Bayer Leverkusen concluded a commendable cup journey after exiting the UEFA Champions League in the round of 16, falling to a 2-0 defeat away to Arsenal in North London on Tuesday evening (3-1 on aggregate).
Leverkusen’s European narrative kicked off in Copenhagen back in September, but it was not the ideal start for the team. They managed to secure only a late 2-2 draw in the Danish capital, thanks in large part to Alejandro Grimaldo’s stunning late equalizer.
The opening match’s outcome set the tone for an unpredictable group stage for Die Werkself, which included another draw at home against Dutch powerhouse PSV Eindhoven (1-1).
Afterwards, the team faced a challenging match against Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning Champions League champions, resulting in a painful 7-2 thrashing at the BayArena.
However, following a shaky start that put Leverkusen’s progression in jeopardy, fortunes changed with consecutive away victories. Patrik Schick scored the sole goal in a gritty 1-0 win over Benfica in Lisbon, marking his first goal in Europe this season, and he followed that up with another in a stunning 2-0 victory over Manchester City.
Next, Leverkusen faced Newcastle United, concluding that match in a 2-2 draw, only to suffer a surprising 2-0 loss against their future knockout stage rivals, Olympiacos.
Despite some setbacks, Leverkusen finished the group stage strongly, defeating Villarreal 3-0 and earning a spot in the knockout phase against Olympiacos, where they sought revenge for the earlier defeat.
In the first leg of their knockout tie in Piraeus, Schick netted a quick brace in the second half, bringing his total for the season to four goals, and tying him with Grimaldo for the team’s lead in scoring.
His contribution was crucial as Leverkusen managed to hold their opponents to a 0-0 draw in the return leg at the BayArena, advancing with a 2-0 aggregate score.
The next challenge was Arsenal, and the matchup was filled with intriguing storylines.
Returning to his former club, Kai Havertz faced Leverkusen for the first time competitively. He had made 150 appearances for Leverkusen, scoring 46 goals during his tenure.
Alongside him, Piero Hincapié, part of Leverkusen’s legendary double-winning team in 2023/24, was also set to face his parent club after joining Arsenal on loan.
Leverkusen exhibited composure in the first leg against Arsenal, managing to keep the Gunners at bay in the first half. After halftime, they began to control the game, with captain Robert Andrich scoring the opener with a header from a Grimaldo corner.
However, the script flipped late in the game. After missing chances to extend their lead, Malik Tillman conceded a penalty in the 89th minute for a questionable foul on Noni Madueke, which Havertz converted, leveling the tie at 1-1.
With the tie evenly poised for the second leg, Hjulmand expressed confidence in Leverkusen’s chances to advance. In Leverkusen’s pre-match press conference, he stated, “We expect a very close game. In the first leg, we didn’t give them much of a chance. We’ll try to be just as dominant second time around. We’re confident we can win here and that we can advance in this competition.”
Unfortunately for Leverkusen, the match did not unfold as hoped. Fielding the same lineup from the first leg, they struggled against early pressure. Goalkeeper Janis Blaswich was outstanding in the first half, but he was unable to stop a brilliant volley from Eberechi Eze in the 36th minute, placing Arsenal in the lead.
Leverkusen showed resilience, but Declan Rice secured the victory for Arsenal in the second half with a composed finish from close range.
Despite their relentless efforts and nearing a goal through Christian Kofane, Die Werkself must now wait longer for a quarter-final appearance, last reached in 2002.
GGFN | Sam Carey, reporting from Emirates Stadium (Arsenal)