Bundesliga
Leverkusen beaten by Arsenal
Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen side suffered a 4-1 defeat against Arsenal in London as part of their pre-season preparations as they bid to defend their Bundesliga title in 2024/25.
Bayer Leverkusen’s previous two friendlies were against Rot-Weiss Essen (a 2-1 win) and French side RC Lens (2-2 draw). Die Werkself face VfB Stuttgart on 17 August in the Supercup.
As it happened:
Arsenal 4-1 Leverkusen
Goals: 1-0 Zinchenko (8'), 2-0 Trossard (9'), 3-0 Jesus (38'), 4-0 Havertz (65'), 4-1 Hložek (76')
0 - 0(0 - 0)
Arsenal
SECOND HALF
Leverkusen
85'
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Leverkusen pushing
Alonso's men are pressing high and looking to make use of Tella's speed down the right. They haven't had any more chances, but at least they're starting to look more like their usual selves.
81'
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Off goes Xhaka
Applause all round as former Gunner Xhaka is taken off. Even Arsenal coach Arteta gives him a hug as the Switzerland international departs the pitch.
80'
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Gustavo Puerta
Granit Xhaka
77'
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Leverkusen pull one back!
Tella sprints into space down the right and plays a perfectly weighted pass into the middle for Hložek, who lifts a delicate finish past the goalkeeper and into the net.
72'
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Solid clearance
Arsenal try to make mischief down their right again, and after getting to the byline the ball is crossed into the middle, but Arthur is alive to the danger and can clear.
66'
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Havertz against his former club!
Saka skips past his marker down the Arsenal right and crosses low into the box. A Leverkusen defender sticks out a leg to clear the danger, but the ball goes straight to Havertz, who prods in from close range.
63'
vs
Victor Boniface
Amine Adli
63'
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Adam Hložek
Martin Terrier
63'
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Jonas Hofmann
Florian Wirtz
62'
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Jeanuël Belocian
Odilon Kossounou
62'
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Arthur
Piero Hincapie
62'
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Robert Andrich
Jonathan Tah
60'
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Tella again
Tella's pace takes him behind his marker to receive a lovely cross from the left, but his side-footed effort goes just wide.
59'
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Tella prowling
Wirtz, popping up just outside the left-hand corner of the Arsenal box, delivers a wicked corner towards the far post, looking for Tella, who is arriving at pace. He can't quite get there though, and the ball goes out for a goal kick.
53'
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Tah vs Havertz
Havertz tries to bring down a ball into the Leverkusen box but he's closely marshalled by Germany team-mate Tah, who doesn't give him any room to turn, and eventually muscles him off the ball to clear.
49'
vs
Similar pattern
The flow of the game is still largely as it was in the first period, with the Gunners dominating possession.
46'
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Under way again
The ball is rolling once more in London.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
0 - 0
Half-time
44'
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Brief opening
Adli has a sight of goal for Leverkusen after some neat play, but he can't quite applying the finishing touch.
39'
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Too easy
Following a Leverkusen throw-in, Arsenal pour forward on the counter. Gabriel Jesus is largely unchallenged as he cuts in from the left, takes up a central position about 5 yards outside the box and drills a low shot into the bottom corner.
37'
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Frimpong gets in behind
The Dutchman accelerates brilliantly down the right, going from standing still to lightning fast in a matter of strides. He beats his marker easily, but his cutback into the middle is cleared by a defender.
34'
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Free-kick
The Gunners win a free-kick about 10 yards outside the penalty area in a central position. It strikes the wall though, and loops over the bar.
32'
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Leverkusen chasing
Arsenal are keeping the ball well at the moment, forcing Leverkusen to hurry after them. They don't quite look themselves yet though - they're a yard off the pace.
20'
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Dynamic duo
Odegaard and Trossard combine against just moments later. A one-two sees Odegaard receive the ball on the edge of the box where his shot is blocked again.
18'
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Looking for a third
After Kossounou loses possession, Trossard picks it up and drives toward the final third and crosses toward Odegaard, but Tapsoba is there to block the shot.
13'
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Leverkusen slow out the blocks
Alonso's men have not looked themselves in these opening stages, lacking intensity at both ends of the pitch.
9'
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Two goals in quick succession!
The home side go two goals up with both of goals coming within 2 minutes. Zinchenko opened the scoring in the eight minute from close range after a neat one-two with Havertz, before Trossard quickly doubled their lead in the ninth minute after capitalising on a misplaced Kovar pass.
4'
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Getting comfortable
Both sides are trying to maintain possession and gain control early on.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
1'
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Kick off
The home side get us underway here at the Emirates stadium.
50s
vs
Watch: Martin Terrier signs for Leverkusen
Martin Terrier joined Die Werkself this summer from French side Stade Rennes and has already gotten off the mark for his new club in their previous friendly against Lens.
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Arteta and Alonso reunited
Having grown up together in San Sebastian and played for the same youth team before becoming Premier League rivals at Liverpool and Everton respectively, Xabi Alonso and Mikel Arteta will now face each other as managers.
76s
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Watch: The best of Florian Wirtz
Wirtz was voted as the Bundesliga’s Player of the Season en route to Leverkusen’s double triumph in 2023/24. He’s in the starting line-up again today - here’s what all the fuss is about.
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Xhaka and Havertz start
Both returnees will start for their respective cubs this evening.
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Arsenal XI
Raya - White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko - Jorginho, Havertz, Odegaard (c) - Vieira, Trossard, Jesus
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Arsenal subs
Ramsdale, Setford, Heaven, Lewis-Skelly, Nichols, Partey, Rice, Nelson, Nwaneri, Saka, Martinelli, Nketiah
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Leverkusen XI
Kovar - Tapsoba, Tah (c), Kossounou, Hincapie - Xhaka - Garcia - Wirtz - Frimpong, Terrier, Adli
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Leverkusen subs
Hrádecký, Hofmann, Lomb, Andrich, Artur, Tella, Boniface, Hložek, Puerta, Belocian
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Pre-season form
Leverkusen's last two friendlies saw them beat Rot-Weiss Essen (2-1) and draw with RC Lens (2-2). Arsenal's last two fixtures saw them beat Manchester United (2-1) and lose to Liverpool (2-1).
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Familiar faces
Former Arsenal midfielder and current Bundesliga champion Granit Xhaka will play against his former side for the first time since leaving the club. Similarly, former Leverkusen academy product Kai Havertz will go up against old club tonight.