Three Points, No Sparkle – But We’ll Take It

Finally! Three points. A clean sheet. No injuries. That sounds like a solid football evening at the BayArena – or at least a mildly satisfying one, given how 2026 had started for us. After three matches without a win, the 1–0 victory over Werder Bremen was exactly what the long-suffering Bayer fan needed: a heartbeat. Not a fireworks display, not a tactical masterpiece, but at least not another mess to clean up.

Sure, we could pretend to get excited – Lucas Vázquez scored his first goal for Bayer, and it turned out to be the match-winner. But let’s not kid ourselves: this engine is still sputtering. The Werkself is currently more old diesel van than electric turbo. Solid, loud, and just about reliable – but you wouldn't take it for a spin on the Autobahn.

The finishing? About as clinical as a drunk playing darts. Schick scored, but used his hand – maybe not the birthday gift he was hoping for. The rest of the chances? Mostly wasted, nervy, or comfortably handled by Bremen’s keeper.

That said, let’s not be ungrateful. Bremen were annoying, like soggy socks on a cold day – not dangerous per se, but definitely capable of making life miserable. But the defense held firm, Palacios made a very welcome return, and we actually scored a goal that counted. Progress!

And just to sweeten the evening: Bayern lost. Yes, really. Against Augsburg. Which means our glorious unbeaten Bundesliga season record from 2023/24 still stands. They might end up champions again – probably will – but they won’t do it without a scratch like we did. Small victories, people. We take what we can get.

So what’s the takeaway? This win was important – not pretty, not convincing, but necessary. For the table. For the confidence. For the sanity of every Bayer fan. There’s still work to be done, especially with Villarreal on the horizon. But at least we’re back on the right track. Not flying, not even cruising – but at least moving forward again. And for now, that’s enough.