- Bayer Leverkusen managed to turn things around in extremis in the second leg of the Europa League round of 16 against Karabakh.
- After the 2-2 draw in the first leg, the Bundesliga leaders turned around a 0-2 deficit in the second leg at their own stadium.
- Patrik Schick became a celebrated hero with a brace in added time.
- Click here for the round-up of the other Europa League round of 16.
Leverkusen’s fairy tale in the 2023/24 season has an incredible chapter added to it. At the latest after Karabakh’s Juninho made it 2-0 in the 67th minute, the Werkself’s clean slate seemed to be in acute danger. This was despite the fact that coach
Legend:
Total salvation
Patrik Schick celebrates the ultra-late 3-2 winning goal.
Reuters/Wolfgang Rattay
With their very first defeat of the season in sight – in their 37th competitive game across all competitions – the Leverkusen team actually picked themselves up again. Jeremie Frimpong brought back hope for the big turnaround with the 1-2 goal (72nd). What followed was an attack by the home team, which was unsuccessful until injury time.
Extra time forced, extra time avoided
Once again a loud murmur went through the stadium when the stadium announcer announced stoppage time. 6 minutes to stay undefeated. But one Leverkusen player in particular had a different, even better plan: Patrik Schick.
- 93rd minute: Alejandro Grimaldo once again proves his qualities as a preparer. A sharp cross from the Spanish full-back finds Schick, who maneuvers the ball into the goal from close range to make it 2-2.
- 97th minute: Due to the 2:2, an additional minute is added. Exequiel Palacios wins the ball back in midfield with a neat tackle. A few seconds later, the Argentine hit a precise cross to the Czech Schick, who nodded his head to make it 3-2.
Although the game started again, the decimated guests from Azerbaijan were unable to achieve anything offensively. This meant that Karabakh were eliminated, even though they were in the lead for 101 minutes in the two-legged tie. The outsider had already given up a 2-0 lead at home and had to settle for a 2-2 draw.