Setback against RB Leipzig - Bayer Leverkusen's run of consecutive victories comes to an end after 35 matches.
The Bayer Leverkusen titans collapsed in front of their crowd following the conclusion of the groundbreaking series. This time, there was no miraculous recovery, as the German soccer champs succumbed in their initial home match of the season. After 35 Bundesliga games without defeat, Bayer Leverkusen suffered a 2:3 (2:1) defeat to Champions League contender RB Leipzig on Saturday night, marking their first defeat to domestic competition since May 27, 2023.
"We still had a chance till the very end. The goals we conceded were far too simple. Overall, we performed better than in the cup. (...) We made errors in defense. We took our foot off the pedal in a couple of situations, and we paid the price for it," said Jonathan Tah on Sky TV.
RB Leipzig, who had lost to Bayer three times consecutively, broke their losing streak against the reigning champions and clinched their third victory in three competitive games. In front of 29,615 spectators at the BayArena, Jeremie Frimpong (39.) and Alejandro Grimaldo (45.) found the back of the net for Bayer Leverkusen. Kevin Kampl (45.+7) and two goals by Lois Openda (57./80.) sealed the defeat for the champions.
"It was thrilling for the fans, and in the end, it turned out to be a great result for us. The 2:1 kept us in the game. Leverkusen was better in the first half, but we believed in ourselves," said RB sports director Rouven Schröder, adding, "There's a really good vibe. We need to believe in ourselves. We have immense potential."
After their narrow 1:0 victory over FC Carl Zeiss Jena in the DFB-Pokal, Bayer coach Xabi Alonso brought back several regulars to the starting lineup, making a total of seven changes. Regular goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky was still out due to illness, and Jonathan Tah remained in defense, with his transfer to Bayern Munich not materializing yet.
Before the game, the Bayer coach stated that his team was not yet operating at their peak level. Against the formidable Leipzig side, they had an opportunity to enhance their performance. The hosts took the offensive from the get-go, and they were unfortunate when Piero Hincapié's header only hit the underside of the bar (10.), and Granit Xhaka's distance shot missed the goal by a whisker five minutes later.
The visitors, who were still active in the transfer market until the deadline, started with their tried-and-tested players and skipped the new signings in the starting lineup. Willi Orban was missing due to suspension, and coach Marco Rose opted for a three-man defense with two additional, more offensive wingers, who dropped back when Leverkusen attacked. Rose gave El-Chadaille Bitshiabu his first starting lineup appearance in the defensive center.
Early in the game, Leipzig coach Rose faced a challenge, as Amadou Haidara was struck in the head by a header from Victor Boniface and had to be substituted based on medical advice. Nicolas Seiwald replaced him in defensive midfield. For Rose, the match was already over on the sidelines. After a foul on Openda, the RB coach loudly and repeatedly berated referee Matthias Jöllenbeck, who first warned the Leipzig coach and then showed him a yellow-red card.
Bayer Leverkusen's superiority was exploited by Frimpong following a mistake by Lukas Klostermann, who headed the ball to the Dutchman, enabling the opening goal. The 2:0 was a textbook goal after a perfect passing sequence involving Martin Terrier, Florian Wirtz, and the scorer, Grimaldo.
RB Leipzig's equalizer by Kampl injected new life into the contest, with the visitors also ramping up their offensive game. It marked the start of an exciting second half for Leipzig. Indeed, Openda then managed to bend the ball past Keeper Kovar from a tight angle and surprise the Leverkusen goalkeeper with a long-range strike in the 80th minute, making it 3:2. Leverkusen pressed forward once more, but they could not engineer a late comeback this time.
The sky was clear and bright, casting its light on the BayArena, serving as a backdrop for the dramatic clash between Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig. Despite their valiant efforts, Jonathan Tah acknowledged that Bayer Leverkusen's defensive mistakes and lapses in concentration cost them the game.
