The hoped-for race to catch up in the table has been slowed down again for Bayern tormentor Borussia Mönchenladbach by an unfortunate defeat against Bayer Leverkusen.
In the home stadium, coach Adi Hütter’s team, which is currently being rebuilt, conceded a 1:2 (0:0) without national player Matthias Ginter, who was banished to the bench, although keeper Yann Sommer saved two penalties.
When Ginter successor Marvin Friedrich made his debut in the starting XI, Robert Andrich scored (51st minute) after Sommer had saved a controversial penalty from striker Patrik Schick. The second Leverkusen goal was then awarded to the Czech, although Gladbach’s new signing Friedrich was probably the last to have the ball. Nico Elvedi (81st) was successful too late for Borussia. In the closing stages, Sommer also saved Kerem Demribay’s second penalty (88′).
Ginter only on the bench
With that, Leverkusen, who are third in the table and now back in the Champions League, ended their five-game winless streak against their favorite opponents. It was the fifth win in a row against Borussia. At first it looked more like another failure. Before the break, Gladbach, who had regained their strength after the 2-1 win at Bayern Munich, had the better chances.
The first exclamation point of the day was set by Gladbach’s coach Adi Hütter, who banned national player Matthias Ginter from Union Berlin after Marvin Friedrich was signed. “What Matthias Ginter is doing with the situation – he’s a professional enough, he knows that you can still use him. The transfer window is open until the 31st,” said Hütter before the game on the pay channel Sky.
Newcomer Friedrich owes a penalty
Ginter, who is on a free transfer in the summer, could leave Borussia in the next two weeks. Friedrich played again from the start against Leverkusen a few days after his move. In the previous week he had played 2-2 for Berlin in Leverkusen. “On the one hand it’s about the future, on the other hand it’s about performance. I didn’t decide against him, but ultimately decided for the future and for Marvin Friedrich,” Hütter continued.
Friedrich initially showed an energetic and combatively convincing performance, but owed the penalty after the break and was also instrumental in the second goal conceded.
Borussia had already experienced a real horror day at 0: 4 in the first leg: Marcus Thuram, Alassane Plea and Stefan Lainer after a brutal foul by Mitchel Bakker were injured, some seriously. Ginter had been substituted the day before a positive corona test, captain Lars Stindl had missed a penalty and to make matters worse, the Leverkusen stadium management had mocked Borussia and played the Gladbach goal anthem at their home games after the fourth Bayer goal.
The fact that this was not heard for Borussia in the first half was due to bad luck in the end and a lack of consistency. The game was largely at eye level, but Gladbach felt much more dangerous in attack. Most curiously, veteran Tony Jantschke missed the lead when his shot was blocked by the falling Jonathan Tah’s leg in the 37th minute.
Andrich scores from a corner
Bayer were initially lucky after the break when referee Sascha Stegemann pointed to the penalty spot after an unfortunate action by Friedrich. Gladbach’s new signing had inadvertently stepped on Karim Bellarabi’s foot in an uncritical position. Schick’s penalty, which was not conceded by the video referee, was brilliantly saved by Sommer.
The Borussia defense was then taken by surprise in the following corner and Andrich pushed the ball over the line. This continued Leverkusen’s away goal streak. The Bayer team also scored in their eleventh away game in a row.
Hütter reacted to the setback with a double change and a somewhat more offensive system. Marcs Thuram, who was recently badly criticized, got another chance for a good 30 minutes, and Joe Scally, who was recently infected with the corona virus, came in for the weak Luca Netz. Laszlo Benes, who also had to leave the field, was not a real alternative for the missing midfielders Christoph Kramer (ill) and Denis Zakaria (strain).
This opened up counterattack opportunities for Leverkusen, but Gladbach initially had hardly any offensive options. The second Leverkusen goal was deserved at that point before Elvedi made the prestige duel exciting again because Sommer also saved Kerem Demribay’s second Leverkusen penalty in the closing stages (88′).
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