With four new players in the starting XI, it was clear from the start that the double winners believed they were capable of making up the deficit from the first leg in front of their own crowd. The Werkself pressed the visitors early and played at a high tempo. There were seven attempts on goal before half-time including two headers from Patrik Schick (39', 44') but there were no goals. The visitors from Munich made the better start to the second 45 and Harry Kane scored with a tap-in to give them the lead on 52 minutes. After a concerted period of pressure in the middle of second half with chances for Jeremie Frimpong (63'), Alejandro Grimaldo (66’) and Schick (67’), Alphonso Davies doubled the FC Bayern lead at 2-0 (71'). FCB player Jamal Musiala also hit the woodwork twice in the closing stages (82', 86') and then the game ended with the Werkself's exit from the Champions League sealed. The match report is HERE.
"The whole stadium was with us and we believed from the first minute that we could create a miracle today. I thought the first half was really good. We tried everything but couldn't break through," said captain Lukas Hradecky speaking to Werkself TV and he finally added: "We deserved to lose in the end and we will continue to work hard. We carry on!" Jonathan Tah declared: "We went into the game with 100% energy and high intensity but we couldn't score. That makes it difficult to pose a challenge for the opponents and put them under pressure. Stuttgart are next up and we obviously want to win there."
Xabi Alonso said at the post-match press conference: "We didn't lose the Round of 16 tie today but rather in Munich. In the end we weren't clinical enough and we made too many mistakes. The Champions League is a competition where you can't afford to make many mistakes."
The Rheinische Post report headline reads "Not a night for miracles", the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger opts for a similar headline: "Not a night for football miracles." kicker, talking about the opening goal for Bayern Munich, describes the opener from Harry Kane on 52 minutes as a "pulled plug" and the atmosphere at the BayArena as "heated" and that the Werkself produced a "power play at the start."
Arthur was in a Champions League line-up for the first time and the 21-year-old Brazilian made his second successive start for Bayer 04 for the first time this term. For Alejandro Grimaldo it was his 50th appearance in the Champions League.
With an average age of 28 years and 23 days, the second oldest Leverkusen starting line-up in the Champions League had 16 attempts on goal in this second leg, which was just above the average in the current UCL campaign (15). It was the third defeat in succession for the Werkself, the last time that happened was in July/August 2022 (four) and that is more losses than in the previous 37 games this season put together. The double winners have also failed to score in three games for the first time in over five years (also three games in December 2019).
The match stats are as follows: 53% possession, 17 to 12 shots on goal plus 14 to 6 corners in favour of the Werkself, FC Bayern won 53% of the duels and had a slightly better pass completion rate (77% to 75%).
The Werkself have one match before the final international break in the current campaign: The Bundesliga away game at VfB Stuttgart is on Sunday, 16 March (kick-off: 19:30 CET). The international break is followed by a home game at the BayArena against VfL Bochum and then the DFB Pokal semi-final at third division club Arminia Bielefeld.
Former Werkself star Michael Ballack, who won the German Footballer of the Year award in 2002 while playing in Leverkusen, celebrates his 50th birthday on Saturday. Bayer 04 sends him its best wishes!
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Attention Werkself fans: In addition to tickets for the floodlit home match against Werder Bremen, tickets are now also available for the Bayer 04 women’s team’s two subsequent fixtures against Eintracht Frankfurt and Hamburger SV at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. Both matches in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga will take place at family-friendly kick-off times on Saturday afternoons. Here is the latest information on matchday ticket sales.
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Guéla Doué’s first 30 minutes in a Bayer 04 shirt during the draw away at Augsburg have definitely made the summer signing eager for more. The 23-year-old may have had to bide his time following his move from Strasbourg due to a muscular injury, but he’s been able to get a good taste of the BayArena atmosphere while watching from the stands in the home wins over Celje and RB Leipzig, as the Ivory Coast international explained in a chat with media representatives. “The fans’ enthusiasm and passion are incredible,” said Doué, looking forward to what lies ahead. The defender also spoke about his plans for a comeback, his teammates and his younger brother Désiré.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen welcomes a new official member to the Sponsors’ Club at the start of the 2026/27 campaign. KKV Kabelverlegung GmbH & Co. KG is expanding its existing partnership and will, with immediate effect, act as a supporter of the Bundesliga club at the second-highest partner level, just below the premium tier. As an official partner in the Sponsors’ Club, KKV will now enjoy significantly enhanced visibility during Werkself matches at the BayArena. The new contract is initially valid until 30 June 2028.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen has extended the existing partnership agreement with EDO Personalservice GmbH and, at the same time, expanded its collaboration with the Cologne-based company. The official partner in the Business Club has been upgraded within Bayer 04’s partner network. The revised and enhanced support for the club has initially been agreed for two years, running until 30 June 2028.
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