Compared with the 4-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt head coach Xabi Alonso made four changes to his starting line-up: Matej Kovar, Piero Hincapie, Exequiel Palacios and Amine Adli replaced Lukas Hradecky, Aleix Garcia, Nathan Tella and Patrik Schick (all on the bench) in the starting XI.
After an opening phase of the game with several interruptions due to fouls by both sides, FC Bayern took the lead with the first chance of the game: Harry Kane scored with a header from a Michael Olise cross (9’). At the other end, Manuel Neuer parried a shot from Jeremie Frimpong five minutes later as he was through in a one-on-one. The game was then evenly balanced with initially no further chances for either team. FC Bayern's Joshua Kimmich tried a long-range effort after the half-hour mark and then the final phase of the first half saw increasing intensity in challenges – including angry exchanges and bookings. The flow of the game suffered and Leverkusen went into half-time 1-0 down.
The second half began with a blow to the Werkself: A cross from Kimmich slipped through Kovar's hands leaving Jamal Musiala with the tap-in from close range to put FC Bayern 2-0 up (55'). Before the game could restart after the goal, the FCB keeper Neuer went off injured and he was replaced by winter signing Jonas Urbig making his debut for FC Bayern (58'). Just after the hour mark, referee Michael Oliver showed Nordi Mukiele a second yellow card after a foul on Kingsley Coman – the Leverkusen player was sent off as a result (61').
Ten minutes later Oliver was called to the video screen and he awarded a penalty after substitute Edmond Tapsoba was adjudged to have held onto Kane from a FC Bayern corner. Kane calmly slotted the penalty into the top right corner (75'). The start of the final phase of the game saw Alonso substitute players on a booking in Frimpong, Granit Xhaka and Florian Wirtz (80’). With the exception of a shot against the bar from Joao Palhinha in added time not much happened in front of either goal so that the first leg ended in a 3-0 defeat for the Werkself.
The next game for the Werkself is in the Bundesliga with a home fixture against Werder Bremen. The kick-off on Saturday, 8 March is at 15:30 CET. That is followed three days later by the Round of 16 second leg against FC Bayern on Tuesday, 11 March (kick-off: 21:00 CET). The final match before the international break is an away game at VfB Stuttgart (Sunday, 16 March, 19:30 CET).
Match stats:
FC Bayern: Neuer (Urbig 58') - Laimer (Stanisic 68'), Upamecano, Kim (Dier 89'), Davies - Kimmich, Goretzka (Palhinha 89') - Olise, Musiala, Coman (Sané 68') - Kane
Bayer 04: Kovar - Mukiele, Tah, Hermoso, Hincapie - Frimpong (Arthur 80'), Palacios, Xhaka (Garcia 80'), Grimaldo (Buendía 87’) - Wirtz (Schick 80') - Adli (Tapsoba 68’)
Goals: 1-0 Kane (9’), 2-0 Musiala (55’), 3-0 Kane (75’)
Yellow cards: Laimer, Goretzka - Tapsoba, Tah
Red cards: Mukiele
Referee: Michael Oliver (England)
Attendance: 75,000 (sold out) at the Football Arena Munich
Exciting experiences and exclusive insights into the Werkself and the BayArena awaited the young footballers from the BA04 Football Academy Guangzhou in China during their visit to the Rhineland this week. As well as taking part in a joint training session with the Bayer 04 Football Academy, the youngsters marvelled at the Bundesliga club’s stadium during a guided tour. The highlight of the visit was a private press conference with former Bayer 04 striker Stefan Kießling, during which he shared tips from his own career with the young players. On Saturday afternoon, 10 October, the group will round off their visit by supporting the Werkself in the away match in Mainz.
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Fun, games and promising talent: At the fourth Bayer 04 Junior Girls’ Talent Day at the Kurtekotten training centre, 90 football-mad girls had the chance to put themselves forward for the Werkself youth teams. During a 90-minute training session, children born between 2011 and 2019 had the chance to demonstrate their skills.
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Despite the international break, numerous Werkself fans turned up at the BayArena on Saturday 3 October. The occasion: Bayer 04, together with Bayer Vital and main sponsor BarmeniaGothaer, organised a Health Day. In the stadium’s Premium Lounge, guests listened to fascinating talks on the subject of cancer, featuring, amongst others, Bayer 04 record appearance holder Rüdiger Vollborn and former Werkself player Hans Sarpei. Afterwards, young and old alike enjoyed interactive stations such as a grip strength test and eye pupil test.
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In issue #56 of Werkself Magazine, Afonso Moreira offers some interesting insights into his home country, Portugal, as part of the ‘Sag mal’ (Tell me) feature. Among other things, the 21-year-old talks about his favourite places in the country on the Iberian Peninsula, the local cuisine and music, as well as heroes and historical figures beyond the world of football. ‘Sag mal’ with Afonso Moreira!
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