Head coach Gerardo Seoane made two changes to his team from last week’s 3-0 win at Mainz. Both were enforced, with Piero Hincapie and Mitchel Bakker suspended. Odilon Kossounou and Daley Sinkgraven came in. But before the action got under way, there was a minute’s silence at the BayArena – and at all other grounds around the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 this matchday – to mark the 50th anniversary of the terrorist attack at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
As in Mainz, Bayer 04 were playing in all black and starting with a back three, with Jeremie Frimpong and Sinkgraven the wing-backs. After an even start to proceedings, it was the first attack of note that brought the opening goal as Kossounou got into the box down the right and squared the ball, where Demirbay tucked away from close range among the bodies with 16 minutes gone. The next attack also came from Leverkusen, but Schick only struck the side netting, before he was also denied by Mark Flekken on 35 minutes. Moussa Diaby was also thwarted by the Freiburg goalkeeper shortly before the break, so it remained 1-0 at half-time.
The second half couldn’t have got off to a much worse start for Bayer 04. Matthias Ginter first headed in the equaliser from a Vincenzo Grifo corner three minutes after the restart before Michael Gregoritsch tapped home a Woo-yeong Jeong square ball to put Freiburg ahead on 51 minutes. It demanded a response from the Werkself, so Seoane sent on Sardar Azmoun, Charles Aranguiz and new signing Hudson-Odoi just after the hour. And those changes paid off.
It was the England international’s cross from the left that found Schick in the middle, and he headed home a deserved equaliser with 65 minutes on the clock. Leverkusen had fought back after a brief wobble and – like before half-time – were throwing themselves into challenges. However, Lukas Hradecky & Co. were hit with another setback as Freiburg put away just their third telling opportunity of the game when Ritsu Doan forced the ball home. Even with 18 minutes still to play, there was no way back again for Bayer 04 as they remain without a point at home this season after three games.
The Werkself now face back-to-back away games. First they kick off the new Champions League season away at Belgian champions Club Brugge on Wednesday, 7 September. They’re back in Bundesliga action at Hertha Berlin just three days later.
Match stats:
Bayer 04: Hradecky – Kossounou, Tah (Aranguiz 60'), Tapsoba – Frimpong, Andrich (Amiri 78'), Palacios (Hudson-Odoi 60'), Sinkgraven (Fosu-Mensah 78') – Demirbay (Azmoun 60') – Diaby, Schick
Freiburg: Flekken – Ginter, Lienhart, Gulde (Doan 46') – Sildillia, Keitel (Eggestein 46'), Höfler, Günter – Sallai (Jeong 9'), Gregoritsch (Schlotterbeck 79'), Grifo (Petersen 79')
Goals: 1-0 Demirbay (16'), 1-1 Ginter (48'), 1-2 Gregoritsch (51'), 2-2 Schick (65'), 2-3 Doan (72')
Yellow cards: Tah, Amiri – Höfler, Gregoritsch
Referee: Sascha Stegemann
Attendance: 26,853 at the BayArena
Trophies as a youth, appearances in the pro game and his first taste of international competition: new arrival Luca Erlein, who has been signed from TSG Hoffenheim, can already look back on some remarkable achievements and moments in his fledgling career. We take a closer look at the 19-year-old right-back, who can also fill other roles across the defensive line.
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have signed Germany U19 international Luca Erlein from Hoffenheim. The 19-year-old right-back, who is capable of playing in various defensive positions, has penned a contract until 30 June 2030.
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen has a new coffee partner. The club has agreed a long-term partnership with the Bocholt-based roastery Imping, running to 30 June 2031. The exclusive partnership with the family-run business includes the installation of fully automatic coffee machines at the BayArena, as well as the right to supply and serve coffee products in the business areas during Werkself home games.
Show more
Plenty going on both on and off the pitch: The Bayer 04 fan support team has organised a number of highlights for fans visiting the Werkself 2026/27 summer training camp in Blankenhain, in the Weimarer Land region. Registration for the events is now open. All the details at a glance.
Show more
The Bayer 04 Leverkusen Women’s team and s2-Software are continuing their long-term partnership: The Werkself and the provider of pre-owned Microsoft licences have extended their contract by two years to 2028. This means s2-Software will remain the Bayer 04 sleeve sponsor for all matches in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga.
Show more
