Jonas Omlin saved a Tah header on the line and then Lukas Hradecky was forced to make a save from a powerful shot from Tim Kleindienst (21').
And the big chances kept coming: Edmond Tapsoba hit a long-range effort against the top corner of the goal post – the second time Bayer 04 hit the woodwork on the night. A period of pressure followed from the hosts and they created a number of chances but the next goal came at the other end: Wirtz provided a clinical finish from close range to make it 2-0 (38'). New signing Tim Kleindienst appeared to have scored for the Foals but referee Robert Schröder ruled it out after the intervention of VAR for a foul on Piero Hincapie. The Werkself took a 2-0 lead into half-time.
There were no changes at the break with little action in either penalty area several minutes in to the second 45 but then Borussia’s Niko Elvedi scored from close range on the hour mark to make it 2-1. Shortly after that, Xabi Alonso brought on fresh legs up front in the shape of Bundesliga debutant Martin Terrier. Aleix Garcia and Amine Adli also came off the bench in the final stages with Garcia on the pitch for his first Bundesliga match. For a long time it looked like a 2-1 away win for the Werkself but Kleindienst equalised for Gladbach at 2-2 on 85 minutes. But it wasn't all over.
Ten minutes of added time at Borussia Park began with an effort from Grimaldo with a shot to the top corner (90+1') – and ended with the winner for Bayer 04. Eleven minutes into added time referee Schröder awarded a penalty after consulting the video screen. Wirtz stepped up and the Gladbach keeper Omlin saved his spot kick but he was able to put the rebound into the back of the net to give the Black and Reds the first three points in the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign.
The Werkself are next in action in the DFB Pokal: The German double winners are away to Regional League FC Carl Zeiss Jena in the first round. The tie at the Ernst Abbe Sportfeld on Wednesday, 28 August kicks off at 18.30 CEST. Three days later there is a top match at the BayArena on the Saturday night. The opponents are RB Leipzig with the kick-off at 18.30 CEST.
Match stats:
Borussia Mönchengladbach: Omlin - Scally, Itakura, Elvedi, Netz (Chiarodia 90+4’) - Weigl, Reitz (Sander 71’) - Honorat (Lainer 90+4’), Stöger, Plea (Cvancara 71’) - Kleindienst (N'Goumou 90+4’)
Bayer 04: Hradecky - Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie - Frimpong, Xhaka, Andrich (Garcia 81’) - Grimaldo - Hofmann (Terrier 65’), Wirtz - Boniface (Adli 81’)
Goals: 0-1 Xhaka (12’), 0-2 Wirtz (38’), 1-2 Elvedi (60’), 2-2 Kleindienst (85’), 2-3 Wirtz (90+11’)
Booked: Lainer
Referee: Robert Schröder (Hannover)
Attendance: 54,042 (sold out) at Borussia Park
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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Thomas Eichin has been working for Bayer 04 for six years – as Director of Professional Teams since July 2023 – and has contributed to the successful development of our club in many areas. Today, Friday 9 October, Freiburg-born Eichin is celebrating his 60th birthday. We wish him a very happy birthday.
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Together with his family, friends and close associates, Bayer 04 Leverkusen bid farewell to Peter Hermann. The club’s long-serving assistant manager passed away on 19 September following a serious illness. Today, Thursday 8 October, Bayer 04 held an event attended by around 200 invited guests to commemorate Peter Hermann’s legacy. Representatives from the DFB and the other professional clubs where Hermann worked paid their respects to him at the BayArena.
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