The Werkself were celebrating as early as the 3rd minute: Granit Xhaka put Black & Red ahead early on with his first competitive goal for the club, but ex-Bayer Dominik Kohr replied immediately to make it 1-1 (8'). Things got particularly heated at the end of the first half when Jeremie Frimpong went down after a slight but clear contact as he raced towards goal. Referee Timo Gerach did not award a free-kick, but instead showed Frimpong and head coach Xabi Alonso a yellow card for expressing their dismay at the decision. Black & Red then regained the lead after the restart: Robert Andrich tried his luck from distance, and the ball slipped through the hands of ZeroFivers' keeper Robin Zentner (68'). Because Jessic Ngankam stamped on Xhaka's foot from behind towards the end and was shown a red card (80'), the Werkself played out the game with an extra man until the final whistle. Read the match report.
Coach Alonso reacted to the match: "It was a very intense game. Mainz came with good energy. We were prepared for that, but it wasn't easy." The Spaniard also admitted: "It wasn't our best game, but the three points are very important. We can now enjoy the weekend a bit and then we'll move on." Andrich echoed this sentiment: "Overall, we didn't play well today, we let them have too many chances and we were too hectic. But we've ended up with a 2-1 win and three points."
Edmond Tapsoba said after the final whistle: "It was a difficult game and I'm happy with the three points. I'm very happy for Granit that he scored his first goal. We as a team are like a family, everyone fights for everyone else."
After the final whistle, kicker spoke of a "lacklustre workaday victory" and also wrote: "The Werkself's performance was not convincing, but it was still enough to set a Bundesliga record." With the win against Mainz, the Werkself remained unbeaten in their 33rd competitive match of the season - something no other team in German professional football had previously achieved. The FAZ wrote in this regard: "Leverkusen set record but with difficulty." Meanwhile, the Rheinische Post wrote that Mainz "demanded a lot" from the Werkself. The newspaper also ran the headline: "Leverkusen remain unblemished against Mainz." Meanwhile, the WAZ spoke of a "match characterised by tough tackling" and said: "The Werkself had problems for a long time against Mainz, who are seriously threatened by relegation."
Xhaka scored his first competitive goal for Bayer 04 against Mainz, which he celebrated by grabbing his thigh as if injured. Alonso on the Swiss player's celebration: "Granit has often celebrated like that in training. I was still nervous the first time. But there was no moment of panic for me today." Andrich scored his second goal of the season and his first Bundesliga goal of the campaign. The Germany international also celebrated a milestone: It was his 100th competitive match for Bayer 04. Florian Wirtz, meanwhile, played his 100th Bundesliga match at the age of 20 years and 296 days - making him the fourth-youngest player after Kai Havertz, Timo Werner and Julian Draxler to reach this mark. Odilon Kossounou played his first game for Bayer 04 this calendar year after winning the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil.
In addition to numerous bookings for both teams and a red card for Mainz, the intensity of the clash was also reflected in other statistics: 16 fouls were committed by Mainz, while Leverkusen were penalised for 14 offences. Apart from that, Black & Red had 66.6 per cent possession and 17 shots, while Mainz had 13 attempts.
Bayer 04 are next in action in the Rhine derby away to 1. FC Köln. Kick-off on Sunday, 3. March, is at 15.30 CET at the RheinEnergieSTADION in Cologne.
The team departs for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Monday for the Bayer 04 Brazil Tour 2025 from July 14-24. The preseason journey marks a change from recent training camps in the Austrian Alps and Black Forest and we caught up with CEO Fernando Carro to ask him about this summer's visit to Brazil.
Show moreMalik Tillman and the USA could not quite achieve the hoped-for big win in their own country. Last Monday’s final in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Houston ended up in a 2-1 defeat for the hosts against Mexico. But the Bayer 04 new signing can be very happy with the course of the tournament and his own performances. Tillman was in the starting line-up for all six games. That concluded an impressive season for him after winning the Eredivisie title in the Netherlands with PSV Eindhoven. Bayer04.de profiles the 23-year-old new signing.
Show moreBayer 04 Leverkusen have signed the USA international Malik Tillman. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder joins the Werkself from Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven. Tillman, with German roots and born in Nuremberg, has a contract at Leverkusen to 30 June 2030. He scored 16 goals and provided five assists in 34 games for PSV last season. Three of those goals and two assists were in six matches in the UEFA Champions League.
Show moreThe second friendly and the first goal for the Bayer 04 Women: The Werkself just missed out on their first win in the preseason away to top-flight Dutch side PEC Zwolle. The team led by coach Roberto Pätzold drew 1-1 on Friday afternoon in Wezep. As with the friendly against TSG Hoffenheim (0-2) a number of first-team players were absent. The coach once again shared out time on the pitch for the 20-player squad. The goal of the match was scored by summer signing Vanessa Fudalla (67').
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