Bayer Leverkusen made an emphatic start to their first UEFA Champions League campaign under Xabi Alonso by thrashing Feyenoord 4-0 in the Netherlands.
Feyenoord 0-4 Bayer Leverkusen
Goals: 0-1 Wirtz 5′ (assist: Andrich), 0-2 Grimaldo 31′ (assist: Frimpong), 0-3 Wirtz 36′ (assist: Frimpong), 0-4 Wellenreuther (o.g. 45′)
Leverkusen have already dropped points in the early part of their Bundesliga title defence, but they were back to their untouchable best at the De Kuip. Florian Wirtz set the tone inside five minutes with a well-struck finish after Ramiz Zerrouki had conceded possession to Robert Andrich. Zerrouki had a goal ruled out and Lukas Hrádecký made a routine save from In-Beom Hwang, before Alonso’s side ran away with it. Jeremie Frimpong was heavily involved in quick-fire goals for Álex Grimaldo and Wirtz – the latter completing his brace with a fine volleyed finish. Bayer added a fourth late in the half, when Timo Wellenreuther could only help Edmond Tapsoba’s header from a set-piece into his own net.
Leverkusen took their foot off the gas after the restart as Quinten Timber tested Hrádecký. The 2023/24 Eredivise runners-up continued to plug away, albeit without seriuously troubling Bayer’s well-drilled defence. Victor Boniface and Grimaldo threatened at the other end, though it felt for long periods like the visitors were content just to sit on their sizeable advantage and preserve energy levels for Sunday’s meeting with Wolfsburg. Exequiel Palacios was among the players introduced as the game wore on, the Argentina international twice going close to adding the gloss to a stand-up-and-take-notice performance by the men from the BayArena.
Match stats
- This is the first time Leverkusen scored four away goals in a Champions League match.
- Excluding qualifying, Wirtz’s age of 21 years and 139 days old makes him the second-youngest Leverkusen player ever to score on his Champions League debut. Marko Babić holds the record, netting at the age of 21 and 43 days against Juventus in 2002.
- Alonso made his Champions League coaching debut. The Spaniard made 119 appearances in the competition as a player, lifting the trophy with Liverpool (2004/05) and Real Madrid (2013/14).
- Leverkusen beat Feyenoord in their only meeting to date, prevailing 3-2 in the last 16 of the 1987/88 UEFA Cup on their way to lifting the trophy.
- Die Werkself are now unbeaten in their previous seven UEFA competition games against Dutch opposition (W3, D3).
Line-ups
Feyenoord: Wellenreuther – Lotomba (Hadj Moussa 61′), Beelen, Trauner (Mitchell 72′), Hancko – Hwang, Milambo, Zerrouki (Smal 46′), Timber (c) – Milambo (Nadje 75′), Giménez, Paixão (Ueda 61′)
Unused subs: Bijlow, Berger, Gonzalez, Ivanušec, Carranza, Zechiel, Osman
Out: Hartman (knee), Stengs (knee)
Coach: Brian Priske
Leverkusen: Hrádecký (c) – Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapié – Frimpong, Xhaka (Palacios 81′), Andrich, Grimaldo (Belocian 80′) – Terrier (Adli 72′), Wirtz (García 72′) – Boniface (Schick 62′)
Unused subs: Kovář, Lomb, Hofmann, Arthur, Tella, Mukiele
Out: –
Coach: Xabi Alonso
As it happened!
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