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.