Bayer Leverkusen secured their fourth consecutive Bundesliga victory by defeating Freiburg 2-0 at home, moving up to fourth place. Despite a heavy 7-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League
earlier in the week, head coach Kasper Hjulmand's team bounced back impressively. This marked Hjulmand's first domestic loss since taking over from Erik ten Hag in early September.
Leverkusen's quick starts have been a hallmark this season, with Ernest Poku scoring after 22 minutes. Poku's goal came from a one-two with Aleix Garcia before curling the ball into the far corner. Leverkusen has taken the lead in every league game so far, a feat matched only by Bayern Munich.
Leverkusen extended their dominance over Freiburg, having won four and drawn two of their last six encounters. Freiburg hasn't beaten Leverkusen since September 2022 at BayArena. In this match, Leverkusen created four big chances compared to Freiburg's one, ending with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.75 from 17 shots.
Their second goal came seven minutes into the second half when Alex Grimaldo delivered a cross that Edmond Tapsoba headed in from close range. Grimaldo now has three assists this season, more than any other Leverkusen player in the 2025-26 campaign.
Freiburg's afternoon worsened as Philipp Lienhart received his first career red card for a tactical foul after getting a second yellow card. Despite being down to ten men, Freiburg managed to prevent further goals. Noah Atubolu denied Poku a second goal, and Grimaldo missed another chance late in the game.
Three points! 90+3' | 2-0 | #B04SCF pic.twitter.com/H4yl6FbhlY
- Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) October 26, 2025
Despite their European setback, Hjulmand remains unbeaten domestically since his appointment. The team's ability to start strong has been crucial for maintaining their league form and securing victories.
