Highlights
D. Schlager
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0:19
WATCH: SCHICK: "WE DIDN'T CREATE ENOUGH CHANCES"
0:13
WATCH: GUENDOUZI: "BUNDESLIGA MUCH MORE ATTACKING THAN PREMIER LEAGUE"
Full-time
90'
+ 4
BAILEY BOOKED
A late card for Bailey here.
90'
+ 4
90'
+ 3
A CHANCE TO WIN IT!
What a chance to win it as Demirbay curls in a perfect free-kick from the left. It's Lars Bender all alone in front of goal who meets it, but he glances his header wide of goal from eight yards out. The best chance of the game, right at the death.
90'
+ 1
ADDED TIME!
We're now into four minutes of time added on at the end of this game.
86'
STORY OF THE GAME
Neither side have been able to have a shot on target from inside the opposition half today. The perfect story on the struggles for both Leverkusen and Hertha here.
82'
THE BATTLE IN MIDFIELD TODAY
Duels won
14
11
Kerem Demirbay Niklas Stark
80'
SINKGRAVEN BOOKED
A pull back on Ngankam as Hertha looked to break down the right. The first of the day for Leverkusen.
76'
INTO THE FINAL 15...
Changes from both sides with Dardai coming on for Alderete here, and Jedvaj on for Dragovic. Neither side finding the formula to break the other down as we enter the final period of the game. Still, one moment of magic could win it...
75'
Substitution
74'
Substitution
70'
DOUBLE CHANGE
Fresh legs in attack as Lukebakio and Piatek go off to be replaced by Ngankam and Leckie.
70'
Substitution
70'
Substitution
68'
DEMIRBAY JUST WIDE
The midfielder curls one over the wall and the crossbar with his second free-kick of the second half. A good effort, but tough to get up and down quickly from that range.
65'
ONE-SIDED GAME IN ATTACK
Goal attempts
10off target
2on target
1off target
2on target
SEARCHING FOR AN OPENING
© Gladys Chai von der Laage via www.imago-images.de/imago images/Chai v.d. Laage
59'
INTENSE GAME NONETHELESS
Despite neither side being able to produce any genuine clear-cut chances on goal, this has been an incredibly intense game. Most of the reason behind our lack of goals here so far is the pressing of both sides when they are out of possession.
54'
YOUNG VS. OLD
Distance run (km)
7.4
7.7
Florian Wirtz Vladimír Darida
52'
GOOD OMENS HERE
In their last 14 meetings, Hertha and Leverkusen have not ended a match in a draw. Labbadia has also yet to draw a Bundesliga game as Hertha coach, while this fixture has never finished goalless. A good omen to see some scoring in this second half.
50'
NOT FAR AWAY
Lovely play from Darida who sends Pekarik in behind the Leverkusen defence and he reaches the byline but may have taken a touch too many as he misjudges his cross which goes away from danger in the end.
49'
HERTHA PRESSING AGAIN
The away side have started this second half as they did the first, pressing high and hard to force Leverkusen into quick play.
46'
BACK UNDERWAY!
The ball is rolling for the second half in Leverkusen.
Kick-off!
Half-time
42'
WIRTZ EVERYWHERE
The Bundesliga's youngest-ever goalscorer, who is still only 17, has been getting everywhere across the pitch so far. He's demanding the ball from his teammates and producing some fantastic interplay to get the likes of Bailey, Diaby and Schick involved around him. He's a real talent.
39'
BENDER GETTING INVOLVED
The captain - who is operating at right-back - has his third shot on goal of the game already. All of them have been either blocked or deflected, much to his dismay, but he's been heavily involved in the attacking third.
38'
LEVERKUSEN NOT AT THEIR CLINICAL BEST
Goal attempts
6off target
2on target
1off target
2on target
35'
NOW FOR BAILEY
The Jamaican is the next to take a shot from range as he is found in space. He curls this one low towards the right of the goal but Schwolow is equal to it one more. Leverkusen being forced to take shots from range so far.
33'
WHAT A HIT FROM DEMIRBAY!
The midfielder turns quickly on the ball in midfield and hits a superb dipping shot at goal from all of 30 yards. Schwolow watches it all the way and makes sure to send it over his own crossbar. The best effort we've seen at either end so far.
30'
CUNHA BOOKED
The first man to take a caution is Cunha after a challenge on Bender.
27'
ALDERETE HAS A GO!
The centre-back breaks forward with space ahead of him and decides to take a pop from 25 yards out. He had options around him, but the Paraguayan's effort goes wide over the crossbar.
25'
HRADECKY ON HIS TOES
Leverkusen's No.1 had a nightmare last week conceding an own-goal at Bielefeld, but he's started brightly here coming off his line a number of times to break up counter-attacks.
