RB Leipzig 1-3 Bayer 04 Leverkusen: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Bwin’s post-match review of RB Leipzig 1-3 Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on Saturday, 20 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen secured a 3-1 victory over RB Leipzig. The hosts took the lead in the 35th minute when Xaver Schlager scored, assisted by Christoph Baumgartner, giving Leipzig a boost after their recent mixed form that included a heavy loss to FC Union Berlin and a 6-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. However, Leverkusen responded quickly, with Martin Terrier equalising in the 40th minute from an Arthur assist, followed by Patrik Schick’s goal in the 44th minute, assisted by Nathan Tella, to turn the game around before half-time.

In the second half, Leverkusen maintained control despite substitutions, including Ezequiel Fernández replacing Jonas Hofmann in the 57th minute, and a triple change in the 77th minute where Christian Kofane came on for Patrik Schick, Axel Tape for Nathan Tella, and Montrell Culbreath for Martin Terrier. Leipzig made efforts to fight back with changes like Andrija Maksimovic replacing Rômulo and Ridle Baku for Kosta Nedeljkovic in the 70th minute, plus Timo Werner for Tidiam Gomis in the 79th, but they couldn’t find an equaliser. The match was sealed in the 90+7th minute by Montrell Culbreath’s goal, capping off Leverkusen’s strong recent run that featured wins over FC Köln and VfL Wolfsburg after earlier defeats.

Leverkusen edged possession with 56% compared to Leipzig’s 44%, which aligned with their greater threat in attacking areas, as shown by eight corners against Leipzig’s two, suggesting more sustained pressure on the home defence. Leipzig recorded more successful dribbles at 57 to Leverkusen’s 48, indicating they were effective in individual battles and transitions, though this didn’t translate into enough clear chances. Both sides picked up yellow cards—Leipzig with one and Leverkusen with two—reflecting a competitive but not overly heated encounter, while assists stood at one for Leipzig and two for Leverkusen, underlining the visitors’ sharper finishing.

Leipzig used four substitutions, including a double change in the 70th minute where Andrija Maksimovic came on for Rômulo and Ridle Baku for Kosta Nedeljkovic, followed by Timo Werner replacing Tidiam Gomis in the 79th and El Chadaille Bitshiabu for Nicolas Seiwald in the 89th. Leverkusen made five, starting with Ezequiel Fernández for Jonas Hofmann in the 57th, then a triple switch in the 77th with Christian Kofane for Patrik Schick, Axel Tape for Nathan Tella, and Montrell Culbreath for Martin Terrier, before Lucas Vázquez replaced Arthur in the 83rd—these changes helped maintain their momentum without disrupting the flow.

The game’s turning point came around the 35th to 44th minutes, with Xaver Schlager putting Leipzig ahead in the 35th, assisted by Christoph Baumgartner, only for Martin Terrier to level it five minutes later from Arthur’s assist, and Patrik Schick to give Leverkusen the lead in the 44th, assisted by Nathan Tella. Yellow cards added tension, including one for Arthur in the 30th minute and another for Axel Tape in the 87th, while Castello Lukeba picked up Leipzig’s sole booking in the 90+11th. Substitutions influenced the late stages, such as Leverkusen’s 77th-minute introductions of Montrell Culbreath, who later scored the decisive goal in the 90+7th minute to confirm the win.

RB Leipzig lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, allowing midfielders like Xaver Schlager and Christoph Baumgartner to link effectively, as seen in their assist and goal partnership for the opener. Nicolas Seiwald provided balance in the middle before being replaced by El Chadaille Bitshiabu late on, while forwards such as Tidiam Gomis made way for Timo Werner to inject pace.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen deployed a 3-4-2-1 shape, which supported attacking contributions from players like Arthur, who assisted Martin Terrier’s equaliser before being substituted by Lucas Vázquez. Patrik Schick and Nathan Tella formed a key partnership up front, with Schick scoring from Tella’s assist, and later changes brought on Montrell Culbreath, who added the final goal.

Xaver Schlager earned Bwin’s Man of the Match award for his standout performance, scoring one goal and delivering two key passes that helped drive Leipzig’s attacks. Despite the defeat, his efforts created opportunities, even if he didn’t register assists or big chances, highlighting his influence in midfield.

Recent Bundesliga matches:

• Loss: 1-3 vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen (H)
• Loss: 1-3 vs FC Union Berlin (A)
• Win: 6-0 vs Eintracht Frankfurt (H)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Borussia Mönchengladbach (A)
• Win: 2-0 vs Werder Bremen (H)

Recent Bundesliga matches:

• Win: 3-1 vs RB Leipzig (A)
• Win: 2-0 vs FC Köln (H)
• Loss: 0-2 vs FC Augsburg (A)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Borussia Dortmund (H)
• Win: 3-1 vs VfL Wolfsburg (A)

RB Leipzig, currently fourth on 29 points, have just suffered a 1-3 home defeat to Bayer 04 Leverkusen, adding to recent setbacks like their loss to FC Union Berlin, though they’ve shown scoring form with a 6-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. Their next match is against St. Pauli on 2026-01-10 at 14:30, with the opponents sitting 16th on 11 points, offering Leipzig a chance to bounce back and solidify their push for European spots while St. Pauli fight to climb away from relegation danger.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen, currently third on 29 points, have just claimed a 3-1 away win over RB Leipzig, building on recent victories like their 2-0 success against FC Köln and a 3-1 triumph at VfL Wolfsburg, despite earlier losses to FC Augsburg and Borussia Dortmund. They face VfB Stuttgart next on 2026-01-10 at 17:30, with the opposition in sixth on 26 points, making this a key clash for Leverkusen to maintain their title challenge against a side aiming to close the gap on the top spots.

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