Leverkusen 2-0 Celje: Leban's seven saves are not enough
AI-written review based on match data · How we make it
Key numbers
- xG 1.93 v 0.9: Leverkusen created the better volume
- Leban made 7 saves to keep Celje in it
- 56% possession, lowest of Leverkusen's 4 this season
An early own goal sets the tone
Bayer Leverkusen beat Celje at the BayArena to open their league-phase campaign. Svit Sešlar's own goal in the 15th minute gave the hosts the lead, and the moment cost Celje −0.4 FN xPts. Leverkusen then spent 75 minutes in front, leaving the visitors chasing the match for most of its length.
Less of the ball, but still more threat
Leverkusen's 56% possession was the lowest of the four matches they had played this season, yet their xG of 1.93 still comfortably outstripped Celje's. Celje's shots were individually better, with a higher xG per shot, but there were far too few of them to close the gap.
Leban keeps Celje in the match
Celje goalkeeper Žan-Luk Leban made seven saves, and 11 of Leverkusen's shots came from inside the box, so he was repeatedly called on to deal with efforts from good positions. At the other end, Mark Flekken stopped all three Celje shots on target to preserve the clean sheet.
García's creativity sets up the second
Facundo Medina doubled the lead in the 74th minute, with Aleix García providing the assist. García's four key passes were the most of any player in the match. Coming when Leverkusen were already in front, the goal moved the FN xPts needle only slightly.
Player of the match
Aleix García 8.6Dominant
He made four key passes, put two of his three shots on target and set up the 74th-minute goal.
Aleix García earned most of his FN Score in attack. He did not just supply chances for team-mates but shot himself, adding to the pressure on Celje's back line, and his assist in the 74th minute turned 1-0 into 2-0. Two tackles and two interceptions showed his work off the ball too.
Game state
1-02-0
Bayer Leverkusen ahead 75 min · level 15 min · Celje ahead 0 min
FN xPts — what each moment was worth
How much each moment changed that team's expected points (win 3, draw 1). A goal's value is credited 70% to the scorer and 30% to the assist.
15'
Svit Sešlar
Own goal
−0.4
74'
Facundo Medina
Goal · assist Aleix García
+0.2
Bayer Leverkusen
Expected (last two seasons) 2.3Own moments +0.2Opponent moments +0.5Time effect 0.0→ League points won 3
Celje
Expected (no record yet, starting estimate) 0.5Own moments −0.4Opponent moments −0.1Time effect 0.0→ League points won 0
Expected points don't add up to a fixed total (a draw is 1 + 1), so an opponent's moment isn't simply the mirror of your loss. "Time effect" is the change as the clock runs down on a lead or a chase, and isn't credited to any player.
How FN Score and FN xPts work →
Match stats
Bayer LeverkusenCelje
1.93Expected goals (xG)0.9
Compared with usual
Bayer Leverkusen
4 matches this season, all competitions baseline
| This match | Avg | |
|---|
| Goals | 2 | 3 | |
| Conceded | 0 | 1.3 | |
| Shots | 17 | 22.8 | |
| On target | 8 | 6.8 | |
| Shots faced | 5 | 7.5 | |
| Possession | 56% | 66.3% | |
| Passes | 619 | 604 | |
| Pass accuracy | 88% | 88.8% | |
| Corners | 6 | 7.8 | |
| Fouls | 16 | 12.5 | |
Timeline
- 15'
Goal
Svit Sešlar (OG)
- 60'
Sub
Lucas Vázquez → Jarell Quansah
- 61'
Sub
Malik Tillman → Ezequiel Fernández
- 61'
Sub
Martin Terrier → Afonso Moreira
- 61'
Sub
Armandas Kučys → Blaž Kramer
- 61'
Sub
Yaya Dukuly → Matic Ivanšek
- 69'
Sub
Benjamin Verbič → Veton Tusha
- 71'
Sub
Patrik Schick → Christian Kofane
- 74'
Goal
Facundo Medina competition goal #1 assist Aleix García
- 80'
Sub
Moussa Diaby → Eliesse Ben Seghir
- 80'
Sub
Luka Tičić → Papa Daniel
Category leaders
- Key passesAleix García4
- Duels wonLoïc Badé9/14
- DribblesLucas Vázquez3/4
- Defensive actionsMilot Avdyli9
- ShotsAleix García3 (on target 2)
- Fouls wonLucas Vázquez5
#Leverkusen#Celje#Europa League#Aleix García#Facundo Medina#Žan-Luk Leban
This review was written by AI from match data (API-Football). FN Score and FN xPts are calculated by Fulltime Note using a published formula.