Bayer 04 Leverkusen beat Sevilla 2-1 at BayArena in a Club Friendly, coming from behind after the break. Patrik Schick scored both second-half goals to overturn a 0-1 halftime deficit in front of 25,193 fans. The match served a proper preseason workout, with balanced ball possession at 50-50 and a clear swing in momentum after wholesale changes. On Sofascore, fans tracked every substitution, card and goal as it happened.

Sevilla were tidy and disciplined early, but Leverkusen’s depth told in the final half hour. Corner kicks finished 3-1 to the hosts, reflecting the later pressure that helped set the stage for Schick’s winner.

Sevilla strike first, Leverkusen respond after half-time

Sevilla landed the first punch on 16 minutes when Miguel Ángel Sierra Ortega put the visitors ahead. That goal shaped a controlled first half in which Sevilla were comfortable protecting space and keeping the ball moving. The halftime score read 0-1, and with possession split evenly, neither side had the monopoly on control. Leverkusen’s 4-2-3-1 shape saw plenty of the ball between the lines, but Sevilla’s back four in a 4-4-2 held firm before the interval. With no offsides recorded and few set-piece interruptions in the data, Sevilla’s compact line rarely stepped out of rhythm. The lack of free kicks on the official tally underlined a game low on stoppages and high on flow. Leverkusen’s best early looks came via territory rather than clear breaks. Still, the hosts would keep their biggest changes in reserve for the second half.

After the restart the game’s tone shifted. At 46 minutes Malik Tillman entered for Leverkusen, and a raft of introductions followed on 63, including Miguel Gutiérrez, Robert Andrich, Lucas Vázquez and, crucially, Patrik Schick. The equaliser came quickly on 66 minutes, with Schick finishing a move set up by Gutiérrez. That combination came right off the bench and injected pace and accuracy into Leverkusen’s final third play. With the scores level, the hosts continued to lean on fresh legs to pin Sevilla deeper. Corner kicks started to fall Leverkusen’s way, a hint of territorial momentum that had been missing before the break. Sevilla’s compact start gave way to more emergency defending and later, to their own changes in search of control.

Substitutions flip the script for the hosts

Leverkusen’s substitutions arrived in waves and paid off in minutes, not hours. The 63rd-minute sequence saw Gutiérrez replace Jeanuël Belocian and Andrich come on for Ezequiel Fernández, while Vázquez replaced Arthur and Schick took over from Christian Kofane. Those switches rebalanced the team with more thrust on the flanks and a true penalty-box finisher up front. Tim Oermann and Martin Terrier soon followed to freshen the back line and the wing. By that point, possession remained 50-50 across the match, but the direction of play tilted toward Sevilla’s box. The corner count finishing 3-1 to Leverkusen aligned with that surge.

Sevilla responded with changes of their own. Peque Fernández replaced Isaac Romero at half-time, while a triple change on 72 minutes brought in Manu Bueno, Ibra Sow and Rubén Vargas. The visitors altered their midfield mix and freshened both wide and central roles. An 80th-minute double switch put Iker Muñoz and Manuel Ángel Castillo into the back line and attack respectively. Even with the adjustments, the decisive moment still belonged to Schick, who struck again on 79 minutes for 2-1. The Czech forward’s brace was the difference between a balanced friendly and a home win.

Discipline, corners and a 50-50 share of the ball

The match stats read like a preseason coach’s checklist. Possession split right down the middle at 50-50. Corners leaned toward Leverkusen at 3-1, a small but telling sign of second-half pressure. Offsides were at zero for both, pointing to measured forward runs and well-timed movement. The official tally also listed zero free kicks, which is unusual, but speaks to a game that flowed with minimal set-piece interruptions in the recorded data. Yellow cards were heavier on Sevilla with four, compared to two for Leverkusen. Bookings for Lucien Agoumè on 47 and Arouna Sangante on 52 set a tone after the interval. Leverkusen saw Ezequiel Fernández carded on 56 and Robert Andrich on 70. A pair of additional Sevilla cautions on 32 and 74 rounded out a lively middle third of the match. No red cards were issued.

In short, the numbers explain the story. The shared possession shows how even this friendly was across 90 minutes. The swing in corners and the timing of goals point to Leverkusen’s bench driving the final outcome. Sevilla’s bookings reflected the defensive strain as the hosts poured forward in the second half.

Shapes, roles and how the lineups told the story

Leverkusen started in a 4-2-3-1, with Edmond Tapsoba wearing the armband at the back. The structure allowed a double pivot to steady buildup and free the front four to press Sevilla’s full backs. Sevilla lined up in a classic 4-4-2, set to close the middle and jump forward when turnovers appeared. That plan worked early, with Miguel Ángel Sierra Ortega’s 16th-minute strike a reward for direct play and quick support. As the match wore on, Leverkusen’s midfield shuttlers found more room to progress, especially after the injection of Lucas Vázquez and Miguel Gutiérrez.

The tactical tug-of-war showed in the substitutions. Sevilla’s triple change on 72 minutes, including Manu Bueno and Ibra Sow, added legs and energy in midfield. However, removing Sangante at that point also meant a different defensive mix to manage crosses and late runs. Leverkusen’s decision to bring on Schick at 63 minutes was decisive. His movement across the back line asked different questions than the starting forward line. Gutiérrez’s assist on the equaliser validated the timing and the roles. By 79 minutes, the hosts had the control they wanted and took it with clinical finishing.