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Double goal scorer Moussa Diaby (left) is honored by Edmond Tapsoba and Kerem Demirbay
Photo: Marius Becker / dpa
Bayer Leverkusen can have high hopes of progressing in the Europa League after a convincing appearance in the home game against Real Betis. Two goals from Moussa Diaby (42nd minute / 52nd) and one each from Florian Wirtz (87th) and Nadiem Amiri (90th) helped the Werkself, who were still unbeaten in the competition, to a 4-0 (1-0) win over the Seville club. Bayers Kerem Demirbay and Betis' Nabil Fekir later saw the red card after a pack formation (90th + 2).
At Leverkusen, coach Gerardo Seoane refrained from using a real striker: Patrik Schick was injured anyway, substitute Lucas Alario sat on the bench.
Instead, the young creative players Wirtz and Amine Adli were allowed to cause unrest in the front line, which they did well from the start.
Adli also had the first good chance to take the lead, the former Dortmund Marc Bartra cleared his shot shortly before the line (21st).
Jeremie Frimpong then even scored for Bayer, but the goal of the advancing right-back did not count due to an offside position (25th).
The Werkself stayed on the trigger, developed more chances and took the lead when Diaby volleyed a pass from Wirtz into the goal of the guests from Seville (42nd).
Fekir's free kick just shakes the bar
Even after the break, Bayer had more play, Diaby made the cushion a little more comfortable with a deflected shot from 18 meters (52nd).
Betis also looked for playful solutions, but found them too seldom and did not have the same quality as Bayer in the switching moments.
The guests' best chance was a standard, Fekir's free kick bounced off the crossbar in a high arc before Bayer goalkeeper Lukáš Hrádecký grabbed it (67th).
In the final phase, Leverkusen had to worry about Frimpong and Wirtz, who had to be treated after duels.
However, both were able to continue playing, Wirtz even scored to 3-0 (87th), Nadiem Amiri to the final score (90th).
Diaby, who was involved in all four goals, presented both goals.
Then Fekir was violent against Demirbay and grabbed the Bayer professional by the neck after he had shot the ball away.
Demirbay returned the favor with a pat on Fekir's head, right in front of referee Anthony Taylor.
After a pack formation, he sent both fighters with red from the square (90th + 2).
After four of six match days, Leverkusen are at the top of Group G with ten points, Betis (seven points) and Celtic (six) follow in the places.
The first in the group goes straight to the round of 16, the second-placed goes to the second round.
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