Werkself review #WOBB04: Another clean sheet

SUMMARY: TOUGH GAME ON EQUAL TERMS

There were five changes to the Werkself starting eleven for the away game at VfL Wolfsburg. The action at the start of the encounter in front of a crowd of 20,137 at the Volkswagen Arena was mainly in midfield with niggly fouls and inaccurate passing preventing big chances for both teams. Ahead of half-time, efforts from Moussa Diaby (36’) and Nadiem Amiri five minutes later, went unrewarded. The match picked up at the start of the second 45 due in part to substitutions by both sides. Diaby (53’), Robert Andrich (85’) and Amine Adli (88’.) plus Wolfsburg substitute Patrick Wimmer for the opposition (72’, 83’) also failed to find the back of the net. The Sunday night game ended all square at 0-0. Here is the match report.

REACTION: "IF YOU CAN'T WIN, THEN DON'T LOSE EITHER"

Xabi Alonso drew the following conclusion after the game: “The draw is okay for us. The first half was tight but we had somewhat more control of the game in the second half. We should have been able to score but Wolfsburg also had good chances. To that extent, my feeling for a game like that is always: If you can’t win , then don’t lose either.” Lukas Hradecky adopted a similar position: “It wasn’t a great game in this Bundesliga season but we are currently in an intense phase. So, we had to get a point,” said the skipper before adding: “The second half was good and we had loads of possession. With a bit of luck we could have scored and won narrowly. But the chances didn’t go in today unfortunately. We’re only human and that’s football for you. Of course, I wanted to win but Wolfsburg had a good keeper as well and they deserved the point.”

Alonso is already looking forward to the next challenge, the Europa League quarter-final second leg against Union Saint-Gilloise: “Our full focus on Thursday starts tomorrow. We have a great chance to go through to the semi-finals and we definitely want to take it.”

PERSONNEL: ANDRICH AT CENTRE HALF AGAIN

In the game against the Wolves, Alonso again made the tactical change of playing midfielder Andrich in central defence. The Leverkusener Anzeiger praised the Werkself number 8 for his performance in that position: “Another example of absolute authority as a central defender in the back three in the manner of a sweeper.” The Spaniard also made five changes to his starting line-up compared with the 1-1 draw in the quarter-final first leg against Union Saint Gilloise: Jonathan Tah made way for Odilon Kossounou with Kerem Demirbay and Nadiem Amiri starting in midfield. Exequiel Palacios was sidelined with a muscular problem. Piero Hincapie moved out of the back three to the left flank Mitchel Bakker started on the bench. Alonso also opted for Sardar Azmoun and Adam Hlozek up front in place of Florian Wirtz and Amine Adli.

STATS:  MORE POSSESSION AND SHOTS ON GOAL

The Werkself had 15 shots on the goal minded by Wolfsburg keeper Koen Casteels, Hradecky faced eleven shots on his goal. The visitors enjoyed 57 per cent possession. They also had a better pass completion rate: The Alonso team had 87 per cent and the Wolves five per cent less. VfL did have the upper hand in duels with a success rate of 51 per cent.

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY: "LEVERKUSEN WERE CLOSE TO WINNING"

The Frankfurter Allgemeine describes the draw as follows: “Bayer Leverkusen kept VfL Wolfsburg at bay in the Bundesliga race for a European spot. The team led by coach Xabi Alonso gained the next point in the goalless clash of the works clubs on Sunday evening.” The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger headline reads: “Alonso rests key players before big European match.” The kicker sums up the encounter: “In a game that was evenly balanced for much of the encounter, Leverkusen came close to winning particularly after half-time.”

OUTLOOK: MORE DOUBLE FIXTURE WEEKS

Werkself have another two games this week: On Thursday 20 April, Bayer 04 are away to Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League quarter-final second leg in Brussels. The kick-off at the Lotto Park is at 21.00 CEST. That is followed on Sunday 23 April by the Bundesliga matchday 29 fixture. The Black and Reds entertain fourth-placed RB Leipzig at the BayArena with a 17.30 kick-off. The Saxons beat FC Augsburg 3-2 at home in their last outing in the Bundesliga.