Aleix García put Bayer Leverkusen ahead in the 7th minute with a direct free kick from 20 metres, and that early strike set the tone for a 2-1 derby win at 1. FC Köln. He finished with an 8.2 rating, the best mark among Leverkusen's outfield players. It was his first Bundesliga goal of the season.
García's first-half impact
The goal came so early that Köln spent most of the match chasing the game rather than building one. Patrik Schick made it 2-0 in the 86th minute, which looked enough to settle it before Said El Mala pulled one back in stoppage time and gave the finish some tension.
García's performance was not just about one clean strike. He has now made 9 Bundesliga appearances this season and has 2 league assists as well, which fits a player who has been involved more often than this one moment suggests. His free kick was still the defining action, because it forced Köln to play the rest of the afternoon on the back foot.
Leverkusen's response after a rough spell
The derby win also mattered because Bayer Leverkusen arrived in Cologne after three defeats in their previous four matches across all competitions. Carles Martinez said after the game: "We are not in the best moment right now". The result did not erase that run, but it did stop the mood from sinking any further before the international break.
There was also no shortage of edge in the second half. The game brought bookings and a penalty appeal, but no penalty was given, which suited Leverkusen after they had already done the hard part through García and Schick. The win sends them into the international break with something more solid to work from than the recent results suggested.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
