Head coach Gerardo Seoane made three changes to the starting eleven from the 1-1 draw at Real Betis: Odilon Kossounou, Florian Wirtz and Patrik Schick started in place of Edmond Tapsoba, Amine Adli and Lucas Alario (all on the bench).
Bayer 04 made a good start to the match and impressed from the kick-off with dynamic and accurate transition play. Schick (5') and Wirtz (7') had the first promising chances for the Black and Reds but lacked accuracy in their finishing. The first goal came after a quarter of an hour: Robert Andrich reacted quickly and put Moussa Diaby through. The Frenchman dribbled for a few metres and then set up Schick who slotted the ball past the FC Köln keeper Timo Horn in the bottom right corner of the net to make it 1-0 (15').
That was the start of two crazy minutes as the Werkself extended their lead almost immediately: Andrich broke into the box after being fed the ball by Wirtz but he stumbled. As he fell, the 27-year-old, with the help of FC Köln defender Rafael Czichos, squared the ball to Karim Bellarabi who smashed the ball into the back of the net – the second goal within 120 seconds (17’). Jeremie Frimpong was within a hair's breadth of rocking the away stand with 2,800 Bayer 04 fans but his effort hit the bar (25').
There was a blow for Bayer 04 on 36 minutes when Bellarabi had to be substituted for an injury suffered in a tackle. He was replaced by Adli. The Frenchman initially had to focus on defending with his teammates as the hosts pressed in the closing stages of the first half looking to get back into the game. However, Jonathan Tah and his partner Kossounou stopped the attacks. Bayer 04 went into half-time with a 2-0 lead.
In the second half, the Seoane team again and again looked for their chance to play on the break. That did happen but there was too often a lack of accuracy that meant Schick and Co. could not increase the lead. At the other end, the team under coach Steffen Baumgart clinically exploited a slight Leverkusen slip: Jonas Hector crossed from the edge of the box to the far post for Anthony Modeste. The Frenchman controlled the ball and left Bayer 04 keeper Lukas Hradecky helpless – Köln had pulled a goal back (63').
As the hosts were then more focused on attack, the Werkself had several chances on the break. However these went unrewarded. FC Köln increased the pressure but the Leverkusen defence first held firm. However, on 83 minutes, the skipper Hradecky was beaten again for the second time on the afternoon: A throw-in was flicked on by Sebastian Anderson at the near post to Modeste who headed the ball across Hradecky and into the net to make it 2-2.
That was also the conclusion to an eventful derby. Following the draw in Cologne, Bayer 04 are now fourth in the Bundesliga but could be overtaken this evening by Union Berlin. The Werkself have little time to recover. On Wednesday, 27 October, Jonathan Tah and Co. play Karlsruher SC in the DFB Cup. The kick-off at the BayArena is at 18.30 CEST.
Match stats:
FC Köln: Horn – Schmitz (Schindler 79’), Czichos, Kilian, Hector – Özcan – Ljubicic, Kainz (Thielmann 79’) – Duda (Andersson 77’) – Uth (Schaub 90’), Modeste.
Bayer 04: Hradecky – Frimpong, Kossounou, Hincapie (Bakker 46’) – Andrich, Demirbay – Bellarabi (Adli 36’), Wirtz (Palacios 77’), Diaby (Tapsoba 77’) – Schick (Schick 87’).
Goals: 0-1 Schick (15’), 0-2 Bellarabi (17’), 1-2, 2-2 Modeste (63’, 83’)
Booked: Uth – Demirbay, Diaby, Andrich
Referee: Felix Zwayer (Berlin)
Attendance: 49,600
The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
Show more
On Friday afternoon, it will be decided which eight of the 36 participating teams Bayer 04 will face in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2026/27. At the draw in Monaco (live on UEFA.com), the Werkself will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, allocated according to the UEFA club coefficient. A match against an opponent from the same country is ruled out, as is facing more than two clubs from the same national association. Here’s a look at the pots and potential opponents.
Show more
After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
Show more
When Exequiel Palacios moved from the Argentinian club River Plate to Bayer Leverkusen on 1 January 2020, the then 21-year-old could not have imagined just how successful the next six and a half years would be for him. Pala, as he is known, had already won the Copa Libertadores – the most prestigious competition in South American club football – with River Plate. But there were still so many more trophies to come.
Show more
