Bayer 04 Leverkusen – Eintracht Frankfurt: Champions Edge a Hard-Fought Victory (2-1)

Eintracht Frankfurt hoped to keep their momentum after a strong result against Bayern München. However, reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen put a stop to their seven-game undefeated run with a narrow 2-1 victory. A match underscored by blunt finishing came down to the wire, with Victor Boniface pushing Xabi Alonso’s side over the finish line.

Tactical analysis and match report by Fahd Ahmed.

Bayer Leverkusen has endured a mixed start to the season. Results-wise, Xabi Alonso’s team has performed well, with only a defeat against RB Leipzig so far. However, when looking at the broader picture and evaluating their performances, more is desired as they have not looked convincing enough for anyone to confidently claim whether Leverkusen will hold onto their crown. A fixture against in-form Eintracht Frankfurt was the perfect opportunity to change that narrative. A dominant display and result would be a statement win, providing more wind behind their sails whilst also overtaking a team ahead in the league table.

Both sides made multiple changes from their last league fixture. The home team did not feature Florian Wirtz, Jonas Hofmann, and Exequiel Palacios, with Martin Terrier, Amine Adli, and Piero Hincapié replacing them. Frankfurt similarly made three changes as Niels Nkounkou, Junior Dina Ebimbe, and Mario Götze replaced Ansgar Knauff, Ellyes Skhiri, and Farès Chaïbi.

The game was a hard-fought battle where both teams matched the other in the first half. The two teams held onto possession during certain periods whilst the other aimed to break effectively in transition. Nonetheless, the game started with the visitors demonstrating their 4-4-2 off-ball . . .