The Werkself were focused from the start and the opposition keeper Simon Mignolet was able to keep out the first chances for Leverkusen. Bayer 04 almost scored in the middle of the first half but the Belgian keeper saved a shot from a tight angle by Moussa Diaby (33'). The first half ended goalless. The second 45 got off to a frenetic start with a number of clear-cut chances for both sides. However, the keepers denied chance after chance in this phase of the game. After that, neither team was able to achieve much in attack and the Werkself focused on a solid defensive performance – with success: The team under Xabi Alonso ended up with a clean sheet, thereby picking up a point and qualifying for the UEFA Europa League with the help of Porto. The Black and Reds ended the Champions League group stage in third place with five points. Porto won the group ahead of Club Brugge. Atlético Madrid dropped down to fourth place. The match report on #B04CLU is HERE.
"To be honest, I only realised we'd qualified for the Europa League at the end. I thought we had to win right up to the final minutes. Of course, I'm very happy about going through to the Europa League," said Robert Andrich making clear his joy in an interview with Werkself TV. The midfielder did however express some critical words: "It definitely wasn't a brilliant game. We didn't make the most of our chances. We rarely completed the final and penultimate pass. We have to keep on working on that."
Nadiem Amiri also shared his joy on qualifying for the Europa League in interview with Werkself TV: "It was a balanced game and fortunately the draw was enough. We played well in defence but we have to continue working hard on the offensive side to create chances and then to take them."
It was striking how the coach Alonso rotated six positions for the game against Club Brugge compared with the 2-0 defeat at RB Leipzig: Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Daley Sinkgraven, Adam Hlozek, Amine Adli, Nadiem Amiri plus the suspended Piero Hincapie were replaced by Odilon Kossounou, Jeremie Frimpong, Mitchel Bakker, Patrik Schick, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Exequiel Palacios. This was the first time Alonso played the 24-year-old Palacios in the current Champions League campaign. The Argentinian was sidelined in the middle of September due to a thigh injury. The midfielder played his first match in the Bundesliga under coach Alonso in last weekend's game against Leipzig – he made a 30-minutes appearance against RB. Palacios was now in the starting line-up for the first time since the 2010 World Cup winner has been in the Werkself dugout.
Leverkusen defenders received the best marks in the Rheinische Post reflecting the course of the game and the result: Odilon Kossounou, Edmond Tapsoba and Robert Andrich were all highly rated. The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger gave their top mark to skipper Lukas Hradecky.
The KStA described the match as a "poor 0-0". The media mainly focused on the few clear-cut chances for both sides. There were goalscoring opportunities that were really dangerous but few in number. The Frankfurt Allgemeine Zeitung talks about a "less impressive footballing" display, SPORT1 an "uninspired" performance.
The Werkself had the greater number of shots on goal (13 to 8). The match was however a balanced affair: Leverkusen had a better pass completion rate and the majority of possession with the Belgian side standing out with a greater number of challenges.
The next game for the Werkself is on Bundesliga matchday 13. The Alonso team entertain league leaders Union Berlin on Sunday 6 November. The match against the Irons kicks off at 15.30 CET. That is followed three days later by the derby at FC Köln. That match starts at 18.30 CEST. The Black and Reds are at home to VfB Stuttgart at the BayArena on Bundesliga matchday 15. It is the final competitive match of the year for the Werkself with a 15.30 CET kick-off on Saturday 12 November.
The international break produced a full range of emotions for Bayer 04’s women. While four Leverkusen players were in play-off action to try and reach the World Cup, including two important goals, there were others in friendly action. Here’s a round-up of all the results…
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The NB Vintage Collection is here and available now! Members enjoy an exclusive priority purchase period (online shop only). Non-members will then be able to purchase items from Saturday 17 October (10:00 CEST). Sales will also begin at the same time at the Bayer 04 Fanwelt.
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Intercultural exchange: a youth team from Ouagadougou, the capital city of Burkina Faso, visited Leverkusen in the last few days. The players and staff from AD DUHA FC enjoyed a varied programme including training, a friendly - and a very special experience on Saturday afternoon.
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There will be a change at the top of the Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH shareholder committee at the end of the year, with Werner Wenning stepping down from the Bundesliga club's control committee on 31 December 2026. Wolfgang Nickl, who has been part of the committee since March of this year, will take over the chairmanship on 1 January 2027.
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