As of: 02/19/2023 9:53 p.m
Bayer Leverkusen also suffered a setback in the Bundesliga after losing to AS Monaco. In the 3-2 (2-1) win, Mainz 05 took advantage of the fact that players like Florian Wirtz initially only sat on the bench.
Xabi Alonso made a clear statement before the game against Mainz 05. With his starting eleven, the Bayer Leverkusen coach made it clear where his priorities currently lie – namely the second leg at AS Monaco in the Europa League. Three days after the 2:3 in the first leg and four days before the decisive game (02/23/2023, 6.45 p.m./live in the ticker) in the principality, Alonso did without his best offensive players. Moussa Diaby was absent due to a muscular injury, but Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, both of whom were only on the bench, did so voluntarily.
Nevertheless, Leverkusen were quite present offensively at the beginning. Nadiem Amiri (9th) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (12th) had the first shots, but Finn Dahmen in the Mainz goal didn’t have any major problems. Then there was the first turbulent scene of a wild first half.
Bayer only fails with the penalty, then in defense
20 minutes: A free-kick from Kerem Demirbay got stuck in the wall, but Serdar Azmoun followed suit and was hit on the sole by Anton Stach, penalties were awarded. However, the man from Mainz also played the ball – but referee Robert Schröder stuck to his decision, to the incomprehension of the guests, according to the video images. However, Dahmen was there again and even saved Edmond Tapsoba’s shot (23′). Unbelievable: Bayer missed seven of the last eight penalties, three weeks earlier Tapsoba had scored from the point against VfL Bochum (2-0).
And the next negative experience followed immediately. After an unsuccessful attempt by Odilon Koussounou, Anthony Caci immediately took aim from twelve meters and made it 1-0 for Mainz (26th).
Amiri the most dangerous Leverkusen player
However, Bayer had an answer ready. After a speed attack down the right flank, Amiri got a shot from 17 meters and only Leandro Barreiro’s chest prevented the equalizer, the ball deflected just wide of the goal (28′).
Shortly after, however, Amiri was successful. After a mistake by Edimilson Fernandes, Serdar Azmoun put the cross on the ex-national player, who resolutely netted with his back to the goal (32′).
Wild West in the Bayer penalty area
However, the final phase of the first half caused trouble for Alonso again. Leverkusen were lucky first when the ball, after a cross from Tapsoba’s foot that was blocked by Lukas Hradecky, didn’t jump into their own goal, but into the hands of his goalkeeper (42′). But then there was the second goal. After a dropped ball, the defense fell into a deep sleep, whereupon Jae-sung Lee headed across to Barreiro, who made it 2-1 for Mainz (45+4).
There was excitement again a minute later. After a foul by Robert Andrich on Karim Onisiwo, Schröder decided on a penalty again, this time for Mainz – because Stefan Bell had previously committed an offense against Amine Adli on the other side, the referee revised his decision according to the video images (45. +5).
Alonso brings his stars – and they deliver first
Apparently, Alonso did not want to risk any accusations that his decisions would jeopardize the fight for Europe. He reacted early and brought Frimpong and World Cup participant Piero Hincapie, who was also rested, into play in the second half. Wirtz and Patrik Schick came on ten minutes later to turn things around.
And the Leverkusen game immediately gained momentum. It only took two minutes for Alonso’s measures to show their effects on the scoreboard. After a cross from Hincapie, Frimpong shot the post, Azmoun hit aluminum in the follow-up effort before Schick finally slotted the ball into the net to make it 2-2 (58′). And because he put the ball down beforehand, albeit involuntarily, Wirtz was the template provider.
Hradecky suddenly in focus
Shortly thereafter, however, Hradecky had to save his team from falling behind again. After a corner, Onisiwo headed in from seven yards out, but the Leverkusen goalkeeper reacted brilliantly (59′) and less than 60 seconds later, he dived against Lee at lightning speed (60′).
However, it was only for a short period in which the guests were able to attack, and then Leverkusen took command again with the help of their star jokers. Mainz withstood the pressure – and then got the great chance of victory. Adli fouled Silvan Widmer, who had just come on as a substitute, and in addition to the red card for an emergency brake, the guests also received penalties. Marcus Ingvartsen kept his nerve and scored to make it 3-2 (82nd).
Leverkusen already eleven points behind the top six
Leverkusen lost important points in the fight for Europe and Mainz even overtook the “Werkself”, who started as a Champions League candidate. The Bayer deficit in sixth place even grew to eleven points. After all: Because the top six are all represented in the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup, seventh place will probably be enough for entry into the Conference League – it would then be three points behind.
In the final minutes, a heated game developed – and Mainz played that into the cards. Leverkusen got into a rush, got caught up in discussions with the opponents and the referee, as they did against Monaco, and received several warnings. There were a total of nine yellow cards in the second half and Adli was sent off – a new Bundesliga record. But there were no more chances to score, and so Mainz won.
Leverkusen before everyday league life in Monaco
After the game in Monaco, Leverkusen have to play SC Freiburg in the league (Sunday, February 26, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.). Mainz welcomes Borussia Mönchengladbach two days earlier (8.30 p.m.).
Source: sportschau.de