220 citations · 90 events verified against source data
Executive Summary
Identity — A back-three side that defaults to 3-4-2-1 (284' of 476' logged) but shifts to 3-4-3 when chasing width E2E4. They generate volume from everywhere — 85 shots, 15 goals, 12.07 xG across five games E123E171 — with structured wing-back overloads and elite set-piece and transition returns rather than reliance on a single striker. Press intensity is game-state dependent, ranging from aggressive (PPDA 9.57) to near-passive (PPDA 69.83) E54E51.
Threat matrix
Area
Threat
Pattern
Evidence
Open-play attack
High
29 Regular-Play shots; wing-backs and inside forwards arrive centrally, box-central is the dominant location
Formation: 3-4-2-1, ~60% of logged minutes (284' of 476'); 3-4-3 the main alternative at ~37% (177') E2E5E1E4.
Game plan
Attack the space behind Frimpong on the right. He is both their most aggressive high-regainer and an attacking wing-back; sustained possession draws him up, opening the channel behind E196E197E203. Break fast when he is advanced.
Win the first and second ball at corners. Screen the far post against Hofmann's outswingers and the central goalmouth against inswingers, and pick up the edge-of-box recyclers (Andrich, Xhaka) who scored/threatened repeatedly E83E101E95E105.
Do not concede penalties — they are 3/3. Zero rash box challenges; Boniface and Palacios are ice-cold from the spot E121E122E120.
Force them into settled defence, deny transitions. Their most dangerous open-play chances came in transition/counter E169E162E155. Structured rest-defence over ambitious turnovers.
Test their press only when it is on. Away at strong sides and when protecting leads they drop off (PPDA 16.48, 20.38, 69.83); play through the lines calmly rather than long E45E48E51.
Match Capsules
Match
Result (H/A)
Formation(s)
Standout pattern
Evidence
M1 vs Borussia Dortmund
1-1 (A)
3-4-3 → 3-4-1-2
Late corner equaliser (Stanišić, 96') off Hofmann/Grimaldo delivery
Leverkusen alternate two base shapes: 3-4-2-1 (284' logged, ~60%) and 3-4-3 (177', ~37%), with a brief 3-4-1-2 endgame in M1 (15') E6. The 3-4-3 was used in the two away matches at Dortmund and Bochum E1E4; the 3-4-2-1 at home and at Frankfurt E2E3E5. In-match formation stints show they hold their opening shape rather than restructuring — every logged shift retained the same formation code (e.g. M5 stayed 3-4-2-1 across five stints) E5E14E15E16E17, and M1's only true change was the 83' switch to 3-4-1-2 E6.
The spine is fixed: Hrádecký (5 starts), Tapsoba (5, mostly LCB), Tah (4 CB), Kossonou (4 RCB), Andrich (5, predominantly RDM) E1E5. Notable flexibility: Andrich started at Center Back in M3 E3; Hofmann played Center Forward in M1 but Right Attacking Midfield otherwise E1E2; Boniface appeared both as CF and as a Left Wing in the 3-4-3 E4E5; Frimpong operates as RWB (2) or Right Wing (1) depending on shape E5E4. Wing-back rotation is real — Grimaldo (3 LWB), Arthur (2 LWB), Stanišić (2 RWB), Tella (1 RWB) E1E3E4.
2. Defensive Shape & Organisation
Defensive actions concentrate in their own defensive third, central channel — 130 of 481 logged actions (27.0%) — indicating a compact central block that funnels play and clears through the middle E185E186E187. Adding the defensive-third left (14.1%) and right (11.4%) channels, roughly 52% of all defensive actions occur in their defensive third E188E193. Action mix skews to reactive types: 215 Ball Recoveries and 85 Clearances dominate over 70 Tackles and only 31 Interceptions E185E193, suggesting they recover loose balls and clear rather than aggressively step to intercept.
High up, the right side is their pressing/regain engine: attacking-third right channel accounts for 44 actions (9.1%) versus just 19 (3.9%) on the attacking-third left E47E196E45. This asymmetry is driven by Frimpong's forward recoveries E196E197E203.
This data set does not cover their defensive set-piece marking scheme or line height in metres.
