Bayer Leverkusen picked up a clear 2-0 victory over NK Celje at the BayArena, in a match corresponding to the UEFA Europa League league phase, where the German side imposed their tempo and superiority from the opening whistle to the final one.
How the match unfolded
Bayer Leverkusen set out to control the ball from the start, and that showed in the final possession count, which ended 56% to 44% in their favor. The home side pushed forward with constant attacking play, creating danger down the flanks and through combination play in midfield.
NK Celje, for their part, tried to stay organized defensively and take advantage of the spaces left by their opponents during transitions, though their offensive output was noticeably lower over the ninety minutes. The Slovenian side had to withstand the home team's siege with a compact block, relying on the saves of their goalkeeper, who was the busiest player of the match.
Goals and key moments
The scoreboard reflected a final result of 2-0 in favor of Bayer Leverkusen, confirming the dominance the German side had built for much of the match.
Starting in the 60th minute, the substitutions began. Bayer Leverkusen made three changes in quick succession: in the 60' Jarell Quansah came on for Lucas Vázquez, in the 61' Afonso Moreira replaced Martin Terrier, and around the same time Equi Fernández came in for Malik Tillman.
NK Celje responded with their own substitutions in the same stretch: in the 61' Blaz Kramer replaced Armandas Kucys and Matic Ivansek came on for Yaya Dukuly. Minutes later, in the 69', Veton Tusha entered for Benjamin Verbic, who had to leave the pitch due to injury.
Bayer Leverkusen continued their rotation in the 71', when Christian Kofane replaced Patrik Schick, and late in the match, in the 80', Eliesse Ben Seghir took the place of Moussa Diaby. NK Celje closed out their changes in that same minute with the introduction of Papa Daniel for Luka Ticic. Neither side received any cards during the match.
The numbers
The stats confirmed Bayer Leverkusen's superiority throughout the match. The home side posted an xG of 1.93 compared to 0.90 for NK Celje, a gap that was reflected in the final score.
In terms of shots, Bayer Leverkusen fired 17 attempts to their opponents' 5, with 8 shots on target against just 3 for the Slovenian side. Corners also favored the home team, 6 to 2, while in fouls Bayer Leverkusen committed 16 to NK Celje's 10.
One notable figure was the save count: NK Celje's goalkeeper made 7 stops compared to 3 for his German counterpart, reflecting the constant pressure the visiting side had to face. In passing accuracy, Bayer Leverkusen completed 546 of 619 attempts, while NK Celje completed 440 of 499.
How the table stands
With this win, Bayer Leverkusen sit in third place in the standings with 3 points after one matchday played, with a record of 2 goals for and none against, sharing the top of the points table with Sparta Prague, Benfica, Lyon, Olympiacos, Omonia Nicosia and Sunderland, all of whom also won their opening match.
NK Celje, on the other hand, sit in 35th place in the overall standings, without points following their 0-2 defeat, with a goal difference of -2, leaving them in a difficult position heading into the next matchdays of the league phase.
Our take
In our view, the match exposed a considerable gap in level between the two sides. Bayer Leverkusen dominated every aspect of the game, from possession to the creation of clear chances, and the 2-0 scoreline even looks modest given the volume of xG generated.
NK Celje, for their part, showed defensive commitment and managed to keep the score within a reasonable margin thanks to their goalkeeper's saves, but struggled greatly to create real danger at the opposite end. For the Slovenian side, this result confirms they will need a notable offensive improvement if they hope to pick up points in the rest of the Europa League league phase.
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