Victory after penalties – Werkself advance to Round of 16

For the second leg at the Stade Louis II, head coach Xabi Alonso opted for a 4-3-2-1 formation and made six personnel changes compared to the Bundesliga game against Mainz (2-3) last Sunday. Piero Hincapie returned to the starting XI in place of Odilon Kossounou in defence, while Exequiel Palacios, Jeremie Frimpong and Mitchel Bakker completed the midfield in place of Kerem Demirbay, Nadiem Amiri and Daley Sinkgraven. Florian Wirtz and Adam Hlozek started in attack replacing Callum Hudson-Odoi and Sardar Azmoun..

Werkself take lead twice

The Werkself had an energetic start. Mitchel Bakker created the first chance of the game in the second minute after a ball from Florian Wirtz, but only hit the side netting from the left side. In the eleventh minute it was Amine Adli who pulled in from the right with a remarkable individual move on the edge of the penalty area. Monaco goalkeeper Alexander Nübel was able to parry the ball in the direction of the corner flag. Just two minutes later, the Leverkusen attacking urge paid off for the first time. After build-up play from Jeremie Frimpong, who prevailed against Caio Henrique on the right wing and brought the ball from the touchline into the box, the ball landed at the feet of Wirtz, who only had to tap in to make it 1-0 to the Black and Reds (13’).

However, the lead didn't last long. In the 18th minute, Eliesse Ben Seghir was pressed by the Leverkusen defence in the penalty area and was fouled by Edmond Tapsoba. Referee Alejandro Hernández from Spain immediately gave the home side a penalty. Wissam Ben Yedder converted safely from the spot into the bottom right corner to make it 1-1 (19’).

The game went back and forth - and Leverkusen's response followed promptly. From a corner, the ball landed at the feet of Argentinian world champion Exequiel Palacios, who hit the bottom right corner with a powerful left-footed shot (21’). In the minutes that followed up to the half-time whistle, the visitors showed willingness, dominated possession and pressed for goal number three, but were unsuccessful. The Werkself went into the dressing room with a 2-1 lead

Embolo with last-minute goal

Ten minutes after the restart, Alonso’s side showed a remarkable and successful combination of play: starting with Palacios, who won the ball and passed it to team-mate Wirtz, the Werkself No. 27 showed his skills again, turning and bringing the high ball diagonally into the penalty area. At the back post Adli ran in unmarked and headed the long ball over Nübel into the net. Leverkusen extended their lead to 3-1 and would advance to the round of 16 of the UEFA Europa League as it stood (58’).

As had been shown in the recent few minutes, the Monegasques worked their way forward more and more. Six minutes before the end, a momentous cross from Krépin Diatta found Breel Embolo, who had come on as a substitute a few moments earlier, and he nodded the ball home (84'). Monaco made it 3-2 at full time - just like the first leg. This meant the game went to extra time.

And this started furiously: Again it was Bakker, who was able to get through to goalkeeper Nübel on the left, but the latter made a strong save from the Dutchman's low shot (93’). The hosts were playing more dangerously, but they created no real chances. Newly substituted ex-Leverkusen player Kevin Volland had the best opportunity for AS in the 118th minute, but keeper Hradecky showed strong reflexes to make the save. Extra time ended without a goal and the tie went to penalties.

Diaby rounds off penalty shoot-out​

The first goalscorer for Bayer 04 was Sardar Azmoun, who safely converted the ball into the bottom right corner. XXX scored for Monaco and Nadiem Amiri for the black and reds. After that it was Matazo who missed first, hitting the crossbar. Next up was Edmond Tapsob to make it 8-6 with a powerful shot into the top corner. Braal Embolo, Patrik Schick and Volland followed suit. Moussa Diaby was the last penalty taker, with the opportunity to win the tie - AS goalkeeper Nübel went the right way, but the ball landed in the net.

from the principality to the breisgau

The Werkself are back in action in the league in just three days. After Lukas Hradecky and Co. complete another training session in Monaco tomorrow, Friday 24 February, the Bayer 04 team will travel from the Côte d'Azur the following day directly to Freiburg. There will be a training session in Breisgau on Saturday afternoon, 25 February. On Sunday 26 February, the Leverkusen team will visit SC Freiburg in the Europa-Park stadium as part of Bundesliga Matchday 22. Kick-off is at 15:30 CET..

Match stats:

AS Monaco: Nübel – Matsima (Diop 62’), Disasi, Sarr, Caio Henrique – Diatta (Volland 110'), Camara (Matazo 70'), Fofana, Golovin (Boadu 77') – Ben Seghir (Jakobs 77'), Ben Yedder (Embolo 77')

Bayer 04: Hradecky – Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie – Frimpong (Diaby 103'), Palacios, Andrich, Bakker – Adli (Amiri 74'), Wirtz ( Azmoun 115') – Hlozek (Schick 70')

Goals: 1-0 Wirtz (13’), 1-1 Ben Yedder (19’), 2-1 Palacios (21’), 3-1 Adli (58’), 3-2 Embolo (84’)

Yellow cards: Fofana, Caio Henrique, Jakobs – Andrich, Palacios

Referee: Alejandro Hernández (Spain)