3. Pressing
Team pressure volume is 651 events (130.2/match) at a mean height of x=62.5/120, with 33% in the attacking third and a 20% counterpress rate E18E21. Pressure zones lean right and central: middle-third right channel (17.4%), attacking-third central (12.3%) and attacking-third right (11.5%) are the top three E18E21E24. Left-side pressing is lighter (attacking-third left 9.2%) E39.
Match
Opponent
PPDA
Reading
M1
Borussia Dortmund
16.48
Moderate, measured press away at a top side E45E46
The variance is the headline: they press hard only when the matchup or scoreline invites it (M4), and disengage sharply when leading (M3) E54E51. Key pressers are Hofmann (93, comfortably the leader), Andrich (60), Palacios (58), Frimpong (52) and Tapsoba (51) — a mix of the front line and the right-sided/central spine E41E30E62E24E19. Counterpressing at 20% is present but not extreme E18.
4. Set Pieces
Corners — 27 total, 14 possession shots, 3 goalsE94E97E101. Techniques split inswinging 10 / unknown 9 / outswinging 8; delivery zones spread short/recycled 8, central goalmouth 7, far post 6, near post 6 E65E77.
Pattern: right-footed Hofmann repeatedly targets the far post (especially in M4, three straight far-post deliveries) E83E84E85; left-footed Grimaldo hits inswingers to the central goalmouth E67E72E74. Threat comes from centre-backs and midfielders arriving — corner-possession shots include Tah, Tapsoba, Andrich (×2), Xhaka (×3) and headers from Tella/Stanišić/Adli E100E98E101E105E97. The three corner goals: Stanišić header six-yard box (M1) E94, Adli header six-yard box (M4) E97, Andrich six-yard box (M5) E101.
Free kicks — 8 deliveries into the box (Hofmann 5, Grimaldo 2, Wirtz 1) E106E112; 6 direct shots, none scored (Grimaldo 4, Andrich 2 — all off target, saved or blocked) E114E115E117E119. Note that indirect free-kick possessions did produce goals (Andrich, M2 95') E141.
Penalties — 3 taken, 3 scored. Boniface 2 E121E122, Palacios 1 E120. Perfect conversion at ~0.783 xG each — a clear discipline warning.
5. Key Player Roles
Player
Shots
Goals
xG
Victor Boniface
7
3
2.67
Alejandro Grimaldo
7
1
1.36
Patrik Schick
11
2
1.22
Jonas Hofmann
10
0
1.14
Jeremie Frimpong
6
1
1.08
Amine Adli
8
2
0.98
Exequiel Palacios
2
1
0.98
Robert Andrich
10
2
0.86
Victor Boniface (CF/LW) — Highest-value attacker: 2.67 xG from 7 shots, 3 goals, including a high-xG open-play strike (0.747) and a converted penalty E171E122. Efficient finisher operating box-central E172E151.
Alejandro Grimaldo (LWB) — A dual set-piece and open-play weapon: left-footed corner specialist to central goalmouth E67E72, four direct free kicks E114E118, and a decisive counter goal (0.862 xG) at Bochum E169. 1.36 xG from 7 shots.
Jonas Hofmann (RAM) — The hub of dead balls and pressing (93 pressures, primary corner and free-kick taker) but a notable underperformer in front of goal: 10 shots, 1.14 xG, 0 goals, including a big miss at 0.532 xG E164E145. Deny him space to shoot but respect his delivery E83E106.
Robert Andrich (RDM) — Deep midfielder who arrives for shots and set-play headers: 10 shots, 2 goals including a corner header E101 and an indirect-free-kick finish E141. Must be tracked on second phases.
Patrik Schick (CF) — Volume striker, 11 shots, 2 goals, works box-central and off throw-ins/counters E147E154E155. Persistent aerial and rebound presence.
Jeremie Frimpong (RWB) — Attacking wing-back who both regains high on the right and finishes central runs (0.479 xG goal at Frankfurt) E148E196. His forward positioning is the pivot of their right-side threat and their principal exploitable vulnerability.
6. Exploitable Patterns
Space behind the right wing-back (recommendation 1). Frimpong is the team's top attacking-third regainer and an advancing wing-back E196E197E203, and the side's defensive actions are heavily weighted to the right and central (attacking-third right 9.1%) E47. When he steps to press or overlaps, the channel behind him is the priority target for direct balls and switches — Leverkusen's own left-flank pressing is comparatively light E39.
