Highlights

Matchday 21

FINAL

SIGNAL IDUNA PARK

Bayer 04 Leverkusen

TiggesSteffen Tigges

89'

87'

DiabyMoussa Diaby

53'

TahJonathan Tah

28'

AndrichRobert Andrich

20'

WirtzFlorian Wirtz

FrimpongJeremie Frimpong

16'

10'

AkanjiManuel Akanji

D. Siebert

SIGNAL IDUNA PARK

0:17

REYNA FOCUSING ON FITNESS

Full-time

90'

Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 90 minutes

Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.

Mitchel Bakker34.09km/h

Moussa Diaby33.12km/h

Donyell Malen32.65km/h

89'

ONE BACK FROM TIGGES!

Tigges gets one back with a tap-in from a couple of yards after Moukoko's square ball was deflected across. It was initially ruled out for offside but a VAR review shows Moukoko was onside and it's given.

89'

Steffen Tigges

GOAL!

2:5

88'

SituationNo goal

ReviewOffside?

DecisionGoal

88'

Substitution

Amine Adli

Moussa Diaby

88'

Substitution

Tim Fosu-Mensah

Jeremie Frimpong

87'

FIVE!

Game, set and match for brilliant Leverkusen. Andrich wins the ball inside his own half and sends Frimpong away, who crosses deep for Diaby and he puts past Kobel on the slide for his ninth of the season and the icing on the cake for a great result.

87'

Moussa Diaby

GOAL!

1:5

86'

FAR BETTER FROM DORTMUND

But too late this half.

Goal attempts

8off target

5on target

3off target

6on target

84'

Substitution

Steffen Tigges

Marco Reus

83'

BELLINGHAM!

Dortmund have improved but it seems a bit too late. Bellingham has been their biggest threat and has another go with a low curler from inside the box. Again, Grill is equal to the effort.

81'

Substitution

Charles Aránguiz

Florian Wirtz

81'

Substitution

Lucas Alario

Patrik Schick

80'

REYNA!

He was in such great form before his injury and almost returns with a bang as he's played in by Bellingham, but Grill is equal to his shot.

79'

Substitution

Youssoufa Moukoko

Donyell Malen

76'

GREAT WEEKEND FOR LEVERKUSEN

While Dortmund look set to fall nine points behind Bayern, Leverkusen can be very pleased with Matchday 21. Defeat for Union and Freiburg, combined with a win here, means they are going four points clear of fourth. They reduce the gap to BVB in second to five points.

75'

BELLINGHAM OFF TARGET

He tries to bend one from the left of the box but it's off target.

71'

STARK CONTRAST

xGoals

The xGoals value of a club is calculated from the sum of all goal probabilities (goals and shots on goal) of that team. During a match, it’s easy to see whether the club is performing better than expected (goals > xGoals) - or maybe even higher (xGoals > goals).

Dortmund came into the game as the most clinical team in the division but are yet to create anything of real note and got their goal from an own goal. Leverkusen were the second most clinical and have really lived up to that.

xGoals

0.3

1.6

Goals

68'

Substitution

Odilon Kossounou

Karim Bellarabi

65'

SHOULD BE FIVE!

Dortmund's defence is still all at sea as Wirtz dances away from Zagadou and cuts back towards the penalty spot. Schick and Diaby are both coming in for what should be a tap-in, but get in each other's way. First thing the visitors have got wrong today.

65'

OVER FROM DAHOUD

The midfielder tries to get one back with a chest and volley from 18 yards, but it's sliced well over on his weaker left.

61'

Substitution

Giovanni Reyna

Thorgan Hazard

61'

REYNA RETURNS

After five months out injured, Gio Reyna makes his comeback. Remember that his dad Claudio used to play for Leverkusen.

60'

THE SOFT UNDERBELLY

Borussia have conceded 12 goals this season from set pieces (including a free-kick and a corner today) and 11 after losses of possession (also one today). Leverkusen have been clinical in punishing those weaknesses.

FOUR FOR BAYER 04!

Dortmund had looked better this half but they now find themselves 4-1 down. A corner from the right isn't dealt with as it's headed back across and then slightly clear. Only as far as Tah, who swings a left foot at it and volleys the ball high into the net from 10 yards. An excellent finish from Leverkusen's stand-in captain.

53'

Jonathan Tah

GOAL!

