Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2-0 Celje: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
Europa League Matchday 1 · Wednesday 16 September 2026 · BayArena, Leverkusen · referee J. Vergoote · full time
Full time: Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2-0 Celje
Bayer 04 Leverkusen won 2-0 at home to Celje in Europa League Matchday 1 on Wednesday 16 September 2026. The goals: Facundo Medina 74'.
How Bayer 04 Leverkusen won it
An own goal by Svit Seslar put Bayer 04 Leverkusen ahead in the 15th minute. Facundo Medina made it 2-0 to Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the 74th minute, set up by Aleix García.
It was 1-0 at half-time.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen: C. Martínez Novell, 4-2-3-1 · Celje: Z. Željkovič, 4-2-3-1.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Why it went this way
Bayer 04 Leverkusen had 8 shots on target, Celje 3.
Celje's goalkeeper made 7 saves.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen had 56% of the ball and turned it into the win.
Where the two sides stood before this match
Bayer 04 Leverkusen came into it with 1 Europa League matches played, scoring 2.0 and conceding 0.0 a match, with 1.57 expected goals for and – against, and had won 100% of their matches.
Celje came into it with 1 Europa League matches played, scoring 0.0 and conceding 2.0 a match, with 0.56 expected goals for and – against, and had won 0% of their matches.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Celje: the match in numbers
| Bayer 04 Leverkusen | Match statistics | Celje |
|---|---|---|
| 56% | Ball possession | 44% |
| 17 | Total shots | 5 |
| 8 | Shots on target | 3 |
| 5 | Big chances | 3 |
| 621 | Total passes | 499 |
| 88% | Pass accuracy | 88% |
| 6 | Corners | 2 |
| 16 | Fouls | 10 |
| 2 | Offsides | 1 |
| 16 | Tackles | 14 |
| 3 | Saves | 7 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Aleix García (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), rated 8.6 by Sportmonks, with 1 assist.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
- Aleix García 8.6 1 assist
- Facundo Medina 7.5 1 goal
- Loïc Badé 7.4
- Edmond Tapsoba 7.4
- Patrik Schick 7.3
Celje
- Zan-Luk Leban 7.9
- Milot Avdyli 7.3
- Mark Zabukovnik 7.0
- Artemijus Tutyškinas 7.0
- Pijus Širvys 6.8
The lowest-rated starter was Łukasz Bejger at 6.2. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- Bayer 04 Leverkusen: FSV Mainz 05 vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen Saturday 10 October 2026 · Bundesliga
- Celje: Celje vs Omonia Nicosia Thursday 15 October 2026 · Europa League
Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.
Questions about Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Celje
What was the score in Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Celje?
Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2-0 Celje (half-time 1-0), Europa League, Wednesday 16 September 2026.
Who scored in Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Celje?
Facundo Medina 74'.
Did Moneyball predict Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Celje correctly?
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Who was man of the match in Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Celje?
Aleix García, rated 8.6 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Celje?
J. Vergoote.
Every match, before and after
Moneyball Odds writes a preview with its estimate before every match of Europe's top five leagues and the European cups, then marks it against the result, hits and misses alike.
Moneyball Odds is a statistical analysis site, not a bookmaker. No model predicts football reliably. For readers aged 18 and over.