Set-piece second balls and specific zones (recommendation 2). With 3 goals from 14 corner-possession shots and repeat threats E94E97E101, their delivery patterns are predictable: Hofmann outswing to the far post E83E84E85, Grimaldo inswing to central goalmouth E67E72. Midfielders/CBs crash the edge and second phase (Xhaka 3 attempts, Andrich 2) E95E105E101 — the six-yard box and penalty-spot zones need dedicated markers plus a screen at the top of the box.
Penalty discipline (recommendation 3). 3/3 conversion from two different takers E121E122E120; every spot-kick carried ~0.78 xG. Given their box-central shot concentration E171E179, rash challenges are disproportionately costly.
Transition vulnerability to manage both ways (recommendation 4). Their best open-play chances arrive in transition — Grimaldo's 0.862-xG counter E169, Adli's counter shots E162E170, Schick on the break E155. Denying them turnovers via clean build-up matters; equally, their aggressive-press days (M4, PPDA 9.57) leave gaps behind if broken cleanly E54.
Press is scoreline-driven (recommendation 5). The PPDA range from 9.57 to 69.83 shows they disengage when comfortable E54E51. Against a settled Leverkusen block that sits in its defensive-third central zone (27.0% of actions) E185, patient central circulation is viable; long, hurried clearances play into their recovery-heavy defending (215 ball recoveries) E185.
Secondary weaknesses: Hofmann's finishing profile (10 shots, 1.14 xG, 0 goals) means his shooting positions are lower-priority to block than his passing lanes E164E145. Their attacking-third left channel is their least-active defensive zone (3.9%) E45, a further reason attacks on that side may find room. This data set does not cover goalkeeper distribution tendencies or defensive line height, which should be verified from additional footage.
Evidence appendix
Every citation resolves to a recorded event in the source data. Hover any key in the report, or find it below.
M1 2024-04-21 Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen match 3895309
M2 2024-04-27 Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 VfB Stuttgart match 3895320
M3 2024-05-05 Eintracht Frankfurt 1-5 Bayer Leverkusen match 3895333
M4 2024-05-12 Bochum 0-5 Bayer Leverkusen match 3895340
M5 2024-05-18 Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Augsburg match 3895348
E41 Jonas Hofmann pressure (attacking third, left channel) — 2024-04-21 Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen, 3:57 4b2185a0-8cfa-49d1-ad9c-28c70c526ba6
E45 Nathan Tella duel in press zone — 2024-04-21 Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen, 3:34 ddd8d6c3-3d9e-46d1-8374-b6f870b6e274
E46 Edmond Fayçal Tapsoba duel in press zone — 2024-04-21 Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen, 6:02 72d8a74b-4b8c-4b27-97b7-31a209f1b4eb
E47 Josip Stanišić duel in press zone — 2024-04-21 Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen, 6:19 ca7c7fff-a882-4d18-aa5f-3d246470aff4
E48 Odilon Kossonou duel in press zone — 2024-04-27 Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 VfB Stuttgart, 2:18 e7cce88e-8aed-48eb-a002-6ecd6836d256
E49 Robert Andrich duel in press zone — 2024-04-27 Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 VfB Stuttgart, 21:35 fa8288e2-85ad-4d9a-9dc9-36b421647e75
E51 Nathan Tella duel in press zone — 2024-05-05 Eintracht Frankfurt 1-5 Bayer Leverkusen, 10:49 c36d5d50-7085-421e-914b-86a28c3f738a
E52 Arthur Augusto de Matos Soares duel in press zone — 2024-05-05 Eintracht Frankfurt 1-5 Bayer Leverkusen, 29:52 336296a5-2f92-4c4e-a1d8-4a1cb0eca1a7
E54 Patrik Schick duel in press zone — 2024-05-12 Bochum 0-5 Bayer Leverkusen, 7:52 992740b3-ee4d-472a-828b-faed360b2d58
E55 Victor Okoh Boniface foul committed in press zone — 2024-05-12 Bochum 0-5 Bayer Leverkusen, 17:05 5538913d-9707-4abb-931f-027435dc53a2
E57 Amine Adli duel in press zone — 2024-05-18 Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Augsburg, 0:08 d037959b-a970-44a4-b481-2a0ac389b7f2
E58 Odilon Kossonou duel in press zone — 2024-05-18 Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Augsburg, 2:50 b6895c8a-de5b-41f6-adf4-1f8406152697