Shortly after his next setback as Bayer Leverkusen coach, Gerardo Seoane quickly disappeared into the catacombs.
After the 0: 2 (0: 0) at FC Porto, a few of his professionals clapped their hands on the fans, the Swiss was no longer on the pitch after the bitter defeat in the Champions League – and he has to do more now than ever fear for his job.
The defeat in Portugal by goals from Zaidu (69th) and Galeno (87th) after the 0: 4 debacle at FC Bayern increased the pressure on Seoane in the penultimate Bundesliga. A successor is already being discussed. According to the US broadcaster ESPN, the former Bayern professional Xabi Alonso should be the favorite for a possible successor to the Swiss.
“Roller Coaster of Emotions” for Seoane
However, the team’s performance and attitude over the long haul were arguments for Seoane getting his job final against FC Schalke on Saturday. If the Swiss player doesn’t win with the Werkself against the promoted side either, his time in Leverkusen will almost certainly come to an end.
The whole emotional rollercoaster of feelings for Seoane culminated just before the break when Porto scored, the goal was disallowed, Bayer received a hand penalty and Patrik Schick missed it (45). A goal by Callum Hudson-Odoi had previously been disallowed (15′). To make matters worse, Jeremie Frimpong also saw yellow-red after repeated foul play (88.)
Seoane had been relaxed in advance after the announcement by club boss Fernando Carro, who had publicly stated that the club was “not unprepared for a change of coach. He finds it “only professional,” said the 43-year-old and assured: “I personally can handle this situation well.”
His team, who changed three positions, quickly tried to control the game and tried to gain security through possession of the ball. In front of the eyes of the longtime head of sport Rudi Völler, who accompanied the team in his new function as a member of the shareholders’ committee, Frimpong and Moussa Diaby were active on the right flank. For three minutes Bayer seemed to have their reward quickly as Hudson-Odoi volleyed a nice play from the far post. But after looking at several TV pictures, the English referee team found that Robert Andrich had previously played a foul when winning the ball.
Bayer striker Schick fails from the point
After that, the game flattened out until events took a turn for the worse shortly after the break. First of all, the Bayer keeper Lukas Hradecky, who had often made a mistake, made a strong save against Mateus Uribe (40th), then Schick failed at Diogo Costa (41st), in return Mehdi Taremi scored the supposed 1-0 for Porto. Because of a handball by David Carmo in his own penalty area, the goal was not only disallowed, but instead there was a penalty for Bayer – which Schick missed. To make it even more bizarre, the Czech had also missed a penalty in the international match against Portugal ten days earlier. And who was there in the gate? Diogo Costa. At that time, Schick had shot over the goal, this time the Portuguese held. Instead of 0:1 or 1:0 it was 0:0 at the break.
After the break, the game became wild and torn in front of 42,399 spectators. Instead of great chances to score, there were now only four yellow cards within ten minutes as excitement. Bayer never recovered from Zaidu’s goal.
Wendell was unlucky for the Portuguese. The left-back, who played a total of 250 competitive games for Bayer between 2014 and 2021, had to have his foot treated after a foul by Adam Hlozek in the 12th minute. 20 minutes later his own goalkeeper rammed him in a rescue attempt. The Brazilian lay dazed on the floor but bounced back again and lasted until the 63rd minute.
