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.
Standing on the pitch where the Werkself players perform - for many Bayer 04 club members, this wish became reality at this year's Members' kickabout. Around 400 active participants of all ages took the opportunity to experience the BayArena from a new and special perspective. And there was also plenty going on in the stands: The event attracted more than 1,000 visitors in total and provided an atmospheric end to the season.
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Lying third in the Bundesliga, the Werkself made a faltering start in 2026 after the winter break, but gradually rediscovered winning ways and, as in the previous campaign, were among the top 16 in Europe and the top four in the DFB Pokal. In the Bundesliga, the Werkself also remained in the race for Champions League qualification right to the end. However, because setbacks repeatedly crept into the Werkself's performances between good displays and crucial games, it was not quite enough to secure a UCL spot in the end. A season with many ups and downs brought sixth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Part II of the review of the 2025/26 season.
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Rogier Meijer is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and returning to his native Netherlands: The 44-year-old will take over at Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on 1 July. Meijer has been part of the Werkself coaching set-up since the start of the 2025/26 season - first as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag, then on Kasper Hjulmand's staff.
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Following the final match of the 2025/26 season, the prevailing feeling was naturally one of disappointment after missing out on qualification for the Champions League. The Werkself finished the Bundesliga in sixth place, meaning they'll start the 2026/27 campaign in the Europa League. "But to talk negatively about everything now because of that would be wrong," stressed captain Robert Andrich following the final game, knowing that the past year at Bayer 04 was marked, more than almost any other, by the start of a new era and the courage to change – and in particular, the belief in a positive direction. Everyone was aware this process would need time. The first part of the 2025/26 season review.
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