Cloverleafs lose 0-2 in Leverkusen – How strong was the opponent?

Cloverleafs lose 0-2 in Leverkusen – How strong was the opponent?

On January 8, 2025, RWO played in a friendly against Bayer Leverkusen and were defeated 2-0. Kevin Kratzsch started in goal, while Jonah Husseck returned to action in a back three with Pierre Fassnacht and Tanju Öztürk. Eric Gueye and Ozan Hot played on the outside positions. In midfield, Elias Demirarslan, Glody Ngyombo and Leon Kayser provided creative inspiration, while Moritz Stoppelkamp and Timur Kesim formed the striker.

The game began in light drizzle in Leverkusen, where the hosts had their first big chance through Nathan Tella after just 60 seconds. However, this failed because of Kratzsch's defensive leg. Moritz Stoppelkamp had the first goal for the clover leaves after ten minutes. Tella hit the post after a good opportunity and Pierre Fassnacht was prevented from shooting by a Leverkusen defensive player. Other notable chances followed, including a smash from the crossbar from Artem Stepanov and a close pass from Martin Terrier.

Game progression and decisive moments

After the half-time break, RWO made a complete change, while Leverkusen made eight changes. The decisive moment came when Florian Wirtz converted a hand penalty and put the home team in the lead. Patrik Schick extended the score to 2-0 after a corner in the 58th minute. Wirtz and Schick continued to cause danger, but were unable to increase the score as they either narrowly failed or were denied by RWO goalkeeper Robin Benz.

After the game, coach Sebastian Gunkel commented on the performance of his team, which had only been training for two days and was playing against a strong opponent. He was pleased with the defense and overall performance and highlighted that each player received half-time playing time due to load management. Gunkel was also optimistic about the upcoming training camp and the conditions there.

Another interesting development concerns the player Florian Wirtz. How caughtoffside.com reported, Manchester City plans to offer Bayer Leverkusen both money and players for Wirtz. The player is also the focus of Liverpool and Arsenal, with Leverkusen eyeing James McAtee and Oscar Bobb as possible replacements. Wirtz is expected to leave the club probably next summer as he is seen as a world-class talent who has great potential for the future. Manchester City consider themselves to be in a strong position for a potential signing and could consider Wirtz as a long-term successor to Kevin De Bruyne, particularly given De Bruyne's advancing age.

The developments surrounding Wirtz and the test match against Leverkusen show the dynamics in football and the challenges that the clubs have to face, both in the sporting and economic areas.

– Submitted by West-East media