Head coach Xabi Alonso made four changes from last week’s 4-1 friendly win over Venezia. Captain Lukas Hradecky returned in goal for Matej Kovar, while Josip Stanisic, Jeremie Frimpong and Jonas Hofmann came in for Nathan Tella, Florian Wirtz and Jonathan Tah, who was a yellow card away from a suspension ahead of the match. In freezing temperatures in Bavaria, the game began with a Leverkusen attack as Frimpong crossed from the right, but defender Kevin Mbabu cleared the danger. The hosts had their first opportunity 10 minutes later as Fredrik Jensen failed to capitalise after a defensive misunderstanding. A double chance for Alejandro Grimaldo and Adam Hlozek again provided the Werkself with opportunities to go ahead.
After initial struggles with Augsburg’s aggressive play, Alonso’s men began to take control. Shortly after the double chance, Patrik Schick was presented with one of his own. Making his 100th appearance for Bayer 04, the Czech striker was found by a long ball from Granit Xhaka, tried to round goalkeeper Finn Dahmen but was unable to force the ball over the line. A long-range effort from Grimaldo crashed off the crossbar as Leverkusen maintained the pressure and at one stage reached 75 percent possession. Further headed efforts from Schick and Robert Andrich failed to sit as it remained goalless at the break.
Both teams resumed unchanged, but it was Augsburg who had the first opportunity after the restart through captain Ermedin Demirovic, who put his effort wide. Palacios did similar at the other end with a shot from distance after being played in by Frimpong. A planted Xhaka header from a Hofmann cross then swerved narrowly wide of the post. With the Werkself seemingly unable to crack this tough Augsburg defence, Alonso threw on playmaker Wirtz for some added impetus.
Although the scoreline was level, the game soon started to open up. Frimpong had a crack and Piero Hincapie tried his luck with a header before Wirtz found the side netting – all in quick succession. At the other end, Philipp Tietz was played in and knocked the ball beyond Hradecky and in, but the flag was immediately raised for offside. It remained goalless despite the best efforts of the league leaders. The Augsburg defence continued to throw themselves in the way and Dahmen was equal to everything thrown at him. And when it looked like everyone was going to have to settle for a 0-0, Grimaldo delivered the ball from the left into the box, where Palacios reacted quickest to fire home his shot four minutes into added time, earning Leverkusen a hard-fought victory to restore their four-point advantage at the summit over Bayern Munich with half the season gone.
The second half of the Bundesliga season officially begins next week as Bayer 04 visit RB Leipzig for Saturday’s late kick-off (20 January, 18:30 CET).
Match stats:
Augsburg: Dahmen – Mbabu, Gouweleeuw, Uduokhai, Iago – Dorsch, Rexhbecaj (Gumny 88') – Vargas (Maier 62'), Demirovic (Beljo 80'), Jensen (Engels 80') - Tietz (Michel 80')
Bayer 04: Hradecky – Stanisic, Andrich, Hincapie – Frimpong, Xhaka, Palacios, Grimaldo, Hofmann, Schick, Hlozek (Wirtz 62')
Goal: 0-1 Palacios (90'+4)
Yellow cards: Vargas, Iago, Dorsch - Hofmann
Referee: Sven Jablonski (Bremen)
Attendance: 30,055 at the WWK Arena
Bayer 04 are away to Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb on Matchday 5 of the league phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League. The game kicks off on Thursday 26 November at 18:45 CET at the Maksimir Stadium. All the information on ticket sales.
Show more
It wasn’t just on the pitch that there was cause for celebration around the Werkself’s 2–1 home win against SC Freiburg. Plenty of happy faces could be seen near the dugouts at half-time too. Once again, CEO Fernando Carro, alongside former striker and club ambassador Stefan Kießling, paid tribute to eight supporters’ clubs celebrating up to their 30th anniversary on behalf of Bayer 04.
Show more
He’s done it: Patrik Schick also found the back of the net in Bayer 04’s 2–1 win over SC Freiburg on Matchday six of the 2026/27 Bundesliga season – a club record! In what was a high-quality match from the word go, the Werkself were briefly rattled by the visitors’ opener from Derry Scherhant in the 14th minute but fought back with an equaliser from Ibrahim Maza just six minutes later. In the second half, the Black and Reds took control on their home turf and secured a well-earned win through record-holder Schick. In doing do, the Werkself inflicted the first defeat of the season on the club from the Black Forest.
Show more
It was a match that will live long in the memory of everyone involved: The Bayer 04 U19s celebrated their seventh win in seven matches in the DFB Youth League preliminary round – and yet it was a very special victory indeed: in the 4–3 (1–1) win at VfL Bochum 1848, no fewer than five goals came in the final quarter of an hour. As the 90th minute approached, coach Patrick Greveraars’s side found themselves behind, but then fought back in true ‘Laterkusen’ style.
Show more
Under Carles Martínez, the Werkself have so far proved unbeatable at the BayArena. The Spaniard has led his team to victory in all three of their most recent home matches – and, it's worth noting, without conceding a single goal. On Sunday, 18 October (kick-off: 15:30 CEST / live on DAZN and Werkself Radio), current league leaders SC Freiburg will make the trip to Leverkusen, but will be without their top scorer. What's more, the Werkself have won all three of their previous home matches against the Black Forest club. With a goal, Patrik Schick could not only secure a fourth consecutive victory but also set a memorable record. Meanwhile, on what will be the ‘Health Day' at the BayArena, much of the focus will be on physical wellbeing. Today's matchday news.
Show more
