Werkself review: ‘Recover, improve and fight for a positive result on Sunday’

Summary: Werkself in control, Marseille clinical

There was a feeling around the BayArena that one goal could be enough in a game of few chances. The Werkself tried to pass their way through the visiting defensive wall in the first half, while only the crossbar denied Miguel Gutiérrez on the stroke of half-time. Marseille offered little of their own going forward until Amine Gouiri struck in the 77th minute. Headed chances from Edmond Tapsoba and Facundo Medina in the closing moments failed to prevent a first loss in the Europa League this season.

Reaction: ‘No excuses’

“It was an even contest that was decided by small details. We didn’t have our best game but could’ve won it with a bit of luck. Still, there’s no excuses. We’ll recover, improve and fight for a positive result on Sunday,” said Martínez after full-time.

Montrell Culbreath echoed those thoughts to Werkself TV after he made his return to action: “It was an even game with both teams allowing very little. We’ll keep working on points and do better in the next games. I’m sure of that.”

Press review: Still well on track

The headline in kicker read “Leverkusen drop points for the first time against Marseille”, talking about a Werkself performance where they “took control” but were too “cautious” and “offered few ideas to get attackers into position”. Bild focused on the end of Bayer 04’s “impressive run” of 347 minutes without conceding in the Europa League. The Rheinische Post summarised: “They are still well on track for the knockout rounds with nine points from the first four games”.

Personnel: Culbreath returns

Aleix García started against Marseille to maintain his record as the only player to start all 14 Werkself matches this season. There was also a first appearance in three months for Culbreath, who was warmly welcomed back onto the BayArena pitch for his first outing of the season in the 78th minute.

Stats: No reward for supremacy

Thursday’s loss ended a 10-game unbeaten run at home in the Europa League. Even a late push with 76 percent possession in the final 15 minutes couldn’t prevent that. Over the 90 minutes, the Werkself had 58 percent of the ball, 10 shots to eight and won 52 percent of duels.

Next up: Derby before break

A busy block of nine fixtures in the space of four weeks ends this weekend with the season’s shortest away trip as the Werskelf visit Köln in the Bundesliga on Sunday (15:30 CET). We then have an international break. You can see which Bayer 04 players have been called up for their country HERE.