Highlights

Matchday 25

FINAL

BayArena

VfL Wolfsburg

WirtzFlorian Wirtz

86'

TellaNathan Tella

37'

28'

JenzMoritz Jenz

D. Siebert

BayArena

0:21

Alonso: "We're taking nothing for granted"

Full-time: Leverkusen 2-0 Wolfsburg

The home side do the business against the ten men of Wolfsburg and are once again ten points clear at the top of the Bundesliga standings. Nathan Tella and Florian Wirtz delivered the goals for Xabi Alonso's men, who had numerical advantage from the 28th minute when Moritz Jenz saw red for the Wolves. It's 36 games unbeaten in all competitions now for B04.

Full-time

90'

Bayer subs

Hložek and Andrich are on for the final minute.

90'

Substitution

Robert Andrich

Exequiel Palacios

90'

Substitution

Adam Hložek

Florian Wirtz

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.

Tiago Barreiros de Melo Tomas34.82km/h

Amin Sarr34.77km/h

Florian Wirtz34.61km/h

88'

Wolfsburg changes

Too little, too late for the Wolves? Kevin Behrens and Patrick Wimmer are on for the away side.

87'

Substitution

Kevin Behrens

Yannick Gerhardt

87'

Substitution

Patrick Wimmer

Cédric Zesiger

86'

B04 home free

They've waited and waited for this and and finally Leverkusen are home free. Palacios launches a superb ball from deep midfield that matches Wirtz's run perfectly. The Bayer No.10 spanks a volley towards the near post and watches at it flies in off the woodwork.

86'

Florian Wirtz

GOAL!

2:0

Goal probability

Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.

30 %

Shot speed

Shot speed describes the maximum speed in km/h that a ball reaches in a shot on goal. The distance is measured from the location of the shot to the centre of the goal.

96 km/h

Distance to Goal

The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.

10.2 m

83'

Casteels shaken

Substitute Jonas Hofmann sees a thumping effort beaten out by Casteels, who is off balance after pushing out that pile-driver.

82'

Iglesias on the spin

Nice build up from Bayer, who work the ball to Borja Iglesias inside the area. The on-loan striker spins and sends a deflected shot over.

81'

Pressure Handling

This Match Fact examines how successfully players perform under pressure. The percentage of "solved situations" indicates how often a player has freed himself from opponent pressure by dribbling, passing, scoring a goal or drawing a foul.

100%

Exequiel Palacios

10 times under pressure

80'

Adli in the book

Adli floors Maxi Arnold and that's a booking for Bayer's No.21.

80'

Yellow card

Amine Adli

78'

Tah nod

Grimaldo's corner is headed weakly at goal by Tah. Casteels saves easily.

76'

Werkself changes

Jonas Hofmann and Borja Iglesias are sent on. Plenty of applause for the departing Nathan Tella, the scorer of the game's only goal so far.

76'

Substitution

Jonas Hofmann

Nathan Tella

76'

Substitution

Borja Iglesias

Patrik Schick

73'

Distance run (km)

94.2

90.4

Closing on 36

Leverkusen are edging ever closer to a 36th unbeaten game in all competitions.

69'

Xhaka tries one

Leverkusen's captain lashes a shot low at the target from distance. Casteels gets across to palm wide.

66'

Visiting possession

Lest the hosts forget, they are only a single goal ahead and Wolfsburg's time on the ball in the attacking third in the past few minutes serves as a reminder as to Leverkusen's need to put daylight between the teams here.

63'

Wolfsburg changes

Kovac pats Sarr and Vranckx on their backs as the visiting coach sends the pair on to try and affect a change here.

63'

Substitution

Aster Vranckx

Lovro Majer

63'

Substitution

Amin Sarr

Tiago Tomás

61'

Adli off target

Adli gets above his man and heads wide.

59'

Leverkusen swap

Time for a change for the hosts, who bring Amine Adli on for Piero Hincapié.

59'

Substitution

Amine Adli

Piero Hincapie

58'

Duels won

Florian Wirtz Kevin Paredes

Alonso busy

Bayer's coach has been constantly shouting instructions to his players throughout this game. Leverkusen have once again been well drilled here as they look to extend their incredible unbeaten run.

52'

Chances continue to arrive

There's no let up from Leverkusen here as they go in search of the goal that could well kill Wolfsburg's challenge.

Goal attempts

5off target

3on target

1off target

1on target

50'

Wirtz free kick

Wirtz and Grimaldo stand over a free kick outside the Wolfsburg box. Leverkusen's No.10 strikes the set piece against the top of the wall and the ball flies out for a corner, which comes to nothing.

