The Werkself needed time to warm up before getting into the game. But the Black and Reds took the lead on 16 minutes: A perfectly executed corner from Florian Wirtz was headed home by Robert Andrich to make it 1-0. Bayer 04 remained on top and had several promising chances but lacked the ability to finish or the necessary luck to put the ball in the back of the net. At the other end, Celtic gained a flattering equaliser when Josip Juranovic scored from the penalty spot. The second shot on Lukas Hradecky's goal saw the Scots take the lead – Jota fired a powerful shot into the bottom left corner (56'). However, the team under head coach Gerardo Seoane demonstrated outstanding morale and turned the deficit into a victory: First, Andrich levelled at 2-2 (82') with an assist from Nadiem Amiri and then Moussa Diaby got the crowd at the BayArena on their feet with a volley to make it 3-2 – a magical night of European football in Leverkusen and an emotional rollercoaster. HERE is the match report.
"It wasn't all perfect but we fought back well in the end and showed great morale," said Hradecky on Bayer 04 TV after the final whistle. The Werkself captain also shared special praise for substitutes Nadiem Amiri, Daley Sinkgraven and Edmond Tapsoba: "They got straight into the game and saved us in the end." Midfielder Andrich analysed the comeback from being 2-1 down as follows: "A short moment," he said, "was needed by us but then we regained control. We had to remain patient but then earned our just reward in the end."
The coach was also happy about a "deserved win" and he paid his team a compliment at the post-match press conference. "To qualify for the next round with one game to play is not a given," declared the 43-year-old before adding: "Against Celtic, we improved in many areas in comparison to the last Bundesliga match – defended better, were more compact, more structured and attacking with the ball. That produced lots of chances." Like Hradecky, the Swiss coach praised the performance of the substitutes: "They gave the team another boost."
First with his head and then with his foot: Robert Andrich secured a double against Celtic and naturally went on to be the key player on the pitch. The Bayer 04 fans took a similar view with a total of 94% voting the 27-year-old as Man of the Match. "I think I've got a really good nose for situations at the moment," said Andrich who scored his second and third Europa League goals as well as netting his first brace as a professional player. "I like playing my type of football to help the team. The fact that happened with goals makes me even happier."
It is equally worth highlighting the performance against the Florian Wirtz, who – as so often this season – created a lot of goalscoring opportunities and he was directly involved in two goals: First, the 18-year-old found Andrich for the opening goal and then he provided an assist for Moussa Diaby to net the winner at 3-2. The number 27 was also involved with the leveller at 2-2 with a cross to Nadiem Amiri.
Bayer 04 have won Group G with a game to play thanks to the three points against Celtic – Real Betis can draw level on points but Leverkusen come out on top in a direct comparison with the Andalusians. That also means: The Werkself, who are now unbeaten in four games (three wins, one draw), are through to the Round of 16 in the Europa League ahead of the final match against Ferencvaros (Thursday, 9 December). The team under coach Gerardo Seoane also extended an historic club record: the Black and Reds have not lost any of 15 home games in Europa League group stage matches (12 wins, 3 draws). No other team in the history of this competition have played at home as often as Bayer 04 without losing at least one game. Impressive!
'Andrich brace and Diaby put Bayer through', is the headline in the BILD-Zeitung and the game against Celtic is compared with a "rollercoaster ride." The Kölnische Rundschau praises the matchwinner. Andrich, according to the newspaper, is now "indispensable for Bayer 04 Leverkusen. The 27-year-old new signing from Union Berlin but the Werkself on course for a 3-2 home win on Thursday night with his two goals." Andrich earned top marks from the Rheinische Post. "Great, energetic run for his header to make it 1-0 from a corner from Wirtz – already his third goal at this point in time," praises the RP.
The kicker also highlights the performance of the midfielder – and underlines the words of the coach: "Coach Gerardo Seoane sang the praises of Andrich for his 'certain robust approach and strength in challenges in midfield' as well as his 'intelligence and technique'. But better: 'Everything he does hits the spot.'"
The final group match in the Europa League for the Werkself is on Thursday, 9 December (kick-off: 21.00 CET) with an away game at Ferencvaros. But the Black and Reds have another Bundesliga game first. Lukas Hradecky and Co. are away to RB Leipzig on Sunday, 28 November – albeit without a crowd. Due to the worsening coronavirus situation in Saxony, the game at the Red Bull Arena will be the first match behind closed doors for the Seoane team in the current campaign. The match kicks off at 17.30 CET. Leverkusen then have a couple of days off before Bundesliga matchday 14 (Saturday, 4 December, kick-off: 15.30 CET) with the next home game against newly promoted SpVgg Greuther Fürth.
Two Saturdays, one Friday and one Sunday: The dates for the Bayer 04 Women's team games on matchdays 16 to 19 have been finalised. Three of the four matches scheduled by the German Football Association (DFB) on Tuesday will be played at home at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium.
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Despite a courageous display, the Bayer 04 Women missed out on a surprise at the start of the second half of the Bundesliga season. Coach Roberto Pätzold's team lost 3-0 to league leaders Bayern Munich on Monday night. An early goal from the clinical visitors, a disputed penalty and another spot-kick prevented Leverkusen, who are seventh in the table on 22 points from 14 games, from picking up a point in front of 3,011 spectators at the sold-out Ulrich Haberland Stadium.
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The Werkself rang in the Black and Red festive season with an emotional visit to Klinikum Leverkusen. Kristin Kögel, Melissa Friedrich and Louisa Remien from the Bayer 04 Women's team and Jonas Hofmann, Janis Blaswich and Niklas Lomb from the first team visited the young patients on the children's ward and, for the first time, on the ‘Zeitinsel’ children's palliative care unit. They brought a host of lovingly wrapped presents ensuring a big surprise for young and old alike.
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Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...
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