Highlights

Matchday 14

FINAL

WWK ARENA

Bayer 04 Leverkusen

40'

WirtzFlorian Wirtz

14'

TerrierMartin Terrier

F. Zwayer

WWK ARENA

0:30

Watch: Xabi Alonso: "We've learned our lessons"

Full-time: Augsburg 0-2 Leverkusen

The second half ends the same as the first as Leverkusen hold on for an uneventful but necessary victory. With Bayern losing away at Mainz, this could be a huge three points in the Bundesliga title race.

Full-time

90'

+ 2

Hrádecký finally troubled

The Leverkusen captain has to make a proper save, this time on a long-range Alexis Claude-Maurice strike. From the corner Jakić gets another header away, but it's past the far post.

90'

+ 2

Substitution

Jeanuël Belocian

Alejandro Grimaldo

90'

+ 2

Substitution

Arthur

Jeremie Frimpong

90'

+ 1

Wolf toiling

The midfielder has had a strong game and jinks into the box and almost fashions a chance but Hincapié sends his final ball behind.

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.

Jeremie Agyekum Frimpong35.59km/h

Jonathan Tah32.63km/h

Dimitrios Christos Giannoulis32.55km/h

87'

Substitution

Aleix García

Nathan Tella

87'

Substitution

Exequiel Palacios

Robert Andrich

87'

Substitution

Steve Mounié

Frank Onyeka

86'

Wirtz still prying

Dropping deeper since the introduction of Schick, Wirtz almost picks the striker out with a lovely ball into the box.

84'

Leverkusen suffocating the hosts

Leverkusen are taking the oxygen out of the match now, seemingly happy to hold onto the ball and their 2-0 lead.

Passes

285

652

79'

Pace the solution?

Augsburg take off the imposing Essende and bring on the rapid Rubén Vargas to try and find some holes in Leverkusen's defence.

76'

Substitution

Rubén Vargas

Samuel Essende

74'

Wirtz at work

The German star sees a free-kick blocked, then a dangerous corner come to nothing.

70'

Another set piece chance

Leverkusen again fail to deal with a ball into the box, and it eventually ends up at the feet of Gouweleeuw who smashes over when he should do better.

69'

Substitution

Patrik Schick

Martin Terrier

69'

Wasteful hosts

Augsburg remain level with Leverkusen when it comes to shots on goal, but they've all been far too easy for Hrádecký.

Goal attempts

1off target

3on target

9off target

3on target

Frustration for Alonso

The Spaniard doesn't look happy with what he's watching as Andrich and then Grimaldo hold onto the ball for too long. Could some changes be on the way?

60'

Double change from Thorup

Augsburg switch things up with Alexis Claude-Maurice and Koudossou coming on for a different style in the final third.

59'

Substitution

Alexis Claude-Maurice

Phillip Tietz

59'

Substitution

Henri Koudossou

Dimitrios Giannoulis

56'

Another yellow

Tietz catches Andrich with a painful one in a good position and receives a booking. The resulting free-kick from Wirtz isn't good enough.

54'

Yellow card

Phillip Tietz

53'

Wirtz the main man

Wirtz is making things tick outside the box, and inside it. Having tried to create a chance in the final third, he goes alone and draws a nice save from Labrović.

52'

Innacurate

Leverkusen aren't looking as fluent in the second half. A cross from Frimpong goes out of play and then Wirtz fails to deliver a final ball after a nice link-up with Grimaldo.

Too easy again

Augsburg get another header on target from a ball into the box, but once again it's straight into Hrádecký's arms from Tietz.

47'

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.

93%

Granit Xhaka

14 times under pressure

46'

Back underway

Leverkusen get us restarted and instantly search for a third.

Kick-off!

45'

+ 3

Substitution

Mert Kömür

Arne Maier

Half-time: Augsburg 0-2 Leverkusen

Leverkusen have been both dominant yet efficient with their few chances, but Augsburg may feel a little hard done by as they've been dangerous with balls into the box. The next goal will be crucial.

Half-time

45'

+ 1

Last chance of the half?

Leverkusen win a free kick on the edge of the box, but dead ball specialist Grimaldo fails to trouble the goalkeeper.

44'

Yellow card

Jeffrey Gouweleeuw

43'

Another offside chance

Augsburg again cause trouble from a set piece, and Tietz should score all alone in the six-yard box, however, he'd have been offside anyway.

Two shots two goals!

Wirtz is found in space by Tella, carries the ball into the box, fakes a shot, then makes no mistake to pick out a corner. Trademark from the no.10.

40'

Florian Wirtz

GOAL!

0:2

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.

8 %

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.

95.04 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.

17.04 m

39'

Augsburg still in this

The hosts have in fact had more shots on goal, but they were both straight at Hrádecký.

Goal attempts

1off target

2on target

3off target

1on target

36'

Another fine save

Labrović makes another great stop on Tella, but it was offside anyway.

32'

Augsburg chance

With men in the box, an Augsburg chance goes to waste as Leverkusen crowd out a potential tap in. The ball comes out to Maier, but it's straight at Hrádecký.

31'

All down the left

Despite the goal coming from Frimpong, Leverkusen are having plenty of luck on the other side of the pitch with Grimaldo and Wirtz. Another corner goes to waste, but it's another warning for the hosts.

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.

Jeremie Agyekum Frimpong35.59km/h

Dimitrios Christos Giannoulis32.33km/h

Martin Albert Frederic Terrier31.66km/h

28'

Jakić busy

Augsburg's Croatian midfielder is busy in midfield, stopping things getting worse.

Duels won

Kristijan Jakić Martin Terrier

25'

Augsburg thought they were level!

A great ball into the box was flicked on by Schlotterbeck, up and over Hrádecký into the back of the net, however, the flag goes straight up and the offside is ratified by VAR.

