You've got everything you need

Sometimes a Bayer 04 match feels like an IKEA shelf: technically you’ve got everything you need—possession, chances, all the nice individual parts—but in the end the whole thing still stands crooked because one tiny screw is missing. Against Dortmund, there were several of those infamous little details Hjulmand sighed about after the final whistle. And we fans know: whenever the coach talks about “small things,” it usually means the big things have blown up in our faces again.

And it all started just the way we like it in Leverkusen: us on the ball, Dortmund chasing shadows. 63 percent possession—reads almost like a threat. Ten corners, 600-plus passes, hitting the crossbar, creating chances. A perfect evening for lovers of statistics. Too bad matches are decided by goals and not by who cuddles the ball the longest.

Dortmund, meanwhile, played the classic routine: one set piece, one cross, two headers, two goals. Efficiency level: unpleasantly high. While our final third looked as if we’d signed a secret pact never to simply take a shot, BVB scored with the ease of a team that’s been to the Rhineland a few times.

But to be fair: the Werkself has spirit. After going 0–2 down, plenty of teams would’ve pulled down the shutters—but not us. We send on Kofane, who reminds everyone that goals aren’t just for looking at, you can poke them in as well. Maza delivers his first assist, and suddenly there’s fire again. BayArena roaring, Leverkusen pressing, Dortmund wobbling. Just… not breaking.

And so here we are again: feeling like we were actually the better team, yet walking away with zero points. A classic case of the “Never-Champions Experience.” Humor is mandatory here—otherwise it gets dangerous.

Luckily, Tuesday brings the next round—again Dortmund, this time in the cup. Maybe we’ll find the missing screw by then. Or at least download the efficiency app. Because one thing’s clear: the team, the fans, the atmosphere—everything’s there. We just need that one tiny thing Dortmund had yesterday. And once we find it, the world will look very different.

From Injury Crisis to Pep’s Worst Nightmare: Bayer 04 Crash the Etihad Party

Be honest—who really saw this coming? Eleven players missing, away at Manchester City, with Erling Haaland lurking on the bench and Pep Guardiola probably already planning his semi-final speeches. It had all the makings of a respectable 0:3, a “we tried our best” kind of night. And yet, Bayer 04 decided to turn the script upside down, light it on fire, and dance on the ashes. A Champions League masterclass? Nope. A full-throttle, backs-to-the-wall heist? Absolutely. And we loved every minute of it.

Let’s start with Mark Flekken—formerly known for giving fans heart palpitations with the ball at his feet, suddenly turned into Lev Yashin reincarnated. Nine saves. Nine! He stopped everything from nervy toe-pokes to full-on Haaland hammerblows, and still had the composure to thank his teammates afterwards. If this was his way of silencing critics, mission accomplished. We’ll start printing the “Flekken Forever” scarves next week.

Meanwhile, Alejandro Grimaldo and Ibrahim Maza played like they had a point to prove to the entire continent. One scores, the other assists twice, and suddenly Guardiola’s multi-billion-Euro lineup is looking nervously at the scoreboard while our "Not-Not-Elf" is celebrating like it’s Carnival in Köln. Patrik Schick nodded in the second with the grace of a man who remembered just in time that he’s actually pretty good at this football thing.

Let’s not pretend City didn’t pile on the pressure. They came at us with waves, subs, and more tactical tweaks than a Pep masterclass usually includes. But Bayer 04 defended like their Ryanair flight back to Köln only existed if they got a clean sheet. Bodies flying, boots swinging—this was trench warfare with a Champions League soundtrack. And in the end, the scoreboard read 2:0 for the underdogs, while 50,000 fans in sky blue quietly Googled “Leverkusen – how good are they really?”

We’re not getting carried away. Yet. There’s a double Dortmund showdown on the horizon, and nothing brings a fan back down to earth like playing BVB twice in three days. But if this performance is anything to go by, this team has grown teeth. Real ones. And if Pep Guardiola can be outclassed by a patched-up Werkself, who knows what’s next?

Three Shots, Three Goals, Three Points – and a Side of Nervous Energy

As a Bayer fan, you know the drill: an away day in Wolfsburg is rarely something to get the pulse racing. The stadium? Functional. The atmosphere? Meh. The opponent? Solide Langeweile. And yet – our Werkself brought just the right amount of spark to turn this trip into a proper statement. Especially in that first half, where the boys played like they had dinner reservations and no time to mess around.