47'

Almost Hincapié

Tella arcs a left-footed pass from the right towards the back stick. Hincapié slides in and just fails to make contact.

46'

Peeep!

Leverkusen get us underway in the second half. The hosts had 66% ball possession and seven shots to Wolfsburg's two in the first half. Will Xabi Alonso's men continue to dominate against the ten men in this second 45'?

Kick-off!

Half-time

Half-time: Leverkusen 1-0 Wolfsburg

Nathan Tella's headed goal from Álex Grimaldo's brilliant assist has the Bundesliga leaders sitting pretty against Wolfsburg's ten men at the break.

45'

Ball Recovery Time

Ball Recovery Time gives the time in seconds in which it takes a team to win back the ball following a loss of possession. It also allows conclusions to be drawn about a team's style of play. Only time when the ball is in play is counted (i.e. no breaks in play such as for goal-kicks, throw-ins etc).

B04

WOB

12.6 s

24.7 s

44'

Tah off target

Tah slips as he shoots and the ball dribbles past Casteels' post.

43'

More to come?

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).

The half-time break can't come soon enough for the ten men of Wolfsburg. The hosts are enjoying themselves now.

xGoals

1.43

0.12

Goals

40'

All Leverkusen

Grimaldo cuts outside after accepting a short corner on the right. The Spaniard curls a wonderful pass in for Palacios, whose header is tipped over by the diving Casteels.

39'

Stats increasing

Tella has five Bundesliga goals to his name now, Grimaldo ten assists.

38'

Leverkusen lead

Tella nods in right in front of goal but this is all about Grimaldo, who sprints to the ball on the left inside the area, leaves Bornauw for dead and dinks a delightful ball onto the head of Tella. Super stuff from the league leaders.

37'

Nathan Tella

GOAL!

1:0

Goal probability

77 %

Distance to Goal

The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.

3.16 m

32'

Wolfsburg change

Niko Kovac responds to seeing his side go down to ten men by bringing Sebastiaan Bornauw on for Jonas Wind, who is far from happy at being withdrawn.

32'

Substitution

Sebastiaan Bornauw

Jonas Wind

31'

Wirtz closest

That Florian Wirtz effort against the upright is the closest we've come to a goal so far. Wirtz has hit the woodwork six times this season, more than any other player in 2023/24.

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.

Tiago Barreiros de Melo Tomas34.82km/h

Nathan Adewale Temitayo Tella34.12km/h

Kevin Alexander Paredes33.15km/h

28'

Wolfsburg down to ten

The wind has likely been taken out of Wolfsburg's sails here after Jenz treads on Schick's foot and sees a second yellow. Wolfsburg are down to ten men.

28'

Second yellow card

Moritz Jenz

Even contest

We've seen chances at both ends in this game. It's been intensely entertaining thus far. Baku is the latest player to have a go, his shot being deflected away from danger.

25'

Zesiger has a go

Cédric Zesiger side-foots a terrific volley from inside the D which has Hrádecký flying to tip over the crossbar.

22'

Leverkusen hit the post!

A lovely move from the home side sees Xhaka play a delightful pass in for Wirtz, who spanks a low shot that pummels the base of the post.

20'

Happy together

Reunited in midfield, Granit Xhaka and Exequiel Palacios have been at the centre of everything so far for the hosts today.

17'

Hosts dominating the ball

Possession (%)

6238

16'

Stanišić from range

Josip Stanišić finds some space on the right and he lets fly from just outside the box on the right. The shot is straight down Casteels' throat and the Wolfsburg keeper makes an easy save.

14'

Wind lurking

Wind has a chance in front of goal but the ball seems to come too quickly to the Wolfsburg forward and Hrádecký can clean up.

12'

Jenz in the book

Jenz almost removes Wirtz's jersey and that's a no brainer for the ref, yellow card.

12'

Yellow card

Moritz Jenz

10'

Wolfsburg threaten

Majer and Wind combine to set up a very threatening moment for Wolfsburg yet the former fails to take a stab at goal when the opportunity arises.

Gerhardt booked

Gerhardt rakes his studs down Wirtz's calf and after the Leverkusen No. 10 collapses to the turf, Gerhardt is booked.

Yellow card

Yannick Gerhardt

Casteels alert

Grimaldo's slick pass along the floor almost releases Schick, but Casteels comes off his line to collect.

B04 attacking from the off

Wirtz frees Tella down the right and Leverkusen win a quick-fire corner, which comes to nothing.

Away we go

Wolfsburg get us up and running in Matchday 25's final game.

Kick-off!

Almost there ...