EARLY BATTLES
© INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images
20'
LEVERKUSEN TAKING CONTROL
The hosts looking to keep the ball for longer periods of time here, staying patient in possession to try and break down the Hertha press.
18'
HERTHA HARD AT WORK
14'
EARLY PRESSING
Hertha are giving Leverkusen no room to breathe on the ball so far, and forcing their hosts into giving up the ball easily. So far so good for the capital club.
12'
LUKEBAKIO AGAIN
Hertha with some tidy interplay up the pitch as Cunha plays Lukebakio in on goal. He has to slide to reach this ball, though, and can't get enough power behind his shot which Hradecky saves with ease.
9'
LUKEBAKIO NOT FAR AWAY!
Boyata's long ball into the Leverkusen box meets Lukebakio's run and he is inches from being able to bring it down before having a shot against Hradecky. This one is gathered by the grateful Finn between the Leverkusen sticks.
8'
HERTHA ON THE BALL
The away side slightly edging the possession in these early stages but it's Leverkusen who have looked a little more threatening when on the ball. Neither side able to produce a real chance on goal so far.
3'
WIRTZ INVOLVED EARLY ON
The 17-year-old is getting on the ball quickly here in his advanced midfield role - ahead of Baumgartlinger and Demirbay. He will be a key man for Leverkusen today.
1'
AWAY WE GO!
The home side get things underway in Leverkusen...
Kick-off!
MINUTE'S SILENCE
As has been the case across all Bundesliga games this weekend, both teams will meet in the centre-circle to take a moment of silence to remember Diego Maradona after the football legend passed away this week at 60.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
Leverkusen could leap into second place with a win this afternoon. Hertha, on the other hand, are sat in 13th and four points behind Werder Bremen in 12th.
IN-FORM VS. OUT OF FORM
Leverkusen come into this one on a five-game winning run in the Bundesliga, their longest such spell since early 2016. As such, they are the most in-form team in the league. Meanwhile, Hertha have won just once in their last seven outings in the Bundesliga.
0:13
WATCH: GETTING WARM
THE MISSING PIECE
Cunha has found the target in five different games for Hertha in 2020/21, but his side have only won two of those. In fact, Hertha have gone 1-0 up in each of their last four matches, but only went on to earn maximum points in one of them (against Augsburg). Meanwhile, striker Krzysztof Piatek has hit the woodwork twice this season, more than any other player in the league.
LEVERKUSEN LOVE A SUNDAY
Our fun fact of the day is that Die Werkself have won more games on a Sunday than any other team in Bundesliga history (80 from 164). They have drawn 39 of those and lost 45. They are also unbeaten in their last 10 outings on Sundays (seven wins).
STILL LOOKING SCHICK?
Leverkusen may be without Alario - third in the overall scorers' list with seven goals this season - but in his place they have Patrik Schick, who returned to full fitness in style during the week as he scored in Leverkusen's UEFA Europa League win over Hapoel Be'er Sheva. It's the former Leipzig loanee's first start since Matchday 3, and his return will be welcomed by an injury-hit Leverkusen squad.
LEVERKUSEN TEAM NEWS
Plenty of unexpected absentees for Peter Bosz today with Lucas Alario (light knee problems), Karim Bellarabi (thigh) and Nadiem Amiri (illness) all being ruled out today. As well as that trio, Edmond Tapsoba and Sven Bender have failed late fitness tests and are also ruled out meaning Leverkusen have one five substitutes available of which two are goalkeepers. Difficult times for Bosz and his troops.
HERTHA TEAM NEWS
The capital club are unchanged from their 5-2 defeat at the hands of Borussia Dortmund last time out, with Bruno Labbadia preferring to stick with his side which were in fact ahead 1-0 at half-time in that game.
LEVERKUSEN STARTING XI!
Hradecky - L. Bender (c), Tah, Dragovic, Sinkgraven - Wirtz, Baumgartlinger, Demirbay - Bailey, Schick, Diaby
LEVERKUSEN SUBS
Grill, Lomb, Jedvaj, Wendell, Weiser, Gedikli
HERTHA STARTING XI!
Schwolow - Pekarik, Boyata (c), Alderete, Plattenhardt - Stark, Guendouzi - Lukebakio, Darida, Cunha - Piatek
HERTHA SUBS
Mittelstädt, Ngankam, Zeefuik, Leckie, Tousart, Löwen, Dilrosun, Dardai, Jarstein
LINE-UPS COMING UP!
We're around 20 minutes from finding out the official line-ups for the first of our two games this Sunday, with Bayer Leverkusen playing host to Hertha Berlin at the BayArena.
Welcome!
Here you will find the most important information on the game between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Hertha Berlin on Matchday 9 of the 2020/21 Bundesliga season.