Bayer Leverkusen is wintering in the Europa League thanks to outside help. The Bundesliga club, which was eliminated prematurely from the Champions League, did not get more than 0-0 in the last group game of the premier class against FC Bruges, thanks to the 1-2 (0-2) defeat of Atlético Madrid in the parallel game at FC Porto the team, which was weak recently, still managed to get third place. The surprise group B team from Bruges finished the preliminary round in second place. Porto, against whom Bayer lost both games, is the group winner.
Coach Xabi Alonso’s team struggled immensely in front of 30,210 spectators and seemed unsettled. Leverkusen didn’t find any attacking means against Brugge, and there were many unnecessary bad passes in the build-up. Out of nowhere, Moussa Diaby had the first chance of the game in the 33rd minute, which Brugge goalkeeper Simon Mignolet defused. Only in the final phase of the first half did the game become more intense. It went back and forth for a short time, the only chance in this phase was destroyed by Bayer goalkeeper and captain Lukas Hradecky against Kamal Sowah (39th). Just before the half-time whistle, Jeremie Frimpong hit the side netting.
Leverkusen slept through the restart and were lucky not to fall behind. Tajon Buchanan hit the crossbar directly after a cross that Bayer easily defended. In the counterattack, Mignolet had no problems with Callum Hudson-Odoi’s harmless finish. It then became more dangerous after a corner: Mignolet reacted brilliantly to a tight header by Patrik Schick (54′). Anyone who had expected an increase in performance from the hosts as a result was severely disappointed.