Highlights
0:21
Alonso: "We're taking nothing for granted"
Full-time: Leverkusen 2-0 Wolfsburg
© Lars Baron
Full-time
90'
Bayer subs
Hložek and Andrich are on for the final minute.
90'
Substitution
90'
Substitution
88'
Wolfsburg changes
Too little, too late for the Wolves? Kevin Behrens and Patrick Wimmer are on for the away side.
87'
Substitution
87'
Substitution
86'
B04 home free
They've waited and waited for this and and finally Leverkusen are home free. Palacios launches a superb ball from deep midfield that matches Wirtz's run perfectly. The Bayer No.10 spanks a volley towards the near post and watches at it flies in off the woodwork.
83'
Casteels shaken
Substitute Jonas Hofmann sees a thumping effort beaten out by Casteels, who is off balance after pushing out that pile-driver.
82'
Iglesias on the spin
Nice build up from Bayer, who work the ball to Borja Iglesias inside the area. The on-loan striker spins and sends a deflected shot over.
81'
Pressure Handling
100%
%
Exequiel Palacios
10 times under pressure
80'
Adli in the book
Adli floors Maxi Arnold and that's a booking for Bayer's No.21.
78'
Tah nod
Grimaldo's corner is headed weakly at goal by Tah. Casteels saves easily.
76'
Werkself changes
Jonas Hofmann and Borja Iglesias are sent on. Plenty of applause for the departing Nathan Tella, the scorer of the game's only goal so far.
76'
Substitution
76'
Substitution
73'
Closing on 36
© INA FASSBENDER
69'
Xhaka tries one
Leverkusen's captain lashes a shot low at the target from distance. Casteels gets across to palm wide.
66'
Visiting possession
Lest the hosts forget, they are only a single goal ahead and Wolfsburg's time on the ball in the attacking third in the past few minutes serves as a reminder as to Leverkusen's need to put daylight between the teams here.
63'
Wolfsburg changes
Kovac pats Sarr and Vranckx on their backs as the visiting coach sends the pair on to try and affect a change here.
63'
Substitution
63'
Substitution
61'
Adli off target
Adli gets above his man and heads wide.
59'
Leverkusen swap
Time for a change for the hosts, who bring Amine Adli on for Piero Hincapié.
59'
Substitution
58'
Duels won
8
8
Florian Wirtz Kevin Paredes
Alonso busy
© INA FASSBENDER
52'
Chances continue to arrive
Goal attempts
5off target
3on target
1off target
1on target
50'
Wirtz free kick
Wirtz and Grimaldo stand over a free kick outside the Wolfsburg box. Leverkusen's No.10 strikes the set piece against the top of the wall and the ball flies out for a corner, which comes to nothing.
47'
Almost Hincapié
Tella arcs a left-footed pass from the right towards the back stick. Hincapié slides in and just fails to make contact.
46'
Peeep!
Leverkusen get us underway in the second half. The hosts had 66% ball possession and seven shots to Wolfsburg's two in the first half. Will Xabi Alonso's men continue to dominate against the ten men in this second 45'?
Kick-off!
Half-time
Half-time: Leverkusen 1-0 Wolfsburg
© Lars Baron
45'
Ball Recovery Time
44'
Tah off target
Tah slips as he shoots and the ball dribbles past Casteels' post.
43'
More to come?
xGoals
1
1.43
0.12
0
Goals
40'
All Leverkusen
Grimaldo cuts outside after accepting a short corner on the right. The Spaniard curls a wonderful pass in for Palacios, whose header is tipped over by the diving Casteels.
39'
Stats increasing
Tella has five Bundesliga goals to his name now, Grimaldo ten assists.
38'
Leverkusen lead
Tella nods in right in front of goal but this is all about Grimaldo, who sprints to the ball on the left inside the area, leaves Bornauw for dead and dinks a delightful ball onto the head of Tella. Super stuff from the league leaders.
32'
Wolfsburg change
Niko Kovac responds to seeing his side go down to ten men by bringing Sebastiaan Bornauw on for Jonas Wind, who is far from happy at being withdrawn.
32'
Substitution
31'
Wirtz closest
That Florian Wirtz effort against the upright is the closest we've come to a goal so far. Wirtz has hit the woodwork six times this season, more than any other player in 2023/24.
28'
Wolfsburg down to ten
The wind has likely been taken out of Wolfsburg's sails here after Jenz treads on Schick's foot and sees a second yellow. Wolfsburg are down to ten men.
