Bayer Leverkusen loses in Marseille: 1:0 and the next blow

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1:0 in Marseille: Leverkusen's first defeat on the international stage

Olympique Marseille defeated Bayer Leverkusen 1:0 on Thursday. For Leverkusen, this is their first defeat in the Europa League and at the same time the third setback in a row, after two Bundesliga defeats. The two latest setbacks have therefore become a run spanning two competitions.

Until then, Leverkusen's first three international matches had ended in victory. Marseille, by contrast, had started with three defeats. Both runs ended on Thursday, albeit in different ways: Leverkusen were left without a point in Marseille, while the French side celebrated their first success in the Europa League.

The result is already reflected in the table. Leverkusen slide further to seventh place, nine points behind. After the away win, Marseille now have three points and have improved to 31st place.

The victory was not a foregone conclusion. Marseille were the more proactive team in the first half, but Leverkusen successfully focused on the defence. In the end, Marseille needed just one spectacular goal to defeat the Werkself.

The decisive moment

Amine Gouiri scored the goal in the 77th minute. The striker had already had a good chance beforehand: after a long ball into the penalty area, he controlled the ball with his chest and back, played it elegantly through Jarell Quansah's legs and then found himself free in front of Mark Flekken. In the one-on-one duel, however, Gouiri took the shorter route. It was from this situation that the decisive goal later developed.

Why the match did not end in the visitors' favour after the first six minutes was shown in a similarly narrow situation. Quansah broke through alone to face Flekken but was unable to convert. Leverkusen therefore had an early opportunity to take the lead, while Marseille scored the later and ultimately decisive goal.

The key moments of the match

After going 1:0 behind, Leverkusen tried to force the equaliser. The visitors pushed forward in the closing stages and had several set-piece opportunities. Edmond Tapsoba headed just wide of the right post from a corner. The match nevertheless ended with Marseille's victory.

Before the match turned, Leverkusen had opportunities of their own. Miguel Gutiérrez hit the crossbar with a deflected shot around the 42nd minute. Quansah shot narrowly wide from 15 metres in first-half stoppage time.

After the break, the Werkself initially gained momentum. Patrik Schick had his first attempt in the 54th minute, but failed to make proper contact and sent the ball clearly over the bar. Leverkusen's period of pressure was short-lived. Marseille responded almost immediately: Igor Paixao shot narrowly wide from 18 metres, Gouiri failed again against Flekken, and Geoffrey Kondogbia also went narrowly off target from distance.

The match was therefore by no means goalless. Leverkusen had chances, a shot against the crossbar and a shot against the post, but never managed to get the ball over the line. Marseille, meanwhile, succeeded in the decisive situation. This record is a strong argument against too easily interpreting the defeat as clear dominance by the French side.

Gouiri's goal ends both runs

The 77th-minute goal was especially significant not only because of the resulting 1:0 scoreline. It simultaneously ended Leverkusen's three-match unbeaten run on the international stage and Marseille's three-match winless run in the Europa League. The match itself was described in the report as “otherwise weak” – and it was precisely in this uneventful game that Gouiri found the space for his shot from 16 metres.

The move began on the right side around halfway. Miguel took the shorter route against Gouiri, giving the forward plenty of space to dribble towards the penalty area. In the duel with Tapsoba, Gouiri cut inside and slotted the ball into the far corner. Flekken had no chance of saving it.

For Marseille, the away victory is therefore doubly valuable: the team collect their first three points in the Europa League and make a big improvement in the table. Leverkusen, by contrast, have to process the next blow. The Werkself were not without chances, but they lose points and fall further down the competition rankings.

The next fixture matters more than the first away trip

After the home defeat in the Bundesliga and the away defeat in Marseille, Leverkusen face two matches in succession. On Sunday, the Werkself travel to 1. FC Köln for a local derby at 15.30. Leverkusen then travel to Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League on 26 November, with kick-off at 18.45.

Marseille play RC Lens on Sunday at 20.45. In their next Europa League match, the French side face Levski Sofia; that fixture is also scheduled for 26 November at 18.45.

It is therefore clear how both teams' runs continue: after the 1:0 defeat in the Bundesliga, Leverkusen face their next task immediately in the Europa League. After taking 31st place with three points, Marseille cannot rest on their success either. The win in Marseille was an important step, but the next matchday begins with new results already in mind.