Last night’s Champions League fixture between Bundesliga representatives Bayer Leverkusen and Portugal’s SL Benfica didn’t necessarily make for exciting viewing. For long stretches of the game, the two sides largely neutralized each other. 

Jose Mourhino’s Eagles nevertheless did have their moments and had cause to feel hard done by when the Germans escaped with a slender 0-1 victory. Benfica struck the post and found themselves stymied by Leverkusen keeper Mark Flekken on several occasions. 

The winning goal came on a totally fluky play. B04 substitute Patrik Schick headed home a botched clearance in the 65th-minute. Leverkusen grabbed three points despite being out-shot 21-7. Benfica’s fourth loss in four Champions League fixtures almost certainly spells the end for Mourinho’s men. 

“They did nothing to win,” Mourinho groused at the post-match press conference. “It was they who were the team that was completely dominated.“

In the mixed zone, Rolfes opted to reference a bit of history. Back in the 2022/23 season, it was Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma who eliminated Leverkusen from the Europa League semi-finals in a two-legged playoff that featured plenty of ultra-defense “bus-parking” and overall scheisty play. 

Roma barely squeaked by with a 1-0 home win and a 0-0 draw back at the BayArena. The shoe was most definitely on the other foot in Leverkusen in May 2025 when a dominant Bayer lost to a Roma side that barely tried to do anything in attack. 

“We learned a lot two years ago,” Rolfes remarked with a smile last night. “That’s why when we learned to interrupt the game a little bit, break the rhythm. We always try to learn from others.“