“Must live with the echo”
Arrogance allegations in the cup: Leverkusen star counters
06.02.2025 – 12:20 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
After the victory of Bayer Leverkusen against the 1st FC Köln, the favorites are exposed to unsightly accusations. A star reacts directly. But is there something about the allegations?
Even the day after the victory of Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB Cup quarter-finals against 1. FC Köln cook the emotions. After the 3-2 victory of the defending champion in the “Little Rhine Derby” on Wednesday evening, Cologne’s Dominique Heintz had accused the players of the Werkelf “Arrogance”.
Now Leverkusens was countered Robert Andrich. “If you do Trash talk yourself, you also have to live with the echo,” wrote the international in his Instagram story-and indicated that the guests were by no means perfect.
Heintz complained about the behavior of the favorite immediately after the end of the game. “What is partly around at Leverkusen, with what arrogance, I have to master myself,” said the defender. Heintz was particularly disturbed by the behavior of the players on Leverkusener Bank – on which Andrich was also sitting.
Even more: “What they called in, how they presented themselves and how they provoked us at the end …”, he complained in an additional interview at Sky. He thinks it’s a shame, “You are a German champion and such a good team who don’t need to fall like this after the game and to be so arrogant.”
Has the team of coach Xabi Alonso actually transformed into an arrogant, vain troops of success -spoiled noble kickers within a few months? As a memory: Leverkusen flew last season if not always the hearts, but admiration and respect for fans across Germany, which were impressed by the historical run of the workself without defeat through the season. Players and Alonso were modest, sympathetic, also almost incredulously at their own series.
Only Bayer Managing Director Fernando Carro caused negative headlines last summer when he attacked Bayern Munich sports director Max Eberl Müde. “I don’t think of Max Eberl, absolutely nothing,” said the club boss at a meeting with fans. And: “I would not negotiate with him.” At that time it was about the rumored interest of the Munich defender Jonathan Tah, Carro apologized Later for his statements.
It should also not be forgotten a very important fact: It was the “small Rhine derby”, in which for both sides as in countless other derbies in football, there is generally even more at stake than “only” a victory. Pyrotechnics were ignited in the audience on Wednesday evening, so the game had to be interrupted for almost ten minutes shortly after kick -off. In the audience, scarves such as “Goatbusters” (based on “Ghostbusters”, “Goat” is called “goat”, the heraldic animal of the Cologne, editor’s note).
Leverkusen’s Granit Xhaka, himself no child of sadness, Heintz did not want to overestimate criticism. In a derby, “the emotions are high, that is part of it,” said the Swiss: “In the end you have to give your hand.”