Bayer Leverkusen bot a disastrous start to the new Bundesliga season. The Werkself suffered a surprising 2:3 defeat away at newly-promoted SV Elversberg on Saturday, with goalkeeper Mark Flekken delivering a scathing assessment of his teammates' performance afterwards.
The 33-year-old Dutchman said the team lacked mental capacity, energy, and understanding of the game. He even agreed that Leverkusen could have been 5:0 down at halftime. Early goals from Lukas Petkov in the 8th minute and Cole Campbell in the 9th set the tone. Right after the break, David Mokwa scored in the 46th minute to make it 3:0. Late goals from Patrik Schick (77th) and Christian Kofane (90.+1) were mere consolations.
Mark Flekken was brutally honest in his post-match analysis. "If you start the first half like that, are 2:0 down very early, and then repeat it in the second half, then a lot is missing," stated the keeper. While he didn't want to throw the whole team under the bus, he stressed: "It cannot and must not go on like this." Flekken, who played 28 Bundesliga games last season, is one of the most experienced voices in the squad.
For new head coach Carles Martínez, it was a failed debut on the Bundesliga touchline. The Spaniard congratulated Elversberg on an "incredible game". However, he rejected the notion that his team was mentally unprepared. "They play very well. I was not surprised by that, we expected it," said Martínez. He demanded his players learn from the defeat and do "much, much better". Martínez only took over this season and faces the task of establishing defensive stability after the team conceded 49 goals last campaign.
The loss immediately raises questions about the course of the season. Leverkusen must now step up in the coming matches to avoid falling behind the top teams early on. The team showed defensive frailties that are concerning given the challenges ahead. A look at the current squad shows that experienced defenders like Jonathan Tah and Edmond Tapsoba are available. Their performance, however, needs to improve significantly.
The next chance for redemption comes next weekend. Leverkusen will then host SC Freiburg at the BayArena. This home game will be a first test of the team's and the new coach's morale. The Werkself's full schedule can be viewed on our fixtures page. A win against Freiburg is urgently needed to regain the fans' lost trust and to avoid slipping further down the league standings.
The contract situations of key players at least provide long-term planning security. Patrik Schick, who scored against Elversberg, is tied to the club until June 2027. The same applies to Florian Wirtz, whose contract also runs until 2027. The defeat in Elversberg marked the first Bundesliga appearance for newly-signed midfielder Christian Kofane, who scored the late consolation goal.
