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Goals from Fisnik Asllani and Tim Lemperle secured a 2-1 comeback win for Hoffenheim against a revamped Bayer Leverkusen side. Both sides came into this game with a new look squad. Erik ten Hag was appointed as Xabi Alonso’s replacement, while their starting lineup included three new signings: Mark Flekken, Jarell Quansah and Ibrahim Maza. TSG meanwhile hope for a better campaign after finishing last season one place above the relegation playoff. They’ve recruited experience in Bernardo, Koki Machida and Wouter Burger, all of whom started – and have a youthful looking attack with Asllani, Lemperle and Bazoumana Touré.
It was Bayer Leverkusen who got off to the better start in front of their home fans. Jarell Quansah – who took Jonathan Tah’s No. 4 shirt – was quick to get himself off the mark in his new colours. The Englishman found himself on the end of Alejandro Grimaldo’s pinpoint free-kick after six minutes, giving Ten Hag a dream start as Leverkusen head coach. But their joy was short-lived. Asllani, who returned to parent club Hoffenheim following a successful loan spell at Elversberg, equalised in the 25th minute after an excellent piece of skill from Bazoumana Touré to coast past Arthur, then finding the Kosovan who fired the ball past Leverkusen’s new No. 1, Mark Flekken.
Under Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen became so dominant and it was always going to be difficult to replicate that so early this season under a new head coach. Hoffenheim ended the first half with more shots, a higher xG from open play – and were impressive with their new look attack of Asllani and Lemperle. It was the latter who gave Christian Ilzer’s side the lead six minutes into the second half with a superb low driven shot from 23 yards.
Bayer Leverkusen would go on to dominate the second half. Grimaldo played a wonderful ball across the goal which Nathan Tella placed into the side netting in the final 15 minutes, but it was ultimately sluggish football from the home team. Ten Hag had spoken of playing high-intensity football, but that wasn’t on show. There was no supply to Patrik Schick. Ilzer came with a game plan and it was executed to perfection by Hoffenheim.
Bayer Leverkusen Player Ratings
Mark Flekken (5) – Jarell Quansah (7), Edmond Tapsoba (7), Piero Hincapie (6) – Arthur (5), Aleix Garcia (6), Robert Andrich (6), Alejandro Grimaldo (7) – Ibrahim Maza (6), Nathan Tella (6) – Patrik Schick (5)
Others: Ernest Poku (5), Claudio Echeverri (-), Christian Kofane (-)
Hoffenheim Player Ratings
Oliver Baumann (6) – Vladimir Coufal (7), Robin Hranáč (5), Koki Machida (6), Bernardo (7) – Leon Avdullahu (6), Wouter Burger (5) – Andrej Kramarić (6), Bazoumana Touré (7) – Tim Lemperle (7), Fisnik Asllani (8)
Others: Arthur Chaves (6), Umut Tohumcu (5), Kevin Akpoguma (-), Alexander Prass (-), Grischa Prömel (-)
GGFN Player of the Match: Fisnik Asllani (8)
Fisnik Asllani played just 167 minutes of Bundesliga football across two seasons for Hoffenheim between 2021 and 2023, before spending the 2024/25 campaign on loan at 2. Bundesliga club Elversberg. His 18 goals helped the minnows finish in the playoff and although the Kosovan scored in the promotion playoff against Heidenheim, Elversberg suffered defeat over the two legs. That meant a return to Hoffenheim for Asllani, and he was placed straight into Christian Ilzer’s starting lineup against Leverkusen. The 23-year-old impressed, scoring the equalising goal but while clinical in and around the box, also created two chances for his teammates – one of which saw Lemperle give TSG a 2-1 lead. Asllani could certainly be one to watch this season.
GGFN | Daniel Pinder
