Werkself review #B04FCB: Convincing performance goes unrewarded

Summary: Clearly on top but unlucky

The Werkself were first out of the blocks against the visitors from Munich and they pressed high up the pitch but were unable to create chances at first. That changed on 20 minutes with a double chance for Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong. The latter had just hit the bar as did Nathan Tella five minutes later. The first half ended goalless. The hosts remained on top in the second half. Tella again, with a sideways scissor-kick (60') and then a dangerous header (65'), provided the next attacking scenes in a phase where the Werkself had more than 80% possession. In added time, substitute Amine Adli hit a shot straight at Neuer, Wirtz missed the target by a few centimetres (90+2'). Then the top match was over. HERE is the match report.

Reaction: "We must and can praise our performance"

Granit Xhaka talked after the game about "a massive performance by us. I can't remember Bayern having a shot. We must and can praise our performance even though we didn't win." Nathan Tella added in an interview with Werkself TV: "Of course, it's disappointing not to pick up the three points. Nevertheless, we can be proud of our performance as a team, we were the better side. Unfortunately there are games like that where the goals don't come. Now it's about continuing to work and focus on the next challenges."

Head coach Xabi Alonso assessed the game as follows: "I've got mixed feelings. On the one hand, we produced a brilliant display, probably one of the best in the last few years against FC Bayern and we worked well both on and off the ball. On the other hand, we are obviously not happy with the result. But that's football." The Spaniard added: "I'm very proud of the team. Of course, it hurts but the lads can be really happy with their performance. We can absolutely build on this display, in the league, in the Champions League and in the DFB Pokal."

Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 CEO, was a guest on the special edition of Sky90 live at the Bayer 04 Fanwelt after the game. In the panel discussion, which the FC Bayern sporting managing director Max Eberl also took part in, the 60-year-old said: "We've shown again what we can do. We are able to compete with the best teams in the world in the league and clearly belong amongst the top ten clubs in Europe. We are proud of the performance but disappointed with the result. We have to continue to focus on ourselves, do our homework and then we'll see where we end up." There are still games to play."

What the papers say: "Only one team produced a top performance"

The headline in kicker read: "Chanceless Bayern pinch lucky point in Leverkusen" and also reports: "Only one team produced a top performance in the game between the top two sides in the Bundesliga. Bayer Leverkusen dominated the Munich team for almost the whole game but failed to reap their reward." Bild Zeitung saw the game as follows: "Before the crunch encounter losing was banned for Leverkusen. And that's exactly how the Werkself played." The Rheinische Post, who awarded top marks for all the Leverkusen outfield players in the starting XI, said: "The Werkself were clearly the better team against Bayern Munich but Bayern failed to play along and battled for a 0-0 draw." A similar position was taken by the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger: "Leverkusen dominate Bayern but fail to score.

Personnel: Adli makes comeback – Alonso with Bundesliga first

After this extremely convincing and solid performance, the team were centre stage again although a moment in the closing stages provided positive feelings for Bayer 04: the introduction of Amine Adli. The forward celebrated his long-awaited comeback following his broken leg at the end of October 2024. The 24-year-old said after the game: "I'm really happy to be back with the team and on the pitch, above all at our stadium. I got a very warm reception from the fans and that made me extremely happy. We produced a strong performance but were unfortunately unable to find the back of the net. Now it's about looking forwards and carrying on." Welcome back, Amine!

Xabi Alonso also set a record in the Bundesliga: "The 43-year-old is the first coach ever not to have lost one of his first six games against Bayern Munich.

Stats: Solid defence, prolific attack

The dominance of Bayer 04 – now unbeaten in 20 games in the Bundesliga – and the strong defensive performance are not only reflected in the classic numbers on the game (see below) but also in another stat looking back over more than 20 years in the Bundesliga: "The Werkself are only the second team, since records were kept in 2004/05, not to concede a single shot on goal against FC Bayern. Only VfL Wolfsburg had achieved that before in May 2008. The double winners had 15 shots on goal – more than any other team against FCB this season.

The Werkself also led the way in terms of possession (56%) and pass completion (83% to 80%). Bayern Munich came out on top in duels with 55%.

Outlook: First Kiel then international break

Bayer 04 are next in action in the first Bundesliga away game in the club's history in Schleswig-Holstein, at Holstein Kiel to be more exact. The kick-off of the last match before the international break is at 15.30 CET on Saturday, 22 February.