The first Leverkusen goal of the game came from an impressive move involving Victor Boniface and Florian Wirtz with Wirtz scoring to make it 1-0 on nine minutes. Alejandro Grimaldo doubled the lead in added time in the first half (45+1') following a corner routine and it was a successful performance by Bayer 04 up to that point. TSG upped their game after the break and levelled with goals from Anton Stach (56') and Wout Weghorst (58’). Six minutes after the equaliser, Weghorst had a chance to give Hoffenheim the lead but the next and final goal of the game was scored by the visitors from Leverkusen: Grimaldo netted to make it 3-2 (70'). The match report is HERE.
Granit Xhaka said after the final whistle: "We showed character, dealt with conceding two goals and invested a lot of effort – that paid off in the end!" Captain Lukas Hradecky added: "We were consistent today – except for the ten minutes that was down to me." The origin of the TSG goal to make it 2-1 was explained by the keeper: "I feel pressure from Prömel, make a bad decision and play a bad pass." But he also highlighted the fact that the "team saved me today. We showed character and firefighter Grimaldo extinguished the last flames."
Head coach Xabi Alonso summed up proceedings as follows: "It was important to come back after the equaliser. We showed good mentality in the moment where Hoffenheim applied a lot of pressure and we also maintained control after conceding the second goal." On the goal at 2-1 scored by Alejandro Grimaldo, which started with a corner routine, the Spaniard said: We practised the whole thing. I'm happy for Sebas (assistant coach Sebastian Parrilla, ed.) and all the staff when we score goals like that and the intensive work pays off."
The Bild-Zeitung highlighted "magic foot Grimaldo" and "the wonderful Wirtz-Boniface move" as factors in the "Leverkusen run" continuing. The kicker also referred to the winning Bayer 04 run in the headline of their match report ("Despite Hoffenheim double blow: Bayer extend run"). The Rheinische Post awards top marks to Alejandro Grimaldo closely followed by Florian Wirtz and Victor Boniface. The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger also gives top marks to Grimaldo ahead of Exequiel Palacios and Wirtz.
Alejandro Grimaldo again played a big part in the victory over Hoffenheim. The Spaniard scored his second brace for the Werkself following his two goals in the Europa League home game against Qarabag (5-1) ten days ago. He now has 12 goal involvements in 15 games (seven goals, five assists). Equally enjoyable: Exequiel Palacios, a regular starter in holding midfield this season, made his 100th appearance for Bayer 04 in Sinsheim – congratulations, Pala!
The Werkself have won ten games in succession for the first time since promotion to the Bundesliga in 1979. Another club record is the 30 Bundesliga goals scored after ten matchdays beating the previous highest of 25 goals at this point in the season. In addition, Leverkusen have scored at least two goals in every competitive match in 2023/24.
The match stats for the game in Sinsheim are more or less equal. Bayer 04 had their noses in front in terms of possession (52%) and in pass completion (88% to 86%), TSG were on top in duels (54%) and the number of shots on goal (12 to 9).
Bayer 04 are again on the road for the next game: The Werkself travel to Azerbaijan for the fourth match in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League. The opponents in the capital Baku on Thursday 9 November (kick-off: 18.45 CET) are the champions Qarabag. That is followed three days later by a home game against Union Berlin at the BayArena (Sunday 12 November, 15.30 CET). The Bundesliga home fixture against the Irons precedes the next international break.
The penultimate Bundesliga matchday of the calendar year marks the end of an eventful first half of the season for the Bayer 04 Women. After seven wins, one draw and four defeats from the first twelve games of the season, coach Roberto Pätzold's team can go above Werder Bremen in the table with a win on Friday, 12 December (kick-off: 18:30 CET).
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The third showdown in the VBL Club Championship 2025/26 kicks off for the Leverkusen eSports team this Thursday, 11 December (live on the B04eSports Twitch channel from 19:00 CET). In the online preliminary round, the Black and Red will once again take on six previously drawn opponents for a place in the Top 16 and the associated entry into the offline knockout round, which will take place at this third showdown on 19 December in Cologne. Showdown One winners Bayer 04 will face FC St. Pauli, who won the second showdown last month, among others. The lowdown on first three opponents in this online preliminary round.
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Alejandro Grimaldo, of course! With his late equaliser (88') in the Champions League clash against Newcastle United, the Spaniard rescued a point for the Werkself, who took the lead through an own goal by Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes (13') but went with two goals for the visitors scored by Anthony Gordon (51') and Lewis Miley (74'). It was the third draw for Bayer 04 in the current 2025/26 campaign on matchday 6 in the UCL league phase.
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The Werkself will be looking to continue their run in the Champions League against Newcastle United on Wednesday, 10 December (kick-off: 21:00 CET). The two victories without conceding a goal at Benfica (1:0) and Manchester City (2-0) will hopefully be followed by a win at home at the BayArena. Against the English side, who have a player with a Black and Red past in their ranks, the way to victory could be through efficiency in attack and quick transitional play. The latter in particular has recently caused the Magpies problems away from home on the European stage. Fans can also get the stylish matchday sticker for their Sound of Dreams tour pass at the Bayer 04 Fanwelt. The matchday news.
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For the first time ever, Bayer 04 have reached the knockout phase of the UEFA Youth League. At the end of the league phase, the Leverkusen U19s secured a 2-1 home win against Newcastle United on Wednesday, 10 December. Montrell Culbreath scored before half-time and Ferdinand Pohl doubled the lead after the restart in the clash with the English side. The UCL youth competition continues at the beginning of February with the Round of 32, which will be played away from home without a second leg.
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