Elversberg shocks Leverkusen in debut, Demichelis leads Leipzig to victory
Elversberg defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 in their first Bundesliga appearance, while newly appointed Leipzig coach Martín Demichelis guided his side to a 3-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Saarland's Elversberg enjoyed a fairy-tale Bundesliga debut, upsetting 2024 champions Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 at the modest URSAPHARM Arena, which hosted roughly 10,000 fans amid temporary stands. Early goals came from Lukas Petkov after eight minutes, ex-Dortmund youth prospect Cole Campbell, and David Mokwa at the start of the second half, while Leverkusen's new boss Carles Martínez saw his side respond only with late strikes by Patrik Schick and Christian Kofane.
Across the league, newly hired Leipzig manager Martín Demichelis celebrated a 3-0 home win over his former club Borussia Mönchengladbach, with Ridle Baku, Antonio Nusa and Rocco Reitz on the scoresheet. Elsewhere, Eintracht Frankfurt, led by returning coach Adi Hütter, fought to a 3-3 draw with Union Berlin, and Cologne turned a 2-2 deadlock into a 3-2 victory over Hoffenheim. Newcomer Paderborn held Mainz to a goalless stalemate, rounding out a weekend of surprising results.
Why it matters
The upset highlights the competitiveness of newly promoted clubs and the challenges facing fresh coaches in the Bundesliga.
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