Bayer 04 Leverkusen made the direct entry into the round of 16 of the Champions League with a home win against Sparta Prague on the last matchday of the group phase.
Once again it was Florian Wirtz who paved the way for the German champion into the KO phase with his goal in the 32nd minute. Nathan Tella (64th) followed in the second half at 2-0 (1-0) victory against Prague. Due to the fifth win in the eighth game, Bayer 04 secured sixth with 16 points.
Leverkusen without Boniface, but with pressure
Before the game it was clear: with a win, Leverkusen is right in the round of 16. And from the beginning, Bayer 04 wanted to leave no doubt about this victory. The hosts, in which the direction of Saudi Arabia, did not stand in the squad, began to be in the squad that was willing to change, and had three shots on top after two minutes. Leverkusen pressed the stamp with a strong counterpressing and a safe possession game.
Only the gate didn’t want to fall at first. After almost a quarter of an hour, the Xabi Alonso team slipped to 11th place by the competition of the competition in the flash table. But of course that was not interested in anyone on the lawn. After half an hour, referee Georgi Kabakow (Bulgaria) decided on a penalty, but when the video images in the view had to be seen that the ball had gone to the defender’s head.
Wirtz Completely counterattack to the leadership
A little later there was no doubt. Nordi Mukiele extended a blow out of the head with his head on his right defense and suddenly Jeremie Frimpong had space for one of his turbochargers. From the right the Dutch moved into the penalty area and had the eye for Wirtz. Frimpong’s back pass pressed Leverkusen’s number 10 from 14 meters to 1-0 into the left lower corner.
With this goal, Leverkusen had moved up to sixth place and thus under the targeted top eight. But the Alonso team did not rest on that. Bayer 04 continued to check the game and almost followed up shortly before the half -time whistle. But Sparta goalkeeper Peter Vindahl Jensen steered a Grimaldo torch (45th) of half-left from the corner over the goal. So it went into the break with a deserved but not comfortable tour for Leverkusen.
Uncocentered Start in halftime two
At the beginning of the second half, Leverkusen had a wobble phase. With reckless mistakes, the hosts invited Sparta to conclusions, but they either passed or were defused by Matej Kovar between the position. But somehow Bayer 04 was missing access and the right punch towards the goal.
In a counterattack Frimpong (62nd) on the right, it was completely alone against four Sparta defenders, lost the ball and then gestured towards the teammates. And as if that had helped, it was 2-0 shortly afterwards. After a Grimaldo free kick from the left to the rebound on the five-meter area, Tella did not hit the ball properly, but that led exactly to the bumpy shot, which it took to hit the goal over the burring defender.
So the Leverkusener was sovereignty. Bayer 04 still had chances through Wirtz (70th) or Grimaldo (71.). Ultimately, the Rhinelanders ended up without any problems and ended the group phase as the best German team.
Leverkusen in March in the round of 16
Leverkusen does not have to deal with the playoff draw on Friday (January 31, 2025, 12 p.m.) in Nyon, but may plan as the sixth in the table for the round of 16 in mid-March and will have home rights in the second leg.
In the Bundesliga, the German champion continues at the end of the 20th matchday on Sunday (02.02.2025, 5.30 p.m.) with the home game against 1899 Hoffenheim.