Head coach Kasper Hjulmandmade five changes to the team that started the 3-3 draw in Heidenheim prior to the international break, including the fit-again Loïc Badé and Nathan Tella, who made his first start since the beginning of January. Eliesse Ben Seghir was among the substitutes as he featured in a matchday squad for the first time in 2026.
Mohamed Amoura had an early opportunity for Wolfsburg before Badé produced Leverkusen’s first attempt with a header. Bayer 04 pushed the Wolves back in the opening stages, but it was the visitors who scored first when Jonas Wind got the better of Badé before finishing with 16 minutes gone. Maza then won a penalty on the half-hour mark, which Grimaldo converted to level.
Parity didn’t last long, though, as Joakim Maehle – at fault for the penalty – fired Wolfsburg back into the lead barely a minute later. The Wolves had a spot-kick of their own when Tapsoba was penalised on review for a foul on Amoura, with Christian Eriksen putting away the penalty to make it 3-1. The first-half action wasn’t over there as Grimaldo got his and Leverkusen’s second just before the break.
Schick was introduced for Ezequiel Fernández for the second half and was soon into the action to level the game once more with a penalty won by Tella against Sael Kumbedi. Tella put a header wide and Grimaldo saw a shot blocked as the Werkself increased the pressure. They finally took the lead when Tapsoba forced the ball over the line at a scramble in the box. Maza provided breathing space at 5-3 as he put away a quickly taken corner. Substitute Tillman rounded off the half dozen in added time to give Leverkusen three important points against the Bundesliga strugglers, who remain second from bottom.
The Werkself’s next game is away at Borussia Dortmund next Saturday at 15:30 CEST.
Match stats:
Bayer 04: Flekken - Andrich, Badé, Tapsoba - Culbreath, Fernández (Schick 46'), Palacios, Grimaldo - Maza, Tella (Poku 81') - Kofane (Tillman 88')
Wolfsburg: Grabara - Belocian, Vavro, Koulierakis - Kumbedi (Svanberg 81'), Eriksen (Arnold 81'), Souza, Maehle - Wimmer (Lindstrøm 66'), Amoura - Wind (Pejcinovic 81')
Goals: 0-1 Wind (16'), 1-1 Grimaldo (pen, 30'), 1-2 Maehle (31'), 1-3 Eriksen (pen, 38'), 2-3 Grimaldo (44'), 3-3 Schick (pen, 53'), 4-3 Tapsoba (68'), 5-3 Maza (73'), 6-3 Tillman (90'+6)
Yellow cards: Tapsoba, Hjulmand - Maehle, Koulierakis, Vavro, Hecking
Referee: Martin Petersen
Attendance: 29,619 at the BayArena
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