Champions Bayer Leverkusen once again demonstrated their famous confrontational tactics at the start of the new Bundesliga season, scoring a late goal to secure a 3-2 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Last season, Leverkusen impressed with several late and decisive goals on the way to their first championship title and a season without defeat.

Now it seems their last-minute magic is back for the 2024-25 season.

Gladbach fought back to make it 2-2 and thus gave up a 0-2 lead. However, in the 10th minute of injury time, Leverkusen was awarded a penalty.

Florian Wirtz initially failed with a penalty against Jonas Omlin, but he was there and smashed the rebound into the goal.

“I’m happy, I just wanted to decide the game. In the end we were lucky, but I won’t complain,” Wirtz told broadcaster DAZN.

“We know how we want to perform and everyone wants to win and play good football. It’s fun and we’ll try to keep it up.”

Wirtz had already scored Leverkusen’s second goal in the 38th minute, extending the visitors’ lead after Granit Xhaka’s opener in the 12th minute.

Gladbach’s goal by Tim Kleindienst was disallowed after video review shortly before half-time, but Nico Elvedi reduced the deficit in the 59th minute and Kleindienst’s shot in the 85th minute counted and the hosts expected to keep at least a point.

But a tackle by Ko Itakura on Amine Adli in the penalty area was blocked and led to a penalty – and ultimately victory – for the defending champions.

“We are happy to take the three points with us to Leverkusen,” said Xhaka, while Wirtz stressed: “We made life difficult for ourselves. There are still a few things we need to work on.”

The VAR had a lot to do in the first Bundesliga game of the season. Kleindiest’s goal was not recognized after the video was reviewed, and the two Gladbach goals were only confirmed after review.

Even after video review, referee Robert Schröder awarded Leverkusen a penalty in the last minute.

“We weren’t all bad. Turning the 2-0 lead around was positive, but the VAR checks were annoying,” said Kleindiest, who moved from Heidenheim to Gladbach in the summer. “Every goal, every detail had to be checked.”