The German football celebrities made themselves comfortable in the VIP stands, on the pitch Bayer Leverkusen suffered a setback as Bayern hunters. Despite superiority, a clear lead and numerous chances, the champions couldn’t get past 2:2 (2:1) at RB Leipzig. This meant the gap to league leaders Munich grew to six points, and for Leipzig it was the third winless game in a row in the Bundesliga.
Patrik Schick (18th minute) – himself in the Leipzig jersey in the 2019/20 season – confirmed his run by taking the lead for the guests. Aleix Garcia (36th) increased the score for the double winner, before David Raum (41st) made things exciting again with a standard situation. Finally, the 46,793 fans even saw Leipzig equalize with an own goal from Edmond Tapsoba (85th).
From Nagelsmann to Čeferin
All sorts of football decision-makers could be seen in the VIP stand. Anyone who was still in the mood for a spring-like day in Leipzig after the gala for the DFB’s 125th birthday on Friday apparently got access to the top game: national coach Julian Nagelsmann, who had just been given a contract until 2028, sports director Rudi Völler, DFB president Bernd Neuendorf, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and RB supervisory board Oliver Mintzlaff.
The bosses saw a major bad pass from Granit Xhaka, which luckily for Bayer went unpunished. The veteran delivered the ball in his own penalty area directly to the feet of Xavi Simons (11th), but his finish was too imprecise. Leipzig tried to get to Leverkusen’s level, but acted too hesitantly and naively. Practically every attack was played on the left side with Simons and space.
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Wirtz added two hits
Leverkusen’s lead was just a logical consequence of the better playing system. Ex-Leipzig player Nordi Mukiele prevailed in the center circle with an action that looked like a handball. The ball found its way to Wirtz, who beat Leipzig twice and hit the post with his shot. But Schick stood there and just had to hold out his foot.
-Leipzig’s defense was sometimes negligent. After 30 minutes, Wirtz was given several meters of space near the penalty area. The shooting star’s shot was just deflected onto the post by RB keeper Peter Gulacsi. Six minutes later, however, the Hungarian was also powerless. Arthur Vermeeren missed the ball in his own penalty area to Wirtz, who fed Garcia, who was ready to shoot. The goal was checked again, the Leipzig area felt that Wirtz had fouled him in front of the goal – the VAR saw it differently. Goal.
Room with anger
Raum was angry – and even made sure to correct the result. The international was lucky with his free kick from 20 meters that Piero Hincapie directed it into the goal. Thoughts of the first leg arose when Leipzig turned a 0-2 into a 3-2 – it was Leverkusen’s only defeat in 52 Bundesliga games.
However, Bayer came very close to the third goal immediately after the break. Wirtz dribbled effortlessly into the penalty area again and fed Exequiel Palacios (47′) in the middle. But his conclusion was cleared by space on the line. RB coach Rose reacted and replaced both central midfielders. Nicolas Seiwald and Amadou Haidara replaced Vermeeren and Kevin Kampl.
What Leipzig continued to lack, however, was brilliant ideas against the very compact and largely confident Leverkusen defense. Bayer relied almost exclusively on counterattacks and was mostly dangerous. Again Palacios (63′) finished after Wirtz’s pass, but the shot was too central. A minute later, Wirtz hit the post again. Just three minutes later, Hincapie failed to capitalize on a clear opportunity.
This sort of thing is punished in football. And Bayer did that themselves. After a free kick from Simons, Christoph Baumgartner and Tapsoba went to the ball, and it fell unstoppably from the Leverkusen player’s head into their own goal.
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