Tabakovic, You Party Pooper! – A Nearly Perfect Night at the BayArena

Sunday night. Floodlights. Sold-out stadium. Beer in hand. Football, the way it’s meant to be. Everything was set for one of those magical evenings in our beloved BayArena – and to be fair, for 91 minutes, it looked like the football gods were in Schwarz-Rot. Bayer 04 had one hand on the second home win in a row, new faces were settling in nicely, and Ernest Poku was tearing down the right wing like a man possessed. But then came Haris Tabakovic. A name that sounds like he belongs in a Tarantino film – and, unfortunately, a man who decided to ruin everything with a header in the 92nd minute.

Let’s rewind for a moment – somewhere between cautious optimism, tactical tinkering, and Kasper Hjulmand’s growing feel for the squad. Without midfield anchors Robert Andrich and Exequiel Palacios, Hjulmand rolled the dice with Aleix Garcia and Malik Tillman in the double pivot. And surprisingly, the experiment worked quite well. Tillman even ended up scoring – yes, actually scoring! A well-worked goal, served on a plate by the electric Poku, who came off the bench and immediately looked like he was late for a sprint final.

Patrik Schick also showed again why we missed him so dearly. He may not have scored this time (his early header was saved), but the way he moves, holds the ball, and simply *is* a presence up front... it’s all coming back. We can all exhale – Schick is not only fit, he’s also ready to haunt defenders again. And judging by the reactions in the stands, some of us are ready to name our kids after him.

Then came the moment: Poku burning down the right, crossing with intent, Schick misses, but Tillman is there – bang! 1–0. Cue wild celebrations, beer showers, hugs with strangers, and a general feeling that yes, the BayArena is once again a fortress. The kind of moment we live for. The kind of moment that makes you forget the overpriced stadium sausage and the guy behind you who won’t stop yelling “PRESSING!”.

But then... yeah. The 92nd minute. A corner we didn’t really need to concede. A man we definitely didn’t need to leave unmarked. Tabakovic. Header. 1–1. Just like that, the mood turned from “Champions League vibes” to “not this again”. And honestly, it felt like someone just unplugged the karaoke machine at the height of the party.

But you know what? This *wasn’t* classic “same old Leverkusen”. There was no collapse. No collective shrug. No emotional flatline. Instead: frustration, yes – but also defiance. This team is still figuring itself out, but the direction feels right. Hjulmand is clearly imprinting his ideas, and the players – new and old – are buying in. It’s not always polished, but there’s intent. There's growth.

Maza, for example – running like he’s being chased, pressing like a terrier, and slowly but surely becoming someone you *want* on the pitch in tight games. Ben Seghir, too – not perfect yet, but you can tell he’s learning, adjusting, and finding his role. And then of course, the return of Jonas Hofmann. Only on for a few minutes, but celebrated like a cult hero. He didn’t have to do much – just show up and remind us he’s still part of the family.

Of course, a 1–1 against Gladbach is frustrating. Especially when it feels like two points dropped. But let’s not forget: that’s now 12 unbeaten Bundesliga matches against the Foals. The team is still undefeated this season. And while there’s still a missing screw here and there in this tactical furniture Hjulmand is building, the shelf is holding. Just about.

Next up: the wilds of St. Pauli. The Millerntor won’t be friendly, but it’s the perfect chance to shake off the sting of this draw and get back on the winning track. After that? PSV in the Champions League – no time to sulk.

So yeah, thanks for nothing, Tabakovic. But we’ll be back. Stronger. Smarter. And hopefully with fewer dramatic late twists.

And if not? Well, there’s always beer. Leverkusen doesn’t break hearts – it just keeps us on our toes.