UEFA Champions League League Stage - 2

Bayer Leverkusen 1 - 1 FT PSV Eindhoven

BayArena

Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching

Futmetrix Verdict
33
FT
Wed, Oct 1
Bayer Leverkusen
1-1
PSV Eindhoven
⚡ Intensity 24
⚖️ Balance 40
🏆 Stakes 6
🎲 Upset 60
Leverkusen held, PSV steals a point

VAR's Early Blow Undoes Leverkusen's Grip at BayArena

Skip It Futmetrix Score: 33/100. A disallowed goal in the opening moments set the tone for a match where Bayer Leverkusen dominated but couldn't seal the deal against a PSV Eindhoven side that struck when it mattered most.

The VAR Sting

Before the match had properly begun, Ivan Perišić's sixth-minute finish was ruled out—VAR's first intervention a hammer blow to PSV's early momentum. At BayArena, the home crowd sensed opportunity. Leverkusen seized intensity, controlling possession at 46% whilst PSV held the ball at 54%. Yet the balance tilted decisively when Christian Kofane broke the deadlock in the 65th minute, converting with clinical precision. The hosts had manufactured 14 shots to PSV's six—a barrage that suggested the three points were locked in.

Saibari's Sucker Punch

Seven minutes later, the script flipped. Ismael Saibari collected a pass from Guus Til and unleashed a finish of such precision that stakes shifted entirely. PSV's 8.3-rated forward had absorbed pressure all evening but delivered when the margin was thinnest. Aleix García and Alejandro Grimaldo orchestrated Leverkusen's dominance with 3 and 2 key passes respectively, yet neither could prevent the leveller. The upset factor crystallised in that 72nd minute: a team holding 54% possession and mustering only 1 shot on target had equalised against a side that created 4 clear chances.

The Reckoning

Both sides leave BayArena pointless in the Champions League table. Leverkusen's expected goals (1.74) vastly outweighed PSV's (0.49), yet football's cruelest truth prevailed: dominance without ruthlessness yields nothing. Perišić's disallowed goal—a moment that could have reshaped the entire evening—haunts the narrative. For PSV, a draw feels like salvage. For Leverkusen, it's a missed opportunity to build momentum in a competition where margins are measured in millimetres and VAR's verdict.

Key Questions

How did VAR change this match?

Perišić's disallowed goal in minute 6 denied PSV an early lead, shifting intensity entirely to Leverkusen's favour and setting the stage for their 65th-minute breakthrough.

What is the Futmetrix Score?

The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.

Match Statistics

Possession
46%
54%
Bayer Leverkusen 46%
PSV Eindhoven 54%
Shots
14
6
Bayer Leverkusen 14
PSV Eindhoven 6
Shots on Target
4
1
Bayer Leverkusen 4
PSV Eindhoven 1
Expected Goals (xG)
1.74
0.49
Bayer Leverkusen 1.74
PSV Eindhoven 0.49
Passes
499
573
Bayer Leverkusen 499
PSV Eindhoven 573
Pass Accuracy
89%
88%
Bayer Leverkusen 89%
PSV Eindhoven 88%
Corners
7
4
Bayer Leverkusen 7
PSV Eindhoven 4
Fouls
8
11
Bayer Leverkusen 8
PSV Eindhoven 11
Yellow Cards
0
2
Bayer Leverkusen 0
PSV Eindhoven 2
Red Cards
0
0
Bayer Leverkusen 0
PSV Eindhoven 0

Match Events

42' 🔄 A. Tape Arthur
HT
Guus Til 🟨 64'
65' C. M. Kofane
A. Obispo R. Flamingo 🔄 66'
I. Saibari (G. Til) 72'
73' 🔄 E. Poku E. Ben Seghir
I. Perisic C. Driouech 🔄 73'
D. Man E. Bajraktarevic 🔄 73'
80' 🔄 C. M. Kofane C. Echeverri
80' 🔄 M. Tillman I. Maza
Ismael Saibari 🟨 90'+2
FT

