VfL Wolfsburg and Bayer Leverkusen missed an exclamation mark in the Bundesliga in the fight for international business. The zero number on Sunday evening (April 16, 2023) reflected the level of performance quite aptly.
“It wasn’t a highlight game. But we’re in the middle of a very intense time right now.”said Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky afterwards: “The chances were there, of course I would have liked to win. But Koen Casteels held up well, it’s a good result.”
Wolfsburg’s defensive player Josuha Guilavogui was satisfied overall: “We know that Leverkusen have a very good series, they are one of the best teams in the league for me. That was a good performance from us.”
Bayer coach Alonso rotates five times
Bayer coach Xabi Alonso had a 1-1 draw in the Europa League Union Saint Gilloise rotated to five positions and, among other things, national player Florian Wirtz was put on the bench. The creativity of the Leverkusen game suffered drastically as a result, but there was little that was productive from Wolfsburg’s midfield either.
For almost half an hour it was very heavy fare that the spectators in the Autostadt were treated to by two European aspirants. There was an acoustic signal in the 28th minute, but Sardar Azmoun’s cross from a Jeremy Frimpong cross would not have been enough for the lead with a little more precision – Azmoun was ruled offside.
Wolfsburg’s Kaminski and Gerhardt with chances
However, this scene had an effect in that Wolfsburg then invested more in moving forward. Two minutes after Azmoun’s advance, Jakub Kaminski’s shot from a wide cross by Paulo Otávio was just blocked (30th minute). Four minutes later, Otávio was the assist again when Yannick Gerhardt headed the ball, but he didn’t get an assist because Gerhardt heaved the ball over the bar.
VfL also had the first chance after the change of sides, but Omar Marmoush was saved from a slightly too acute angle by Lukas Hrádecký in the Leverkusen goal. Hrádecký’s opponent Koen Casteels, meanwhile, had a largely quiet evening, only in the 54th minute he had to save against Moussa Diaby, who had made a good start.
Wimmer provides stimulation
For the “Wolves” coach Nico Kovac brought in Patrick Wimmer twenty minutes before the end, who also provided some stimulation. The Austrian failed twice at Hrádecký (72′ and 83′), before things got tight again shortly before the end: Casteels cleverly shortened the angle against Diaby and thus saved his team at least one point (89′).
Leverkusen initially required in the Europa League
Before things continue in the Bundesliga, the “Werkself” are challenged in the quarter-final second leg of the Europa League against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise (Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 9 p.m.).
On Matchday 29, VfL Wolfsburg is visiting Bochum (Saturday, April 22, 2023 at 3:30 p.m.). Leverkusen welcomes RB Leipzig the following day (5:30 p.m.).