Bayer Leverkusen laments poor first half in 2-0 loss to Bayern Munich

TL;DR

Bayer Leverkusen lost 2-0 to Bayern Munich in the DFB-Pokal semifinal, struggling particularly in the first half. Despite a better second half, Leverkusen could not overcome Bayern's early lead.

Key points

Bayer Leverkusen lost 2-0 to Bayern Munich
Leverkusen struggled in the first half
Robert Andrich acknowledged Bayern's superiority
Leverkusen aims for a Champions League spot in Bundesliga

Mentioned in this story

Robert Andrich

Bayer 04 LeverkusenFC Bayern München

Leverkusen, Germany - April 22: Robert Andrich of Bayer 04 Leverkusen gestures during the DFB Cup semifinal match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern München at BayArena on April 22, 2026 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Oliver Kaelke/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images) | DeFodi Images via Getty Images Bayer Leverkusen captain Robert Andrich has been through some wars with Bayern Munich over the years and the midfielder / defender understands that if you cannot give 90 minutes of top-tier effort vs. the Bavarians that getting a win is nearly impossible. In the DFB-Pokal semifinal against Bayern Munich, *Die Werkself* suffered through a terrible first half and was outplayed significantly, yet still only trailed 1-0. While the second half was much better for Bayer Leverkusen, it was not good enough to overcome FC Bayern and the home side lost 2-0. For Andrich, that is just how it goes. “Bayern were certainly superior in the first 45 minutes. We were also lucky to only be 1-0 behind. If you then score one by the 75th minute, it’s wide open again. When you play such a bad first half, you have to take it as a positive that it’s only 1-0. And if you then score, you’re back in the game. But overall, we have to be honest: Bayern were better,” Adrich said (as captured by FCBayern.com). Bayer Leverkusen will shift its focus to the Bundesliga where it will desperately try to land a Champions League position for next season. It will not be easy, but not much ever is these days in the Bundesliga. *If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on , , , or any leading podcast distributor…*

Q&A

What were the key moments in Bayer Leverkusen's loss to Bayern Munich?

Bayer Leverkusen struggled in the first half, trailing 1-0, and despite a stronger second half, they ultimately lost 2-0.

How did Bayer Leverkusen perform in the DFB-Pokal semifinal against Bayern Munich?

Leverkusen had a poor first half but improved in the second half, yet it was not enough to secure a win against Bayern Munich.

What are Bayer Leverkusen's next steps after the DFB-Pokal loss?

Bayer Leverkusen will focus on the Bundesliga, aiming to secure a Champions League position for the next season.