24'

SituationNo goal

ReviewOffside?

DecisionNo goal

23'

What a save!

Tella fashions an opportunity on the edge of the box and his shot is deflected, sending it straight towards the bottom corner. Labrović manages to read it and tips it around the post with a fingertip.

20'

Bayer's ball

Leverkusen are in complete control after their opener.

Possession (%)

2674

Delightful opener!

Leverkusen make it look easy, but it's all thanks to Xhaka. He pings a ball over Augsburg's midfield to a sprinting Frimpong, and the right-back then pulls it back perfectly for Terrier to sweep home.

14'

Martin Terrier

GOAL!

0:1

Goal probability

28 %

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.

73.73 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.

11.94 m

13'

Onyeka booked

A mistimed challenge sees Onyeka take down Andrich on the halfway line and it's an easy yellow card.

12'

Yellow card

Frank Onyeka

11'

Augsburg's first venture forward

Augsburg keep the ball in the final third for the first time but Tapsoba and Frimpong do well to clear some dangerous balls into the box.

10'

Pressure on

Wirtz takes two consecutive corners to the near post, but Augsburg manage to get both away.

Corners

Grimaldo at work

This time it's the flying left-back's turn to attack, and he pings in a cross that's well cleared by Schlotterbeck for another corner.

Pressure on

Leverkusen's corner comes to nothing, but they haven't given up the ball since.

First corner

Jeremie Frimpong flies out the blocks and causes some pressure down the Augsburg right for a the first corner of the match.

We're underway!

Aigsburg get us kicked off at the WWK Arena.

Kick-off!

Boost up front for Augsburg

The hosts will be happy to see Samuel Essende's name in the line-up given that he missed training this week through illness. The summer signing has six goals in all competitions this term, making him Augsburg's joint-top scorer along with Tietz.

Alonso's tweaks

After huge success midweek in downing an unbeaten Inter with a back four, Alonso switches to his trusted 3-4-3. With a three man defence this season Leverkusen's record reads 11 wins, six draws and one defeat. With a back four it's three wins and a draw.

More on those teams

Alonso makes two switches from the 1-0 win over Inter, calling on Andrich and Terrier while Palacios and Mukiele move to the bench. Augsburg similarly make a pair of changes from the 2-2 draw against Frankfurt, bringing in Maier and Giannoulis for Koudossou and Rexhbecaj.

Augsburg starting XI

Labrović - Matsima, Gouweleeuw (c), Schlotterbeck - Wolf, Onyeka, Jakić, Maier, Giannoulis - Essende, Tietz

Augsburg subs

Klein, Gumny, Bauer, Vargas, Breithaupt, Claude-Maurice, Kömür, Koudossou

Leverkusen starting XI

Hrádecký (c) - Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapié - Frimpong, Xhaka, Andrich, Grimaldo - Terrier, Wirtz - Tella

Leverkusen subs

Kovář, Arthur, Mukiele, Belocian, García, Palacios, Schick, Stepanov, Onyeka

Bayer's Italian job

Ahead of Matchday 6, Inter were in dominant form in the upper reaches of the Champions League standings, unbeaten in five (four wins and a draw) with as many clean sheets, but Leverkusen managed to break them down - and leapfrog them into fourth place - as Nordi Mukiele hit a dramatic injury-time winner on Tuesday night (1-0).

Third time a charm?

Phillip Tietz has scored once in each of his last two Bundesliga appearances, but in his two previous appearances against Leverkusen, he went the full 154 minutes without getting a shot on target.

Road warriors

Last week Bayer 04 Leverkusen celebrated three wins in a row for the first time this Bundesliga season. Die Werkself have not lost in their last 23 Bundesliga away games; only Bayern have managed longer winning streaks on the road (twice).

Home comforts

FC Augsburg have earned 14 of their 16 points at the WWK Arena this season and are currently unbeaten in their last four home games (three wins, one draw).

Bayer: Who will lead the line?

With Victor Boniface still out due to a hamstring complaint, Alonso is hoping to field Patrik Schick, but the Czech striker's fitness (calf) is still in question: "It's possible but we don't want to take any big risks and we'll see if he feels ready." Options to fill the void include Anglo-Nigerian forward Nathan Tella or Germany's Florian Wirtz as a false nine.

Xabi Alonso on facing Augsburg

"In my experience, playing in Augsburg has always been difficult over the last two years. In addition, they have recently changed their system and their strikers are in good form. We expect to face a strong opponent."

Jess Thorup on facing Bayer Leverkusen

"We have to really watch out for Florian Wirtz, of course. Our defence has to be working together and closing down the space."

Essende a doubt

Augsburg's no. 9 was absent from training on both Tuesday and Wednesday due to illness. This could potentially be a big loss for Augsburg as the Congolese international has been in good form recently, having scored two goals in the last week; one in the cup victory against Karlsruhe and the other in the 2-2 draw with Frankfurt.

2:03

Watch: Leverkusen 2-1 Augsburg - previous meeting

Leverkusen triumphed the last time these two sides met, on the last day of the 2023/24 campaign. After securing victory, Die Werkself went on to lift the Bundesliga trophy at the BayArena for the first time in their history.

2:03

Watch: Eintracht Frankfurt 2-2 Augsburg - highlights

Augsburg picked up an impressive point on the road against second-placed Frankfurt last time out. They start the weekend in 13th, with a six-point buffer on the relegation zone.

2:03

Watch: Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 St. Pauli - highlights

Leverkusen made it three wins in a row against St. Pauli to stay third, seven points behind leaders Bayern Munich.

Hello and welcome!

Welcome along and thanks for joining us for the build-up and live coverage of this Matchday 14 fixture between FC Augsburg and Bayer 04 Leverkusen.