Both sides form huddles and we're nearly ready to go in Leverkusen.

Leverkusen anthem

Scarves up from the home fans as the B04 anthem rings out around the BayArena. We await this evening's teams.

0:18

Wolfsburg warm-up

0:16

Leverkusen warm-up

Destination: meisterschale!

Leverkusen are on the home stretch towards a first-ever Bundesliga title and they will know that every side who previously had more than 18 wins after 24 matchdays became champions. Leverkusen are currently on 20 wins in 2023/24. Not that today's hosts will be taking anything for granted, of course.

Surprising stat

Incredibly, in the last 15 meetings between these teams, the home team has failed to win (10 away wins, five draws).

Wolves keen to improve

With 25 points after 24 match days, Wolfsburg have equalled their lowest return at this stage of a Bundesliga season. Today's visitors had the same points haul after 25 games in the 2017/18 campaign.

B04 eyeing more records

Should they win against Wolfsburg, the Werkself will equal their club record of 21 victories in a season (1996/97, 1999/2000 and 2001/2000) and will have won as many times as last year's champions Bayern Munich in 2022/23.

Wolfsburg go for Wind power

With Joakim Maehle suspended, Cedric Zesiger goes in at left back for the visitors, who opt for Jonas Wind and Tiago Tomás instead of Kevin Behrens and Václav Černý here.

Bayer changes

Xabi Alonso showed eight changes to his starting line-up for Thursday's 2-2 draw in Qarabağ and the Leverkusen boss makes six here compared that game. Granit Xhaka and Exequiel Palacios are together in midfield again for the first time since Matchday 18. Elsewhere, the on-loan Josip Stanišić will likely line out at right full-back with Jeremie Frimpong suspended. Lukáš Hrádecký, meanwhile, returns to goal in place of Matěj Kovář.

Leverkusen starting XI

Hrádecký (c) - Kossounou, Tah, Hincapié - Stanišić, Palacios, Xhaka, Grimaldo - Tella, Wirtz - Schick

Leverkusen subs

Lomb, Kossounou, Andrich, Mbamba, Puerta, Adli, Hofmann, Hložek, Iglesias

Wolfsburg starting XI

Casteels - Baku, Lacroix, Jenz, Zesiger - Arnold (c), Gerhardt - Tiago Tomás, Majer, Paredes - Wind

Wolfsburg subs

Pervan, Rogério, Bornauw, Fischer, Vranckx, Svanberg, Wimmer, Behrens, Sarr

How will Leverkusen reply to Bayern?

Bayern Munich's thrashing of Mainz yesterday was a vivid reminder that this title race is far from over. It's now down to Leverkusen to respond, and victory today would see them restore their ten-point lead at the top. Wolfsburg, meanwhile, are now just seven clear of the bottom-three and are on a nine-game winless run.

Alonso on Wolfsburg

Alonso has also been briefing media, saying of his opponents: "They always play with great intensity, are strong in transition, are compact and they have lots of possibilities in terms of personnel. We need good energy for Sunday and we have lots of fresh players for that. I say again and again, we need the whole squad!"

Kovač on Leverkusen

A former Leverkusen player, Wolves boss Niko Kovač has been speaking ahead of his return to the BayArena. We'll have his pre-match quotes shortly.

3:04

Watch: Alonso steering Leverkusen to title glory

Unbeaten in 34 competitive games and 10 points clear of defending champions Bayern - is this Leverkusen's year?

Banana skin?

Wolfsburg have won on four of their last five trips to Leverkusen, and are currently unbeaten in seven at the BayArena.

Probable line-ups

Who's set to play this weekend? Who's going to miss out? Keep up to date with all the latest team news right here!

2:03

Watch: Wolfsburg 1-2 Bayer Leverkusen - previous meeting

Jeremie Frimpong - who was on target against Cologne last weekend - scored one and made another in Wolfsburg on Matchday 8. The Leverkusen right-back has produced eight goals and six assists in the Bundesliga this season, but misses out against Wolfsburg through suspension.

2:03

Watch: Cologne 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen - highlights

Unbeaten Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen moved 10 points clear of Bayern Munich with a derby win in Cologne. Twenty-one points would now be enough for Die Werkself over the last 10 games, regardless of Bayern's results, to claim their maiden Bundesliga title.

2:03

Watch: Wolfsburg 2-3 VfB Stuttgart - highlights

Wolfsburg are winless in nine following defeat to third-placed VfB Stuttgart. They begin the weekend in 13th place, eight points clear of the bottom three.

0:30

Hello and welcome!

Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of this Matchday 25 fixture between Leverkusen and Wolfsburg.