120 Years of Bayer – And Then This: When the Newcomer Crashes the Party

"Punkte verschenkt" – that's a feeling every Bayer fan knows all too well. You're up 2-0 after eight minutes, the celebration for the 120th anniversary is in full swing, and yet you only walk away with a point. Against Holstein Kiel. A newly promoted team. At home. In the sold-out BayArena, where the atmosphere was supposed to be jubilant. But somehow, there was that familiar sinking feeling in the pit of every Leverkusen fan's stomach: the tendency to turn sure victories into nail-biters.

Those first few minutes were perfect. Boniface and Hofmann both found the net, and Palacios – the Argentinian maestro celebrating his birthday – orchestrated both goals. 2-0, and it all looked like a relaxed afternoon, another routine win for Xabi Alonso in his 100th game as Bayer's manager. But instead of killing off Kiel, we let them back into the game. Why? Well, that’s what we’re all wondering. "Unfocused," Hradecky said. "Not smart enough," Alonso added. Whatever it was, it felt like someone flipped a switch – the wrong one, unfortunately.

Then, just before halftime, that goal came. Geschwill headed in after a corner – a typical Bayer goal to concede, if we're being honest. Set-piece goals have plagued this team for years. And what did Kiel do? They fought back. Not with dazzling play, but with persistence. Kiel fought, you have to give them that. But it wasn’t like they were outplaying us. It was Bayer 04 making things hard for themselves. There were plenty of chances, but the third goal never came. And then there was that penalty. Frimpong brought Gigovic down, Arp converted with ease. Suddenly, it was 2-2, and we fans were left wondering: "This can't be happening, can it?" But it did. Again.

The bitter part of this draw isn't just the dropped points. It was supposed to be a day of celebration: 120 years of Bayer 04, Xabi's 100th match, a packed stadium – and yet, in the end, we're left with a sour taste. Not because Kiel was so strong, but because we weakened ourselves. Hradecky called it "giving away points," and that’s spot on. You have to ask why, after such a dominant start, we stopped playing football. Why let the opponent back in instead of putting the game to bed?

Of course, there were positives: Palacios’ strong return to the starting eleven, Boniface scoring again, and the fact that this team is technically operating at a very high level. But that alone isn’t enough to win games like these. It takes more – consistency, cleverness, a little more ruthlessness perhaps. Because if you want to compete for the title, or at least stay near the top, you can't let games like this slip away.

And so we fans are left with mixed feelings once again. On the one hand, we know how good this team can be. On the other hand, we know how they can sometimes get in their own way. Sure, now there's the international break, followed by Eintracht Frankfurt at home. And maybe this little pause will help clear our heads. But one thing is certain: if Bayer 04 truly wants to compete at the top this season, they need to learn how to close out these kinds of games.

Milan or Madrid – as long as it’s a Champions League win!

It’s that time again: the Champions League has returned to the BayArena. And what a start! A 1-0 win over AC Milan, a sold-out stadium, and the best floodlit atmosphere you can imagine. There’s hardly anything better than Champions League nights in Leverkusen, when our boys show the giants of Europe that this "little" Bayer town can play with the best of them.

But honestly, a 1-0? It felt like we could’ve been up by two or three goals by halftime. Some Bayer fans might have found themselves wondering why we always seem to make it so hard on ourselves. It’s like the football gods want to keep things exciting for us. If you know Bayer, you know: clear leads don’t come without some nerve-racking moments. Still, credit where it’s due—at least there was no total heart attack this time. Well, apart from when Theo Hernandez hit the crossbar near the end, causing the entire stadium to collectively hold its breath.

Tactically, the game was textbook stuff. Xabi Alonso has definitely elevated this team to a new level, one we’ve been missing for quite some time. We calmly dismantled AC Milan, switching play quickly from side to side and picking them apart with through balls. Aleix Garcia, in particular, was a game-changer—it's like he has eyes in the back of his head. The way he sent passes to Frimpong and the others was just beautiful to watch. He’s also the guy who set up Grimaldo with that crucial pass before Frimpong’s shot was saved, and Boniface slammed it home. It was the kind of goal that shows we’re capable of scoring pretty as well as scrappy goals when it counts.

Boniface? He’s a joy to watch. Hard to believe it was his first Champions League goal ever, but it feels like many more will follow. You get the sense with him that he’s built for this level—calm and clinical. That’s exactly the kind of striker you need in Europe. No fancy tricks, no unnecessary dribbles—just put the ball in the net and move on. Perfect.

Sure, towards the end, we had that familiar feeling as Bayer fans: retreating into our own half, the opponent gaining momentum, and us sweating it out. Why does it always have to be like that? Only the football gods know. But this time, we held firm. Hradecky was there when we needed him, and the defense held, even as Milan threw everything at us. That’s the difference we’ve missed in past seasons. In the old days, we probably would’ve conceded a late equalizer, but not this time. Is it possible that we’re finally becoming a team that can see out tight games? It sure looks that way. Alonso seems to have turned the Werkself into a squad that doesn’t fear any opponent in the Champions League. And if we keep this up, the BayArena could witness a few more magical nights this season. Because one thing is clear: this team has what it takes to deliver.

But now, we turn our focus back to the Bundesliga. Holstein Kiel is coming up, and after the Champions League euphoria, it’s time to stay grounded! We know how it goes: these are exactly the kind of games where we could trip up. Still, with the form this team is in, nothing should stand in our way against the promoted side. Let’s see if Boniface can keep his streak going.