Head coach Xabi Alonso made four changes to his team that started Sunday’s 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. Josip Stanisic and Piero Hincapie replaced Odilon Kossounou and Edmond Tapsoba in defence. Robert Andrich was in for the suspended Exequiel Palacios in midfield, while Schick made his first Bundesliga start in some 14 months as he got the nod over Boniface, who dropped to the bench. In a once again sold-out BayArena, Jeremie Frimpong led the first attack of note in the seventh minute, but his low delivery was gathered by goalkeeper Manuel Riemann. The visitors then had a couple of opportunities of their own through Takuma Asano and Christopher Antwi-Adjei.
The Werkself then struggled to play in their usual dominant manner for a period as Bochum pressed hard. However, Leverkusen finally found a gap in the visitors’ rearguard just before the half-hour mark as Schick was played in behind, knocked the ball beyond Riemann before being taken down. Referee Daniel Schlager pointed to the spot, with Schick himself dispatching the penalty for the lead. The next attack moments later also came off as Jonas Hofmann and Frimpong worked their way down the right. The Dutchman passed the ball into the middle and into the path of Schick, whose first-time finish doubled the advantage with 31 minutes gone. Alonso’s men seemed to find their groove now, with Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo both having further chances. Yet it was Schick who struck again in added time, heading in a Grimaldo corner under pressure to bag his hat-trick inside the first half.
With the Werkself three goals to the good coming out after the break, things were initially quiet until the 62nd minute when Grimaldo played the ball back from the by-line for Andrich to turn in. However, a VAR review ruled out the goal due to offside in the build-up. A fourth did come soon after, though, as Florian Wirtz’s vision found Boniface, who had only been on the field for a couple of minutes, to put away his 10th goal of the season with 69 minutes gone. Leverkusen didn’t look done there as Tapsoba and Frimpong looked to add another, but Riemann denied both. The damage was already done, however, as Bayer 04 extended their unbeaten start to 2023/24 to a German record 25 games and go into the winter break with a four-point advantage over Bayern Munich.
And straight after the game, the team joined the fans inside the BayArena for some Christmas singing to round off an eventful year in Leverkusen.
The Werkself are now off on their well-deserved holidays before returning to training on Wednesday, 3 January. The first match of the year is then the following Sunday with a friendly against Italian Serie B side Venezia at the BayArena. Tickets are available for the game HERE.
Match stats:
Bayer 04: Hradecky – Stanisic, Tah (Tapsoba 67'), Hincapie (Puerta 73') – Frimpong, Xhaka, Andrich, Grimaldo – Hofmann (Hlozek 73'), Schick (Boniface 67'), Wirtz (Amiri 87')
Bochum: Riemann – Gamboa, Masovic (Loosli 69'), Schlotterbeck, Bernardo – Losilla (Oermann 87'), Osterhage, Bero – Asano (Soares 46'), Paciencia (Förster 63'), Antwi-Adjei (Broschinski 63')
Goals: 1-0 Schick (pen, 30'), 2-0 Schick (31'), 3-0 Schick (45'+1), 4-0 Boniface (69')
Referee: Daniel Schlager (Hügelsheim)
Yellow cards: Masovic, Schlotterbeck
Attendance: 30,210 (sold out) at the BayArena
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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Back from the international break: On Saturday 10 October (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself are away to Mainz 05. Ahead of the clash at the MEWA ARENA against the side currently sixth in the table, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about the team’s work during the extended international break. The Spaniard also commented, when asked, on a number of squad matters, including Ibrahim Maza.
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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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