Eintracht Frankfurt made the more determined impression from the kick-off. The team from Hessen attacked the goal minded by Lukas Hradecky several times in the opening 15 minutes with Kolo Muani a constant threat. Bayer 04 only mounted one real attack when Jeremie Frimpong met an excellent cross from Moussa Diaby at the far post and his volley hit the top of the bar (33'). The hosts took a deserved lead in added time at the end of the first half: Hradecky saved a penalty from Muani but the spot-kick had to be retaken as the keeper had one foot in front of the goalline. Daichi Kamada stepped up and converted to make it 1-0. There was a brief hope after the break when Piero Hincapie scored with a diving header from a Kerem Demirbay free kick to level at 1-1 (56'). But Eintracht Frankfurt restored the lead with Muani putting the hosts 2-1 up (58'). Then it was downhill for the Black and Reds: Jesper Lindström (65'), another penalty from Kamada (72'), which saw Hincapie sent off for a second yellow card offence, and finally Lucas Alario (86') netted for the final score of 5-1. HERE is the match report.
There were no doubts in the Bayer 04 ranks: This display was unsatisfactory. "We have to be honest to ourselves and we can't think that it's all going well and we’ll pick up points sometime soon. Everybody has to know the time has come. We definitely have to get a home win against Wolfsburg on Saturday," said Robert Andrich. "You can lose games but it's about how that happens," added Kerem Demirbay. Xabi Alonso said: "We had lots of problems and lacked the necessary intensity from the start. There are no excuses, everything is our responsibility. Now we have to believe and show we can do much better. It's all down to us."
Due to the absence of Callum Hudson-Odoi, who picked up a knock to his knee in the week in the Champions League clash with Porto and thereby missed the match in Frankfurt, Xabi Alonso named Paulinho in the starting eleven – the first outing for the Brazilian this season. However, it was another South American who was centre stage: Piero Hincapie. The Ecuador central defender first succeeded in scoring the equaliser for Leverkusen but then had some unfortunate moments in defence. For the third Eintracht goal scored by Lindström, Hincapie accidentally headed the ball into the Norwegian’s path, the 4-1 came from a penalty given for a foul on Muani. Hincapie was shown a second yellow card and he will miss the Werkself game against Wolfsburg on Saturday.
Some categories had narrow differences, for example possession (50.9% for the Werkself), with pass completion (87.2% for Frankfurt, 84.9% for Bayer 04) or challenges won (52.1% for Eintracht). The superiority of the team from Hessen was clear in terms of shots on goal: the stats reveal a ratio 19 to 5 in their favour.
There was also unanimity in the media: It was a deserved win for Eintracht Frankfurt and a disappointing match for the Werkself. "It was a desolate performance by the visitors," declared the Bild am Sonntag. "Margin of the defeat was deserved too," reported the Rheinische Post. "Frankfurt take Bayer apart," was the assessment in kicker. "Leverkusen were second best in every respect," was the view of the Süddeutsche Zeitung. The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger only excluded one Leverkusen player from their collective critique: "Nothing was good for Bayer 04 with the exception of Lukas Hradecky. And everything was bad except for Hradecky."
Now is the last phase for Bayer 04 up to the World Cup in the middle of November where there will be a whole week to prepare for the next challenge and the next opponents. The Werkself entertain VfL Wolfsburg at the BayArena on Saturday 22 October (kick-off: 15.30 CEST). That is followed by another three double-fixture weeks in succession for Leverkusen.
The new eSports season is just around the corner. The VBL Club Championship by WOW starts on Thursday 15 October (from 18:00 CEST). And, as every year, here’s an overview: What changes are there? What is staying the same?
Show more
Bayer 04 record-appearance maker Rüdiger Vollborn invites you to another evening in the popular ‘Rudi lädt ein’ series: on Tuesday 10 November, in collaboration with Bayer AG, the focus will be on the Nazi period. The focus will be on football, Bayer 04 and the city of Leverkusen.
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen has secured a new network partner in Extreme Networks GmbH. The leading provider of AI-powered network automation has agreed a five-year partnership with the Bundesliga club, running until 30 June 2031. As part of this, the club’s existing Wi-Fi 5 infrastructure will be replaced by more than 400 Wi-Fi 7 access points, which are specifically designed to meet the requirements of a stadium with a high user density. The aim is to enhance the fan experience while optimising operational processes and security.
Show more
New signing Miguel Gutiérrez has made a good start at Leverkusen and has promptly earned a nomination for Player of the Month in his first few weeks in the Bundesliga. He has scored one goal and provided three assists in four league games. The Spanish left-back has also brought some impressive stats with him to Bayer 04. Issue #56 of the Werkself magazine has taken a look at these figures. ‘Facts & Fun’ with Miguel Gutiérrez.
Show more
With seven points, Mainz 05 are currently joint seventh, level on points with sixth-placed Bayer 04. In today’s head-to-head clash (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself must be particularly wary of the clinical Mainz strike duo. For Leverkusen fans who have left it to the last minute, there are still a few tickets available from the matchday ticket office. Those following the Black and Reds from home, on the other hand, have a choice: RTL is broadcasting the match on free-to-air TV, and Werkself Radio is also offering the expert commentary of former Bayer 04 player Falko Götz. Today’s matchday news.
Show more
