Xabi Alonso made one change to the team that started the weekend’s 4-1 win at Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, with Jeremie Frimpong replacing Nathan Tella on the right wing. Cheered on by 2,600 travelling fans, the Werkself made a perfect start at De Kuip as Wirtz collected the ball following a high turnover from Robert Andrich, drove forward and then picked out the bottom right corner from a central position to mark his Champions League debut with his first goal after only five minutes. The hosts thought they’d equalised only four minutes later, but Ramiz Zerrouki’s effort was ruled out for offside.
There was a lack of notable chances for a while after that until Victor Boniface fired wide on 27 minutes. It was merely a warning shot, though, as he soon found Frimpong on the right, whose flat cross across the face of goal picked out Grimaldo to double the lead on the half-hour mark. The Werkself attacking machine started to really click into gear now and produced a third goal only six minutes later when Frimpong’s lofted ball towards the far post was met on the volley by Wirtz to bag his brace. There was still time for one more before the break as Edmond Tapsoba headed down a deep Grimaldo free-kick, which Feyenoord goalkeeper Wellenreuther could only put into his own net for a 4-0 Leverkusen lead inside 45 minutes.
The first notable move of the second half saw Lukas Hradecky deny Quinten Timber before the Finn produced another stop from In-beom Hwang’s free-kick. With 71 minutes on the clock, Alonso introduced fellow Spaniard Aleix Garcia for his Champions League debut. The midfielder could only watch as Ayase Ueda found the back of the net just moments later, but again the goal was ruled out for offside. Jeanuel Belocian was then given his debut in Europe’s top club competition as well when brought on for Grimaldo in the final 10 minutes as Bayer 04 opened their Champions League account for the season with three points.
The Werkself are back in action again on Sunday as they host Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga at 3.30pm CEST. The following Saturday sees the trip to the Allianz Arena to face Bayern Munich.
Match stats:
Feyenoord: Wellenreuther - Lotomba (Hadj Moussa 60'), Trauner (Mitchell 71'), Beelen, Hancko - Hwang, Zerrouki (Smal 46'), Timber - Milambo (Nadje 74'), Gimenez, Paixao (Ueda 60')
Bayer 04: Hradecky - Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie - Frimpong, Xhaka (Palacios 80'), Andrich, Grimaldo (Belocian 80') - Terrier (Adli 71'), Wirtz (Garcia 71') - Boniface (Schick 61')
Goals: 0-1 Wirtz (5'), 0-2 Grimaldo (30'), 0-3 Wirtz (36'), 0-4 Wellenreuther (og, 45')
Yellow cards: Trauner
Referee: Davide Massa (Italy)
Attendance: 45,000 at De Kuip
The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
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On Friday afternoon, it will be decided which eight of the 36 participating teams Bayer 04 will face in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2026/27. At the draw in Monaco (live on UEFA.com), the Werkself will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, allocated according to the UEFA club coefficient. A match against an opponent from the same country is ruled out, as is facing more than two clubs from the same national association. Here’s a look at the pots and potential opponents.
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After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
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When Exequiel Palacios moved from the Argentinian club River Plate to Bayer Leverkusen on 1 January 2020, the then 21-year-old could not have imagined just how successful the next six and a half years would be for him. Pala, as he is known, had already won the Copa Libertadores – the most prestigious competition in South American club football – with River Plate. But there were still so many more trophies to come.
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