Header, Horror, Hopeless – A Night to Forget in Munich

It could have been a Champions League classic. A blockbuster German duel, the unstoppable Werkself against a struggling Bayern side, Xabi Alonso versus Vincent Kompany – all of Europe watching. And then? Well, then Bayer 04 put on a performance that felt more like a dress rehearsal gone wrong rather than a big premiere. A 0-3 defeat in Munich. Not quite what we had in mind.

Losing happens. Especially in Munich. The Bundesliga is full of teams that know this pain all too well. But some defeats leave you wondering, "How did that happen?" And then there are games like this one, where the answer is painfully obvious. It all started early: nine minutes in, Olise sends in a cross, Kane nods it home – 1-0. Leverkusen had barely settled into the match, and already they were chasing.

But credit where it's due, Bayer wasn’t playing badly. Jeremie Frimpong had a golden chance to equalize, but Manuel Neuer did what he does best – denied it with a brilliant save. From then on, the game became scrappy, full of fouls and yellow cards. Tense, but manageable. At halftime, 1-0 down, still everything to play for. But then came the moment that defined the night: Kovar’s unfortunate mistake, Musiala pounced – 2-0. And just like that, the fight seemed to drain away.

When Nordi Mukiele saw a second yellow card, it was clear: this wasn’t going to be Leverkusen’s night. Then, just to make things worse, Edmond Tapsoba decided to wrap his arms around Harry Kane like a long-lost friend in the penalty box. The result? A penalty, a Kane goal, and a final score of 0-3. Ouch.

It would be easy to point fingers at individual players, but the truth is, this was a collective collapse. And to be fair, this team has given us nothing but world-class performances all season. So why not believe in them for the second leg? Sure, a 0-3 deficit is brutal, but football has seen crazier comebacks. Or, in Alonso’s own words: "We have to come back."

So, let’s wipe the slate clean, take care of Bremen in the Bundesliga, and then throw everything at Bayern in the return leg. The Champions League has written some legendary underdog stories. Why shouldn’t Bayer 04 be the next one?

Frankfurt Crushed – Now Comes the Real Test!

Bayer 04 has won away from home again. No, scratch that—Frankfurt was absolutely dismantled in a 4-1 victory that felt more like a casual training session. 29 Bundesliga away games unbeaten? That’s not just a streak; that’s practically a law of nature! While neutral fans might wonder if this dominance is getting boring, we just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

Frankfurt, usually a force to be reckoned with at home, probably thought they could give Leverkusen a tough fight. But this Xabi Alonso team doesn’t get rattled—especially not when their opponents make it this easy. Nathan Tella kicked things off with a cool finish after a pinpoint pass from Granit Xhaka. If you thought that was impressive, you had no idea what was coming. Nordi Mukiele scrambled one in after a corner—doesn’t matter how they go in, they all count. And then came Patrik Schick, finishing off a slick Grimaldo setup with the confidence of a striker who knows exactly where the goal is. 3-0 after 33 minutes—thanks for playing, Eintracht!

But because Bayer isn’t just the best team in the league but also a team that enjoys a little drama, they gifted Frankfurt a goal before halftime. Mukiele, perhaps just trying to keep things interesting, played a way-too-casual back pass to Lukas Hradecky, and Hugo Ekitiké gladly accepted the invitation. A mistake? Sure. A problem? Not when you’re scoring at will.

And that’s exactly what Bayer kept doing. Frankfurt came out after the break fired up, but against this Leverkusen side, effort alone won’t cut it. So Aleix Garcia decided to end any remaining hope with a stunning 22-meter volley for the 4-1. What a strike—signature goal material! After that, Bayer slowed things down, controlled the game, and let the traveling fans enjoy yet another masterclass on the road.

But as sweet as this win was, the real test is yet to come. On Wednesday, it’s Bayern Munich in the Champions League—a true showdown. Is Bayer 04 ready for the next big step in Europe? After this performance in Frankfurt, we say: Why the hell not?