Bayer Leverkusen opened their Europa League campaign with a 2-0 win over Slovenian champions NK Celje, but the result did not disguise an uneven performance. Carles Martinez and his players expect a clear lift when RB Leipzig visit on Sunday.
Win secured, control missing
- Leverkusen beat Celje 2-0 on Wednesday night, starting the new Europa League season with three points.
- The home side created far more chances, finishing with an 11-2 advantage, but wasted several openings. The breakthrough came via a Celje own goal.
- Celje also found opportunities after careless Leverkusen moments. Mark Flekken, backed by Martinez after his error against Augsburg, delivered a strong display in goal.
- The second half often lacked tempo and precision, with Leverkusen making simple mistakes during their build-up.
Martinez was pleased with the win but not the level. “Everyone knows it was not our best match,” he said. “There are things we need to improve, though it is better to do that after a victory.”
The coach had expected more after the final training session. He felt Leverkusen were effective when they reached the intended spaces, but said the next action needed more speed and aggression.
Flekken and Andrich identify the gaps
Flekken said Leverkusen had made the game unnecessarily difficult. He believed the match could have been effectively settled before half-time, with three or more goals possible.
“It was not a fully convincing performance from us,” Flekken said. “We made it harder for ourselves. We have to look at that and stop doing it in the next games.”
He also pointed to loose technical work after the break, particularly easy first-touch errors in possession.
Robert Andrich focused on Leverkusen’s work without the ball. “There were far too many big spaces and we were not hungry enough in the decisive situations,” he said. “Then you are often chasing the ball.”
The midfielder was frustrated by the flatter passages after the interval and said Leverkusen must become much more aggressive. He warned that the current level would not be enough to win the trophy the club are targeting.
Leipzig next
Leverkusen have already paid for a lack of ruthlessness in domestic competition. They lost 3-2 at Elversberg and drew 2-2 with Augsburg, with defensive lapses proving costly in both matches.
Managing director for sport Simon Rolfes said the team must improve quickly before Leipzig. He described Sunday’s opponents as “a different level” and said the squad knew it had to raise its game.
Leverkusen will need more conviction in front of goal, more bite in duels and tighter work against the ball if they are to produce the response Rolfes expects.