1:4

52'

EXCELLENT FROM ZAGADOU

Bellarabi is running into the box at pace and about to deliver until Zagadou slides across and gets a foot to the ball.

51'

BRANDT HAS A GO...

A sweet effort from the BVB man from distance and an awkward one for Grill as it bounces just in front of him while diving. He does well to push it wide.

46'

BELLARABI BOOKED

The Leverkusen man stops Brandt from countering and is cautioned.

46'

Yellow card

Karim Bellarabi

46'

BVB CHANGE

Unsurprisingly, the hosts decide they need to change something. There's no Haaland but Marius Wolf has a similar bun hairstyle...

Kick-off!

45'

+ 4

Substitution

Marius Wolf

Thomas Meunier

HALF-TIME!

Boos ring out around the Signal Iduna Park from the 10,000 home supporters. Their team have been second best by a long way. You talk about a team wanting it more. Well, Leverkusen have wanted this more, giving BVB nothing and being first to everything. Can they keep it up or will Borussia come out swinging?

Half-time

45'

+ 2

STUNNED

The last time Dortmund conceded three in the first half of a Bundesliga game was on 22 November 2019 against Paderborn, although that one ended 3-3 after a late, late equaliser. They've never let in more in the first half of a home game in the top flight.

45'

+ 1

ADDED TIME

Three more minutes to be played at the end of the first half as Hazard is slipped in behind by Dahoud but Grill is out very quickly to smother.

45'

ABOUT TIME FOR ANOTHER?

It's been 15 minutes since a goal at the Signal Iduna Park....

44'

NOW BAKKER

The Dutchman pinches the ball off Bellingham on the edge of his own box, darts into space and lets fly from a narrowing angle on the right. Kobel can only push the shot over for another corner.

43'

ALMOST FROM DIABY

Last matchday's hat-trick hero is sent away down the left after a lovely reverse ball. He's about to pull the trigger but Akanji throws himself in the way to block for a corner.

41'

THERE IT IS

The first attempt on goal from the home side and it comes from Bellingham four minutes before the break. A simple stop for Grill, though.

39'

STILL NO DORTMUND ATTEMPT

Leverkusen have been outstanding so far at both ends of the pitch. Cameras keep panning to a frustrated looking Erling Haaland in the stands.

Goal attempts

0off target

0on target

1off target

4on target

37'

WE TAKE IT BACK

Turns out Andrich is a bit of a free-kick expert, having put away two of his 10 attempts in the Bundesliga. His first was for Union against Wolfsburg on 9 January 2021. It's the first direct free-kick Leverkusen have scored since Leon Bailey against Bremen in March 2019. The last time they did so away was also here in Dortmund (Wendell on 4 March 2017).

30'

Speed check: The fastest player in the game after 30 minutes

Through high-end camera technology and machine learning, the speed of each player is evaluated in real time. Top speed then means, the fastest measured single frame of a player/game.

Mitchel Bakker32.71km/h

Donyell Malen32.65km/h

Jeremie Agyekum Frimpong32.58km/h

SUBLIME ANDRICH!

Who had Robert Andrich down as a free-kick taker? He's produced an absolute peach here. Left of the area, curled perfectly over the wall into the near corner. Kobel no chance and Leverkusen are 3-1 up!

28'

Robert Andrich

GOAL!

1:3

27'

DAHOUD TAKES ONE FOR THE TEAM

The BVB midfielder decides to stop Schick before he can get into the box and hauls him back - just a yard before the line.

26'

Yellow card

Mahmoud Dahoud

25'

OWN GOAL BENEFICIARIES

It's the second time this season a Bundesliga game has seen two own goals. The first also involved Leverkusen as they benefited from two in the first 14 minutes against Augsburg on Matchday 3.

23'

DEMIRBAY!

Almost three for Leverkusen as Bakker cuts back from wide on the left to Demirbay coming from deep. The former BVB youth player hits it first time but the ball takes a deflection, leaving Kobel stranded and relieved as it whizzes just over the corner of his goal.

22'

THREE GOALS...

...and only two shots taken so far.

Goal attempts

0off target

0on target

0off target

2on target

LEVERKUSEN RESPOND AGAIN!

This game is already living up to expectations. Dortmund are on the attack but lose the ball on the edge of the Leverkusen box. Die Werkself then deliver a brilliant counter as Bakker plays the ball upfield. Within seconds Bellarabi is slipping in Wirtz and he knocks the ball past Kobel to put the visitors back in front.