Player Cards

Our take on every player in this match

Bayer Leverkusen

Goalkeepers
M. Flekken
ARCHITECT
ARCHITECT
1
Key Passes
1
Key Passes
0
Assists
9%
Pass Acc
Defenders
J. Quansah
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
L. Bade
STORMTROOPER
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
E. Tapsoba
STORMTROOPER
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Midfielders
A. Tape
PROVOCATEUR
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
4
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
A. Garcia
MAGNET
MAGNET
91
Activity
91
Activity
86
Passes
5
Duels
E. Fernandez
MAGNET
MAGNET
87
Activity
87
Activity
79
Passes
8
Duels
A. Grimaldo
STORMTROOPER
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Forwards
M. Tillman
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
10
Late Mins
10
Late Mins
80
Total Mins
80
Entry
E. Poku
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
73
Total Mins
73
Entry
C. M. Kofane
SNIPER
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
BENCH
J. Blaswich
SPECTATOR
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
N. Lomb
SPECTATOR
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Arthur
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
48
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. Belocian
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
C. Echeverri
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
10
Total Mins
Started
Entry
E. Ben Seghir
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
17
Total Mins
Started
Entry
I. Maza
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
10
Total Mins
Started
Entry
K. Izekor
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry

PSV Eindhoven

Goalkeepers
M. Kovar
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Mauro Junior
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Obispo
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
66
Total Mins
66
Entry
Y. Gasiorowski
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Salah-Eddine
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
D. Man
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
73
Total Mins
73
Entry
J. Schouten
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
J. Veerman
MAGNET
MAGNET
81
Activity
81
Activity
77
Passes
4
Duels
I. Perisic
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
73
Total Mins
73
Entry
Forwards
I. Saibari
SNIPER
SNIPER
50%
Conversion
50%
Conversion
1
Goals
2
Shots
G. Til
PROVIDER
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
2
Key Passes
6.6
Rating
BENCH
N. Olij
SPECTATOR
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
N. Schiks
SPECTATOR
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
R. Flamingo
ENFORCER
ENFORCER
4
Tackles
4
Tackles
4
Duels Won
80%
Win %
A. Nagalo
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
P. Wanner
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
N. Fernandez
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
C. Driouech
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
17
Total Mins
Started
Entry
E. Bajraktarevic
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
17
Total Mins
Started
Entry
R. van Duiven
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry

