Xabi Alonso makes five changes to the team that started Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat away at Atletico Madrid. Lukas Hradecky returned in goal for Matej Kovar, while Garcia, Robert Andrich, Arthur and Schick came in for Exequiel Palacios, Alejandro Grimaldo, Jeremie Frimpong and Nathan Tella.
The game got off to an even start as both sides looked to contain in the early stages. The first real chance fell to the champions with Nordi Mukiele’s thumping effort from range against his former club. The hosts then tested Hradecky with Xavi Simons’ shot from the corner of the box. The game finally burst to life in the 19th minute when Florian Wirtz produced a brilliant solo run up the left channel, got past several defenders before striking the frame of the goal from a tight angle, but Schick was on hand to put away the rebound. Leipzig tried to find a way back with crosses into the box, but the closest they came was with a Lois Openda header that went over.
A Wirtz run led to the next good chance and ultimately goal when he teed up Garcia to put Leverkusen 2-0 up after 36 minutes. Again, the hosts sought to respond and this time did when a Raum free-kick took a deflection to wrongfoot Hradecky and find the back of the net via the underside of the crossbar as the Werkself went into the break 2-1 up.
Dann war es erneut Wirtz mit einem Solo-Lauf, der die nächste gefährliche Situation einleitete und im Anschluss auf Teamkollege Garcia ablegte - der Spanier erhöhte überlegt auf 2:0 für die Werkself (36.). Doch abermals hielt das Team von Cheftrainer Marco Rose dagegen - so verkürzte David Raum nach einem abgefälschten Freistoß und unter Mithilfe des Querbalkens aus zentraler Position auf 1:2. Damit ging es wenig später in die Kabinen.
The second half again saw Wirtz at the heart of a promising Bayer 04 attack as he broke before teeing up substitute Palacios. The Argentine rounded goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi only to then see his effort cleared off the line by the recovering Raum. Leipzig upped the pressure as the half wore on but found no way through the Leverkusen defence. Alonso’s men were content to soak things up and counter, which they almost did to devastating effect just after the hour mark when Wirtz was again denied by the frame of the goal. The pattern of play remained the same after that as Leipzig poured forward, the Werkself would reclaim the ball and then look to break. However, a free-kick eventually told for the hosts again with five minutes remaining as Tapsoba headed into his own net from a Xavi delivery.
Next week sees two home fixtures, starting with the final game of the Champions League’s league phase as Sparta Prague come to the BayArena on Wednesday (9pm CET). The Werkself then host Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga the following Sunday (5.30pm).
Match stats:
Leipzig: Gulacsi - Klostermann (Baku 66'), Orban, Bitshiabu, Raum – Nusa (Baumgartner 66'), Vermeeren (Seiwald 51'), Kampl (Haidara 51'), Xavi – Openda (Poulsen 74'), Sesko
Bayer 04: Hradecky – Mukiele, Tah, Tapsoba – Arthur (Frimpong 65'), Garcia, Andrich (Palacios 46'), Xhaka, Hincapie – Schick (Tella 65'), Wirtz
Goals: 0-1 Schick (19'), 0-2 Garcia (36'), 1-2 Raum (42'), 2-2 Tapsoba (og, 85')
Yellow cards: Xavi - Andrich, Tapsoba
Referee: Bastian Dankert
Attendance: 46,793 at the Red Bull Arena
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month.
Show more
Kasper Hjulmand has led the Werkself back to winning ways and is back in the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League with Bayer 04 after the 3-0 win against Villarreal on Wednesday evening. In an interview with the Werkself magazine at the BayArena in the team meeting room, directly opposite the dressing room, he provided some special insights for the current issue, which was published in January. A conversation with the 53-year-old coach about values, attitudes and personal experiences as well as interests outside of football.
Show more
The thrilling 3-1 win for Bayer 04 against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Hinrunde is a fond memory for Alejandro Grimaldo, with his brace from free kicks, and coach Kasper Hjulmand, who was in the dugout under the Cross for the first time. Now comes the return fixture in the metropolis on the River Main and after going out of the DFB Pokal and the Champions League, the full focus at Eintracht, currently managed by two interim coaches, is now on the Bundesliga. For their part, the Werkself will do everything in their power to continue the longest winning run against a Bundesliga club. The matchday news.
Show more
Bayer 04 have ended Artem Stepanov’s loan deal at Nürnberg and agreed a new loan to Utrecht in the Netherlands. The Ukrainian striker did not play as much as hoped for at the Bundesliga 2 club and will now continue his development in the Eredivisie for the rest of 2025/26.
Show more
The draw for the knockout play-offs of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League was made on Friday, 30 January and saw Bayer 04 paired with Olympiacos. It’s a reunion with the Greek side following the Werkself’s 2-0 loss in Athens on Matchday 7 of the league phase.
Show more
