3-2 – Werkself inflict first league home defeat on BVB

Bayer 04 have made a successful start to 2025 with a well-earned 3-2 victory in the top match away to Borussia Dortmund. The Leverkusen goals came from Nathan Tella in the first minute plus a brace from Patrik Schick before half-time. It was the ninth win in succession for the Werkself across all competitions.

Head coach Xabi Alonso made two changes to his line-up for the 5-1 home win against Freiburg before Christmas: Nordi Mukiele and Robert Andrich started in place of Exequiel Palacios and Florian Wirtz . The kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes due to heavy traffic around the Signal Iduna Park.

early lead - Schick bags brace

The first match for the German double winners in 2025 got off to a flying start. With less than 30 seconds played, Nathan Tella fired the ball into the back of net from outside the box after possession was won high up the pitch. 1-0 to the Werkself. And the game continued in the same positive way from a Black and Red perspective: a low cross from the left from Piero Hincapie was turned into the net by Patrik Schick to put Bayer 04 2-0 up (8'). BVB pulled a goal back four minutes later with Jamie Gittens scoring from close range to make it 2-1 (12'). And the game continued with the same energy and tempo. Schick restored Leverkusen's two-goal advantage on 19 minutes. A whipped-in cross from the right by Jeremie Frimpong was converted by the Czechia international for his eleventh goal of the season.

The game then settled down before BVB had a good opportunity to score with a deflected shot from Serhou Guirassy that was saved brilliantly by Lukas Hradecky (28'). And the Bayer 04 captain had to intervene again with a double chance for Dortmund five minutes from the end of the first half – and and the Werkself went into the break with a more than a deserved 3-1 lead thanks to his impressive saves.

BVB convert penalty to make it 3-2

The second half was played at a more leisurely pace initially with the first promising opportunity falling to Schick – again from a low cross from Frimpong – but his shot ended up in the arms of the BVB keeper Gregor Kobel (61). Shortly after that, Wirtz replaced Schick and with 15 minutes to play Martin Terrier came on for the other Leverkusen goalscorer Tella. Again there was little action in either penalty area until referee Tobias Stieler – after looking at the video screen – awarded a penalty to BVB. Edmond Tapsoba was adjudged to have fouled Julien Duranville. Guirassy converted the penalty to make it 3-2 (79’). Now it was a tight affair again. Wirtz put the ball in the back of the net two minutes later but it had gone out of play before it was crossed. The Werkself kept it tight at the back in the closing stages to secure the ninth win in succession.

outlook: Mainz and borussia Mönchengladbach at home

The Werkself now have two Bundesliga home games within a week. Mainz 05 visit the BayArena on Tuesday, 14 January (kick-off: 20.30 CET) – remaining tickets including 30% discount are available HERE. That is followed four days later by the home game against Borussia Mönchengladbach. The match on Saturday, 18 January kicks off at 18.30 CET.

Match stats:

Borussia Dortmund: Kobel - Couto, Ryerson (Campbell 89'), Lührs, Kabar (Sabitzer 79') - Nmecha - Adeyemi (Duranville 63'), Brandt, Gittens (Malen 79') - Guirassy, Beier (Reyna 79’)

Bayer 04: Hradecky - Mukiele, Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie - Frimpong (Palacios 88'), Xhaka, Andrich, Grimaldo (Arthur 88') - Tella (Terrier 74’), Schick (Wirtz 63’)

Goals: 0-1 Tella (1’), 0-2 Schick (8’), 1-2 Gittens (12’), 1-3 Schick (19’), 2-3 Guirassy (79’ pen.)

Yellow cards: Nmecha - Schick, Tapsoba

Referee: Tobias Stieler (Obertshausen)

Attendance: 81,365 (sold out) at the Signal Iduna Park