Two contrasting halves in BayArena duel
In an energetic showdown at BayArena, the visiting squad entered with discipline and intent. The defense held firm, balancing seriousness with coverage and leaving no gaps to exploit. The Leverkusen side emerged with a clear plan: contain the ball, close down spaces, and keep the game tight. The tactical battle unfolded as the Portuguese forward Joao Felix studied the match carefully, anticipating movements and preventing the Atlético midfield from feeding dangerous balls. That approach allowed the rojiblancos to stay off the German radar and participate in the most heated moments of the clash. The ball found its way into crowded zones, and the Leverkusen defense, organized and alert, restricted chances in the critical zones without inviting openings for Atlético.
Assertive defense and clinical decisions
Luck did not tilt in favor for Atlético as the whistle dictated a sequence of tightly fought exchanges. The home side pressed into the German penalty area, yet Oliver faced and reviewed the calls with a measured eye. Simeone and his players voiced justified complaints, but the officials held their ground. The first half highlighted Atlético’s willingness to contest every ball, even as the chances remained scarce and the ball spent more time in the middle third than in dangerous attacking zones.
As the second half began, Leverkusen seemed to seize the moment. Philip dispatched a short pass, triggering a quick counter that found Schick running with precision. Grbic moved across his goal line and parried the shot that would have broken the deadlock, while the ball kissed the top bar at one notable moment. The match persisted with attempts at both ends, and the goalkeeper’s intervention kept the scoreline intact. Hlozek fired toward goal from the stands and nearly shifted the momentum, while Atlético regained their footing and tried to weather the pressure. Those minutes proved to be the most testing for the rojiblancos as the host team maintained the initiative.
Two goals in two minutes
With the hour approaching, a change in tempo altered the frame of the game. Griezmann rejoined the attack with Carrasco, and Atlético began to tilt the field in their favor. The visiting side pushed Leverkusen back into their own half, and chances started to accumulate for the visitors. The first significant opportunity came when Paul’s effort found Schick, who stood tall and made a sharp save. The rebound found Kossounou in a crowded area, and the ball found the back of the net as a sequence of quick touches created space. Moments later, a counter attack orchestrated by Frimpon released a dangerous ball into the heart of the box, where only Andrich could deny a registered finish.
Six minutes remained in regular time and Atlético sought at least a point to salvage the result. As the game progressed, another swift sequence culminated in a second goal after a precise pass from Frimpon found the area wide open and sailed toward the net, deflecting off a defender and crossing the line. The stadium buzzed with a mix of disbelief and relief as the scoreline shifted in favor of the home side, signaling a decisive late push from Leverkusen.
Atlético faced a challenging moment as the match wore on. The German side maintained a compact shape and continued to test the visitors’ resolve, while Atlético needed a breakthrough to reopen gaps. The clock kept ticking, and the intensity remained high as both teams pressed for a decisive result. The final whistle left Atlético with questions to answer about their defensive balance and the consistency of their buildup in a tense derby scenario.
Atlético conceded the critical moments and finished the match with the impression of a side that needed more cohesion to withstand sustained pressure. The derby looms with renewed urgency, and the rojiblancos will look to channel the lessons from this display into stronger performances in upcoming fixtures. In the end, Leverkusen’s efficiency in the final third proved decisive, cementing a result that mirrored the balance of play over the course of the match.
Card: Leverkusen 2- Atlético 0
LEVERKUSEN: Cardigan (6); Kossounou (5), Tah (5), Tapsoba (5), Hincapié (5); Aranguiz (5), Andrich (7); Hlozek (6), Diaby (6), Hudson-Odoi (5); Schick (6). Coach: Seoane. Substitutions: Bakker (sc) for Aranguiz (sc) and Tapsoba (89) for Frimpon (8); Hlozek (69), Azmoun (sc), Schick (89), Diaby (89)
ATHLETIC: Grbic; Molina (5), Felipe (5), Hermoso (3), Witsel (4), Reinildo (5); Marcos Llorente (4), Koke (5), Saul (6); Joao Felix (6), Morata (4). Coach: Simeone. Substitutions: De Paul (5), Saul (46), Griezmann (5), Nahuel Carrasco (62), Carrasco (4), Reinildo (62), Correa (sc), Joao Félix (72), Cunha (sk), Morata (72)
TARGETS: 1-0, Andrich (84); 2-0, Diaby (86)
JUDGE: Michael Oliver (4). Kossounou warned Tah and Andrich.