The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung describes the visitors’ performance in the first half as follows: “Bayer dominated the game and had 80 per cent possession in the first half alone, but the highly talented Bayer attack found it hard going in finding a way through a disciplined Freiburg defence.” The newspaper comes to the conclusion : “Thanks to Kai Havertz, Bayer 04 Leverkusen have kept up the pressure in the race for a Champions League position.”
The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger headline is, “The difference is called Havertz.” The reports continues: “And then came the moment where everybody noticed that a certain Kai Havertz was in the game. The big, young star of German football was as good as invisible up to that point as a roving central striker. And then it looked like Leon Bailey had dribbled himself to a standstill in the penalty area for the 38th time. Havertz appeared behind him but seemed to have a worse position against the Freiburg central defence, but he stretched out his long, right leg and poked the ball home through Schwolow’s legs. That used to be called a Müller goal – in reference to Gerd Müller, the best goal poacher of all time.”
The report in the Rheinische Post reads: “Was Bayer Leverkusen’s 4-1 defeat against Wolfsburg really just a one-off? The Werkself had to answer that question in the Breisgau on Friday night – and they did even though in a rather dull fashion. After the narrow 1-0 win at SC Freiburg, it’s clear the Rhinelanders are back on course in the battle for a Champions League finish.”
The Kölnische Rundschau writes about “King Kai” with the headline: “Leverkusen back on course.” The Bild Zeitung saw a “Bloody win thanks to a ghostly striker” and that refers to the substitution of the recently hugely successful scorer of the winning goal Havertz. The Express talks about a “hard-earned victory” against an “aggressive Freiburg team.”
Furthermore, several news journals look at the performance of Florian Wirtz in their reports. The 17-year-old made his second start against Freiburg. “The next big hope. Wirtz showed his class in his full debut in Bremen two weeks ago and in his substitute appearance against Wolfsburg,” reports the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger. “Youthful high-flyer” according to the Kölnische Rundschau.
After Jens Nowotny was officially named a Bayer 04 honorary captain last weekend, the long-standing Werkself player is part of the Leverkusen delegation on the trophy tour to New York City next week from 11 to 14 September. In an interview with bayer04.de, the 50-year-old talked about his expectations ahead of the trip to the metropolis on the East Coast of the USA.
Show moreThe German Football League (DFL) has confirmed the dates and kick-off times for matchdays 6 to 12 of the 2024/25 Bundesliga season. Full details of the Bayer 04 fixtures.
Show moreMarkus Rehm, a long jumper at TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, won the gold medal for the fourth time in succession at the Paralympics on Wednesday.
Show moreThe fixture details for the second round of the DFB Pokal 2024/25 have been confirmed. The home tie for Bayer 04 against second division SV 07 Elversberg is on Tuesday, 29 October with the kick off at 18.00 CET (live on Sky). That was announced by the German Football Association (DFB) on Thursday.
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