Three shots on goal, three goals. That’s not efficiency – that’s clinical madness. Hofmann, Tapsoba and Tillman didn’t just score, they dismantled Wolfsburg’s game plan before it even had a chance to unfold. Cool in possession, razor-sharp in front of goal, and composed like a team that’s not just trying to win, but trying to mean business this season. You almost had to rub your eyes and ask: is this really Bayer 04?

And then came the second half. Because of course it did. We switched off just enough to give Wolfsburg a lifeline, and suddenly it felt like we were watching a familiar rerun: shaky defending, second balls lost, and one goal against that could’ve turned into more. VAR saved us from conceding a second, Flekken stepped up big-time, and we managed to ride it out. Just about.

That’s the frustrating part. When we’re on, this team looks like it belongs in the Champions League. But we still give teams too many windows to climb back in. That said – let’s not get too grumpy. This win wasn’t lucky. It was earned in 45 minutes of mature, purposeful football. García continues to pull strings like he’s been here for years, Hofmann looks reborn under Hjulmand, and Tillman is grabbing his chances with both feet.

Now it’s on to Manchester City, then Dortmund at home. No time to relax. But if this team brings that first-half energy into these next two games, we might finally start believing that this isn’t just another "strong Bayer autumn" – but the beginning of something real.

For now, we’ll take the three points, enjoy the view from the Champions League spots, and try not to think about 2000.

Six-Pack with Style – Heidenheim Gets the Full Bayer Treatment

If anyone thought Bayer 04 would coast into the Bundesliga weekend after that gritty Champions League win in Lisbon, well… they clearly haven’t been paying attention. This team doesn't just play football right now – it performs. And against Heidenheim, Leverkusen didn’t just win. They threw a six-goal party and forgot to send Heidenheim an invitation.

Within 30 minutes, it was 4:0. That’s not a match – that’s a warning. Patrik Schick opened the scoring faster than you can say "Werkself", and from there it was less a contest and more a showcase. Hofmann headed one in, Schick mopped up a loose ball like a pro, and Ernest Poku added some acrobatics for good measure. By halftime, poor Heidenheim probably just wanted to go home, but Bayer weren’t done yet.

Enter Ibrahim Maza. The teenager, who looks like he should still be doing his homework, played like a veteran and scored not once but twice – including a cheeky little poke for the 6:0. Not bad for your first Bundesliga brace. The fans? Rightfully losing their minds. The BayArena? Rocking like it's the 90s.

But before we book the Rathausbalkon for May: this was Heidenheim. Respectable side, sure – but not exactly known for spoiling parties. This kind of result is expected of a title contender. The way Leverkusen delivered it, though? That’s the scary part. Fluid, focused, ruthless. Like a Swiss watch, only more Spanish, Czech, Burkinabe, and Leverkusen.

Even the numbers got a bit silly. 926 completed passes – most by any team in the Bundesliga this season. Aleix Garcia played 165 of them himself, which is either an incredible athletic feat or a gentle mockery of Heidenheim’s pressing (or lack thereof). Tapsoba notched more assists in this one game than in his previous 166 Bundesliga appearances. Sometimes the stats just start laughing with you.

And let’s not forget debutant Alejo Sarco, the Argentine prospect who came on late and almost got in on the fun. A nice cherry on top of an already frothy football sundae.

So now, a break. The dreaded international pause, just when Bayer have found fifth gear. When they return, it's Wolfsburg away – and a run of games that could define the season.

But until then? We’ll just sit here, replaying goals, refreshing the table, and wondering: Is this actually happening? Is Bayer 04 really this good? Answer: Yes. And it’s a lot of fun.

Schick happens

Wednesday night in Lisbon, and Bayer 04 finally bags that elusive first Champions League win of the season. No fireworks, no samba football – but three gritty, glorious points that feel like aloe vera after the burn in Munich. Ugly? Absolutely. Deserved? You bet.

This wasn’t a game for the purists. It was trench warfare in football boots. Bayer didn't outplay Benfica – they outlasted them. Wave after wave of red shirts crashed into our backline, but the Werkself held firm. Special shoutout to Mark Flekken, who had the kind of night that goalkeepers write memoirs about. Benfica launched 21 shots – all of them found nothing but frustration and a Dutch wall in gloves.

