Champions League Leverkusen start with a gala performance

SDA

19.9.2024 - 20:49

Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz scores wonderfully to make it 3:0
Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz scores wonderfully to make it 3:0
Keystone

Bayer Leverkusen make a convincing start to the Champions League. The German champions win 4:0 at Feyenoord Rotterdam.

Keystone-SDA

Leverkusen's attacking player Florian Wirtz is currently one of the most sought-after footballers in the world. The 21-year-old's market value is 130 million euros. In Rotterdam, he once again underlined why. In his first ever game in the Champions League, Wirtz needed just over four and a half minutes to put the visitors ahead with a low shot from around 18 meters.

In the 36th minute, Wirtz doubled the lead to 3:0 with a direct shot in the penalty area after a straightforward counter-attack and a cross from Alejandro Grimaldo, the scorer of the 2:0 (30'). The Swiss Jordan Lotomba, who plays for Feyenoord, did not cut the best figure, as he could have run with Wirtz. Lotomba was substituted in the 61st minute. For Leverkusen, Swiss national team captain Granit Xhaka played until the 80th minute. As usual, he had a lot of contact with the ball, but was unable to make a big impact.

The score was already 4:0 after the first half. And this was against an opponent who had last lost after 90 minutes in a serious match on December 13, 2023 - also in the Champions League at Celtic Glasgow (1:2).

Benfica Lisbon prevailed 2:1 at Red Star Belgrade. Switzerland's Zeki Amdouni was substituted for the visitors in the 88th minute.