League Standings

Pos Team P Pts GF GA GD Form
1 Bayern München 2 6 8 2 +6 WPafos 1 - 5 Bayern München (30-09-2025)WBayern München 3 - 1 Chelsea (17-09-2025)
2 Real Madrid 2 6 7 1 +6 WKairat Almaty 0 - 5 Real Madrid (30-09-2025)WReal Madrid 2 - 1 Marseille (16-09-2025)
3 Paris Saint Germain 2 6 6 1 +5 WBarcelona 1 - 2 Paris Saint Germain (01-10-2025)WParis Saint Germain 4 - 0 Atalanta (17-09-2025)
4 Inter 2 6 5 0 +5 WInter 3 - 0 Slavia Praha (30-09-2025)WAjax 0 - 2 Inter (17-09-2025)
5 Arsenal 2 6 4 0 +4 WArsenal 2 - 0 Olympiakos Piraeus (01-10-2025)WAthletic Club 0 - 2 Arsenal (16-09-2025)
6 Qarabag 2 6 5 2 +3 WQarabag 2 - 0 FC Copenhagen (01-10-2025)WBenfica 2 - 3 Qarabag (16-09-2025)
7 Borussia Dortmund 2 4 8 5 +3 WBorussia Dortmund 4 - 1 Athletic Club (01-10-2025)DJuventus 4 - 4 Borussia Dortmund (16-09-2025)
8 Manchester City 2 4 4 2 +2 DMonaco 2 - 2 Manchester City (01-10-2025)WManchester City 2 - 0 Napoli (18-09-2025)
9 Tottenham 2 4 3 2 +1 DBodo/Glimt 2 - 2 Tottenham (30-09-2025)WTottenham 1 - 0 Villarreal (16-09-2025)
10 Atletico Madrid 2 3 7 4 +3 WAtletico Madrid 5 - 1 Eintracht Frankfurt (30-09-2025)LLiverpool 3 - 2 Atletico Madrid (17-09-2025)
11 Newcastle 2 3 5 2 +3 WUnion St. Gilloise 0 - 4 Newcastle (01-10-2025)LNewcastle 1 - 2 Barcelona (18-09-2025)
12 Marseille 2 3 5 2 +3 WMarseille 4 - 0 Ajax (30-09-2025)LReal Madrid 2 - 1 Marseille (16-09-2025)
13 Sporting CP 2 3 5 3 +2 LNapoli 2 - 1 Sporting CP (01-10-2025)WSporting CP 4 - 1 Kairat Almaty (18-09-2025)
14 Club Brugge KV 2 3 5 3 +2 LAtalanta 2 - 1 Club Brugge KV (30-09-2025)WClub Brugge KV 4 - 1 Monaco (18-09-2025)
15 Eintracht Frankfurt 2 3 6 6 0 LAtletico Madrid 5 - 1 Eintracht Frankfurt (30-09-2025)WEintracht Frankfurt 5 - 1 Galatasaray (18-09-2025)
16 Liverpool 2 3 3 3 0 LGalatasaray 1 - 0 Liverpool (30-09-2025)WLiverpool 3 - 2 Atletico Madrid (17-09-2025)
17 Barcelona 2 3 3 3 0 LBarcelona 1 - 2 Paris Saint Germain (01-10-2025)WNewcastle 1 - 2 Barcelona (18-09-2025)
18 Chelsea 2 3 2 3 -1 WChelsea 1 - 0 Benfica (30-09-2025)LBayern München 3 - 1 Chelsea (17-09-2025)
19 Napoli 2 3 2 3 -1 WNapoli 2 - 1 Sporting CP (01-10-2025)LManchester City 2 - 0 Napoli (18-09-2025)
20 Union St. Gilloise 2 3 3 5 -2 LUnion St. Gilloise 0 - 4 Newcastle (01-10-2025)WPSV Eindhoven 1 - 3 Union St. Gilloise (16-09-2025)
21 Atalanta 2 3 2 5 -3 WAtalanta 2 - 1 Club Brugge KV (30-09-2025)LParis Saint Germain 4 - 0 Atalanta (17-09-2025)
22 Galatasaray 2 3 2 5 -3 WGalatasaray 1 - 0 Liverpool (30-09-2025)LEintracht Frankfurt 5 - 1 Galatasaray (18-09-2025)
23 Juventus 2 2 6 6 0 DVillarreal 2 - 2 Juventus (01-10-2025)DJuventus 4 - 4 Borussia Dortmund (16-09-2025)
24 Bodo/Glimt 2 2 4 4 0 DBodo/Glimt 2 - 2 Tottenham (30-09-2025)DSlavia Praha 2 - 2 Bodo/Glimt (17-09-2025)
25 Bayer Leverkusen 2 2 3 3 0 DBayer Leverkusen 1 - 1 PSV Eindhoven (01-10-2025)DFC Copenhagen 2 - 2 Bayer Leverkusen (18-09-2025)
26 Villarreal 2 1 2 3 -1 DVillarreal 2 - 2 Juventus (01-10-2025)LTottenham 1 - 0 Villarreal (16-09-2025)
27 PSV Eindhoven 2 1 2 4 -2 DBayer Leverkusen 1 - 1 PSV Eindhoven (01-10-2025)LPSV Eindhoven 1 - 3 Union St. Gilloise (16-09-2025)
28 FC Copenhagen 2 1 2 4 -2 LQarabag 2 - 0 FC Copenhagen (01-10-2025)DFC Copenhagen 2 - 2 Bayer Leverkusen (18-09-2025)
29 Olympiakos Piraeus 2 1 0 2 -2 LArsenal 2 - 0 Olympiakos Piraeus (01-10-2025)DOlympiakos Piraeus 0 - 0 Pafos (17-09-2025)
30 Monaco 2 1 3 6 -3 DMonaco 2 - 2 Manchester City (01-10-2025)LClub Brugge KV 4 - 1 Monaco (18-09-2025)
31 Slavia Praha 2 1 2 5 -3 LInter 3 - 0 Slavia Praha (30-09-2025)DSlavia Praha 2 - 2 Bodo/Glimt (17-09-2025)
32 Pafos 2 1 1 5 -4 LPafos 1 - 5 Bayern München (30-09-2025)DOlympiakos Piraeus 0 - 0 Pafos (17-09-2025)
33 Benfica 2 0 2 4 -2 LChelsea 1 - 0 Benfica (30-09-2025)LBenfica 2 - 3 Qarabag (16-09-2025)
34 Athletic Club 2 0 1 6 -5 LBorussia Dortmund 4 - 1 Athletic Club (01-10-2025)LAthletic Club 0 - 2 Arsenal (16-09-2025)
35 Ajax 2 0 0 6 -6 LMarseille 4 - 0 Ajax (30-09-2025)LAjax 0 - 2 Inter (17-09-2025)
36 Kairat Almaty 2 0 1 9 -8 LKairat Almaty 0 - 5 Real Madrid (30-09-2025)LSporting CP 4 - 1 Kairat Almaty (18-09-2025)