Even contest
© Lars Baron
25'
Zesiger has a go
Cédric Zesiger side-foots a terrific volley from inside the D which has Hrádecký flying to tip over the crossbar.
22'
Leverkusen hit the post!
A lovely move from the home side sees Xhaka play a delightful pass in for Wirtz, who spanks a low shot that pummels the base of the post.
20'
Happy together
Reunited in midfield, Granit Xhaka and Exequiel Palacios have been at the centre of everything so far for the hosts today.
17'
Hosts dominating the ball
Possession (%)
6238
16'
Stanišić from range
Josip Stanišić finds some space on the right and he lets fly from just outside the box on the right. The shot is straight down Casteels' throat and the Wolfsburg keeper makes an easy save.
14'
Wind lurking
Wind has a chance in front of goal but the ball seems to come too quickly to the Wolfsburg forward and Hrádecký can clean up.
© IMAGO/Gabriel Boia
12'
Jenz in the book
Jenz almost removes Wirtz's jersey and that's a no brainer for the ref, yellow card.
10'
Wolfsburg threaten
Majer and Wind combine to set up a very threatening moment for Wolfsburg yet the former fails to take a stab at goal when the opportunity arises.
7'
Gerhardt booked
Gerhardt rakes his studs down Wirtz's calf and after the Leverkusen No. 10 collapses to the turf, Gerhardt is booked.
3'
Casteels alert
Grimaldo's slick pass along the floor almost releases Schick, but Casteels comes off his line to collect.
1'
B04 attacking from the off
Wirtz frees Tella down the right and Leverkusen win a quick-fire corner, which comes to nothing.
1'
Away we go
Wolfsburg get us up and running in Matchday 25's final game.
Kick-off!
Almost there ...
Both sides form huddles and we're nearly ready to go in Leverkusen.
Leverkusen anthem
Scarves up from the home fans as the B04 anthem rings out around the BayArena. We await this evening's teams.
0:18
Wolfsburg warm-up
0:16
Leverkusen warm-up
Destination: meisterschale!
© IMAGO/Maximilian Koch
Surprising stat
Incredibly, in the last 15 meetings between these teams, the home team has failed to win (10 away wins, five draws).
Wolves keen to improve
© IMAGO/Jan Huebner
B04 eyeing more records
Should they win against Wolfsburg, the Werkself will equal their club record of 21 victories in a season (1996/97, 1999/2000 and 2001/2000) and will have won as many times as last year's champions Bayern Munich in 2022/23.
Wolfsburg go for Wind power
© IMAGO/Christian Schroedter/IMAGO/Christian Schroedter
Bayer changes
© IMAGO/Ulrich Hufnagel
Leverkusen starting XI
Hrádecký (c) - Kossounou, Tah, Hincapié - Stanišić, Palacios, Xhaka, Grimaldo - Tella, Wirtz - Schick
Leverkusen subs
Lomb, Kossounou, Andrich, Mbamba, Puerta, Adli, Hofmann, Hložek, Iglesias
Wolfsburg starting XI
Casteels - Baku, Lacroix, Jenz, Zesiger - Arnold (c), Gerhardt - Tiago Tomás, Majer, Paredes - Wind
Wolfsburg subs
Pervan, Rogério, Bornauw, Fischer, Vranckx, Svanberg, Wimmer, Behrens, Sarr
How will Leverkusen reply to Bayern?
Bayern Munich's thrashing of Mainz yesterday was a vivid reminder that this title race is far from over. It's now down to Leverkusen to respond, and victory today would see them restore their ten-point lead at the top. Wolfsburg, meanwhile, are now just seven clear of the bottom-three and are on a nine-game winless run.
Alonso on Wolfsburg
© Leon Kuegeler
Kovač on Leverkusen
© IMAGO/Eibner-Pressefoto/Bahho Kara
3:04
Watch: Alonso steering Leverkusen to title glory
Banana skin?
Wolfsburg have won on four of their last five trips to Leverkusen, and are currently unbeaten in seven at the BayArena.
Probable line-ups
© IMAGO/Moritz Mueller
2:03
Watch: Wolfsburg 1-2 Bayer Leverkusen - previous meeting
2:03
Watch: Cologne 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen - highlights
2:03
Watch: Wolfsburg 2-3 VfB Stuttgart - highlights
0:30