And then came Patrik Schick. Off the bench, on the scoresheet, job done. His first effort was still more warm-up als goal attempt, but when the rebound floated onto his head, he did what a striker does – bury it. One touch of class, one-nil Leverkusen, and suddenly Lisbon went quiet.

Let’s be honest: it wasn’t pretty. But who needs pretty when you’ve got fight, sweat, and just enough Schick magic? With a starting eleven that’s young enough to be carded at every Kneipe in Germany, Bayer didn’t dazzle – they survived. And that’s what you sometimes need in Europe.

Even Malik Tillman made his comeback look routine after weeks out – the man stepped in like he’d just paused the game, not missed a month. It speaks volumes for the spirit Hjulmand’s squad is showing. They’re learning. Fast.

Yes, Benfica had more possession, more shots, more flair. Bayer had grit, guts – and the only number that matters: three points. It wasn’t a performance to frame, but it might just be a turning point.

889 Days of Sunshine – and Then Came Munich

Well, it had to happen sometime. Thirty-seven Bundesliga away games without a loss isn't exactly nature's default setting — and of course, when a streak of that magnitude ends, it does so in the most classic fashion: in Munich, against a Bayern side that decided to throw its lineup into the washing machine and still came out looking crisp. Meanwhile, our beloved Werkself apparently left the zipper of their defensive jacket wide open in the first half.

Three goals down by halftime — no amount of “but we had chances too” can smooth that over. Yes, we did. Echeverri had some electric moments early on that made you briefly wonder if Messi had been reincarnated into a teenage Argentine. But magic up front is pointless if the back line decides to cosplay as ghosts. Gnabry’s opener was as precise as it was simple. For the second, we defended with the structural integrity of wet cardboard. And the third? A classic own goal in the “shouldn’t happen, but of course it did” category.

Hjulmand was sportsmanlike about it — acknowledged the errors, pointed to issues with game management, and promised analysis. Fair enough. You don’t need to set the house on fire after one bad night. But the bitter truth remains: Bayern didn’t just beat us with goals, they beat us with control. 55% of duels won doesn’t mean much when you still concede three times before halftime.

Still, let’s not forget what just ended: a historic unbeaten run that will live in the record books — 889 days of Bundesliga away matches without defeat. That’s no small feat, and not something you scribble casually on a beer mat. Now it’s off to Lisbon, then Heidenheim at home — a prime chance to patch the ego and right the wrongs with some actual points.

Cup Chaos and Cardiac Football: Bayer's Midnight Madness in Paderborn

Just when you think you’ve seen it all in football, Bayer 04 shows up and whispers, “Hold my Kölsch.” That DFB-Pokal night in Paderborn had everything your football-addicted heart could ask for: tension, despair, euphoria.

Yes, we dominated possession. Yes, we passed the ball like we invented tiki-taka. And yes, somehow we still found ourselves 2:1 down in extra time — against a second-division side that played nearly half the match with ten men. Classic Pokal. Classic Bayer. Classic heartbreak incoming? Not quite.

Because this is the new Bayer 04. The Bayer that doesn’t fold, but finds extra fuel in the tank just when the warning light’s been blinking for an hour. Quansah pulled us back from the brink with a last-gasp equalizer before half-time of extra time — and then, right at the death, Ibrahim Maza decided to write his own fairy tale. 120+2, debut goal, limbs in the away end, and another chapter for the cult of "Last-Minute Leverkusen."

Let’s not kid ourselves though: it wasn’t pretty. Hjulmand’s press conference wasn’t full of high-fives and self-congratulations. Our pressing was off, our passing overly hopeful, and our game management… well, let’s just say we’ve seen sharper tools in the shed. But when you survive nights like this — mentally, physically, spiritually — you take the win, wrap it in bubble wrap, and pray it carries you through Munich and Lisbon.

And Maza? Remember the name. The kid’s been knocking for weeks, and now he’s kicked the door down. Maybe not ready to start every match yet — but definitely ready to turn one on its head in extra time.

So we move on. To Bayern, to Benfica, to wherever this wild ride takes us next. And if it ends with another last-minute winner? We’ll scream, we’ll suffer, and we’ll love every second of it. Because this is Bayer 04. And we don't do boring.