20'

Florian Wirtz

GOAL!

1:2

16'

IMMEDIATE RESPONSE!

Dortmund aren't behind for long. Brandt curls in a free-kick from wide on the right that Meunier gets his head to at the front post. It looks to flick off two Leverkusen defenders on the way through as it nestles in the far post. Meunier claims it but it's been given as a Frimpong own goal. One apiece on own goals.

16'

Jeremie Frimpong

OWN GOAL!

1:1

15'

SituationGoal

ReviewOffside?

DecisionGoal

11'

GIFT FOR LEVERKUSEN

Dortmund the architects of their own downfall here. Zagadou dithers in possession at the back and has the ball pinched by Wirtz, who plays in Schick. He's denied by an excellent save by Kobel, but the goalkeeper unintentionally pushes the ball straight into the retreating Akanji, who knows nothing about it as he knocks it into his own net.

10'

Manuel Akanji

OWN GOAL!

0:1

EARLY BATTLE DOWN ONE SIDE?

The two fastest players on the pitch so far and former teammates in Paris have already have already had a tussle together.

Fastest runner (km/h)

31.37

32.71

Thomas Meunier Mitchel Bakker

ALMOST THROUGH...

Both sides are throwing men forward as expected. Twice Dortmund win the ball and attempt a telling through ball, but on both occasions Tah and Hincapie get in there just before a yellow shirt can get through on goal.

Kick-off!

TEAMS IN THE TUNNEL

Both sides are making their way out into the massive Signal Iduna Park. Only holding 10,000 today, but it's a start on the return to normality again. Among those in attendance is Germany head coach Hansi Flick. Wirtz, Reus.. Who else might he have an eye on?

2:03

WATCH: PREVIOUS MEETING

This fixture has averaged five goals per game over the last 10 meetings. It was seven in the meeting at the start of this season as Leverkusen took the lead three times but were pegged back on each occasion before Haaland put BVB ahead for the first but decisive time.

EXPECT GOALS

These two teams are the most clinical in the division when it comes to putting away chances, as our Bundesliga Match Facts powered by AWS show. Haaland’s absence could be key for BVB, given he’s also the most clinical player in the league – followed in second by Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick.

0:22

WATCH: OUT TO WARM UP

2:38

WATCH: REYNA RETURN ON THE CARDS

There’s good news, though, for Dortmund as they welcome back Gio Reyna for the first time in over five months. Injuries mean he hasn’t played since 27 August. The American started the season in such good form, scoring twice in the first three games. Today could be a big day for the Reyna family as Gio potentially makes his comeback against the club his dad Claudio made his European breakthrough.

LEVERKUSEN TEAM NEWS

Gerardo Seoane makes two changes from the team that comfortably beat Augsburg 5-1 last time out. One is enforced with captain and goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky unavailable. It’s the first game he’s missed this league season, so Lennart Grill comes in for his fifth Bundesliga appearance. He’s lost three of his first four and conceded seven times. The other change sees Kerem Demirbay restored after suspension, in place of Amine Adli in a more balanced setup.

DORTMUND TEAM NEWS

Marco Rose makes three changes from the side that started the win at Hoffenheim a fortnight ago. Dan-Axel Zagadou is in for Mats Hummels in central defence, Thomas Meunier for Marius Wolf at right-back and Thorgan Hazard for the injured Erling Haaland up front. It’s the seventh time this season BVB have had to play a Bundesliga game without their Norwegian striker. Their record so far is four wins and two draws.

0:26

WATCH: THE WALK THE PLAYERS WILL MAKE TODAY

LEVERKUSEN SUBS

Lomb, Kossounou, Paulinho, Alario, Aranguiz, Fosu-Mensah, Sertdemir, Adli

LEVERKUSEN XI

Grill - Frimpong, Tah (c), Hincapie, Bakker - Andrich, Demirbay - Bellarabi, Wirtz, Diaby - Schick

DORTMUND SUBS

Hitz, Reyna, Schulz, Hummels, Moukoko, Tigges, Witsel, Pongracic, Wolf

DORTMUND XI

Kobel - Meunier, Akanji, Zagadou, Guerreiro - Brandt, Dahoud, Bellingham - Reus (c), Malen, Hazard

Welcome along!

Here you can find all the information about Dortmund against Leverkusen on Matchday 21.