Football singularity-Chapter 374 Busy Month

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[Sunday 29/010/2019, Location: Cologne Bonn Airport]

An hour later the Leverkusen squad had a new jet fueled up and cleared for take-off. Rakim now sitting in one of the window seats donned a pair of headphones bumping the Ghetto Gospel album by Rod Wave. Since the guy’s XXL Cypher was one of the best he decided to give his debut album a chance and he wasn’t disappointed.

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Leaning back in his chair he closed his eyes letting the music calm his mind. ’It’s been a hectic month,’ he found himself thinking as he decided to put his Twitter on mute after stocking the flames some more.

{was it really that hectic it’s not that much different from what you experienced in Glasgow,} Eva said not understanding his thought process, acting like he hadn’t played professional football last season.

’This is different, and you know it, now I am a full member of the team. I can actually feel how the club is planning for my future with them. ’Heck when was the last time a coach decided to rest me just to be safe, I don’t burn out despite the fact I only come off the bench?’

To his response, Eva had to actually think about it as it really had been a long time. Usually in the Ace academy, it was every player fighting for opportunities to showcase their talents. Even with one of the best healthcare systems, some players would still opt to hide minor kinks if it meant they could showcase their talents in front of scouts.

[Still scoring in 2 out of the 3 games you played and giving out 4 assists is still pretty good. After 6 Bundesliga matches your team is sitting pretty in 6th position with 13 points just one behind league leader Bayern Munich. Though you should win this Juventus fixture if you guys want any hope in your Champions League journey after that 1:2 loss against Loko Moscow.] Eva stated after moments of silence, seemingly trying to compute his absentminded question.

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[Bundesliga Match Week 3: Leverkusen 2-2 Hoffenheim (31/08/2019) 15:30]

The BayArena buzzed with energy as Leverkusen hosted Hoffenheim. Rakim got his first start for the team on the left wing and was keen to build on his Jaw-dropping performance against Düsseldorf. Early on, Leverkusen controlled possession, their midfield trio of Demirbay, Amiri, and Aránguiz threading passes to stretch the opposition.

Eager to make an impression, Rakim worked with his teammates both up and down the field. He would only take on players when an opportunity presented itself to him, like in the 22-minute. Beating two defenders down the flank with a clever reverse Elsatico and roulette he created just enough space to send a grounded cross into the box.

Volland, whose start to the season had been average, didn’t waste this opportunity beating his marker and the offside trap to slot the ball past Baumann. That would be the last goal they scored in the first half as they found it harder to break past the Hoffenheim defence. However, it was their opponents who chose to strike back in the 44th minute launching their third meaningful attack on the Leverkusen team.

Posch, after dispossessing Wendell who had overlapped with Rakim trying to launch an attack, immediately drove forward launching a counter. Accelerating forward the right-back used a one-two to breeze past Rakim who attempted to stand in his way. Posch, now deep in Leverkusen’s half, slid the ball to Kramarić, who spun away from Jonathan Tah with alarming ease.

Kramarić didn’t hold onto the ball long as he threaded a precise through ball to Bebou, who darted into the box. Lukas Hradecky rushed off his line, but Bebou’s shot had too much pace, rifling into the bottom corner to equalize just before halftime. That was the last goal of the first half ruining the mood of the home team who had been happy throughout the first half.

Bellarabi and Rakim became more active on the wings after the halftime talks kicking up another gear to torment Hoffenheim’s flanks. In the 55th minute, after dancing past two defenders he earned Leverkusen a free kick near the edge of the box. Demirbay whipped it in with venom, and Sven Bender rose highest to nod the ball into the net, restoring Leverkusen’s lead. Hoffenheim, however, refused to back down.

With time ticking away, their persistence paid off in the 81st minute. A well-orchestrated corner saw Grillitsch flick the ball towards the far post, where Kaderábek smashed it home with a diving header. Despite a flurry of late chances, including a curling shot from Rakim that struck the crossbar, the match ended in a 2-2 draw.

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[Bundesliga Match Week 4: Dortmund 4-0 Leverkusen (14/09/2019) 15:30]

The Westfalen Stadion was a cauldron of noise as Dortmund hosted Leverkusen. From the first whistle, the home side exuded dominance, pressing high and forcing errors. Without Rakim in the lineup, Bellarabi started and Diaby, fresh off the injury list, sat on the bench looking for his chance to rejoin the team.

However, Leverkusen struggled to match Dortmund’s tempo and precision. Favre’s version of the Dortmund squad still retained the attacking flow from Klopp with the team as a whole running the most in the Bundesliga. Their effort bore fruit as Dortmund broke the deadlock in the 24th minute when Jadon Sancho danced past Wendell on the right wing, delivering a low cross that Paco Alcácer deftly redirected into the bottom corner.

Leverkusen, rattled by the goal, attempted to regroup, but Dortmund’s relentless pressing pinned them back. The second goal came in the 38th minute, courtesy of a swift counterattack. Julian Brandt picked up the ball in midfield and threaded it to Marco Reus, who flicked it back to him with a clever one-two. Brandt’s curling effort from just outside the box left Hradecky rooted to the spot.

Leverkusen barely had time to recover before Dortmund struck again in the 51st minute. This time, Achraf Hakimi surged forward from right-back, weaving through the defence before laying the ball off to Alcácer, who doubled his tally with a clinical finish. The final nail in the coffin arrived in the 79th minute.

Substitute Thorgan Hazard found himself unmarked at the edge of the box and unleashed a thunderous strike that ricocheted off the crossbar and in. From the stands, Rakim could only watch the wasps celebrate in glee as they gave his team the same treatment he had given to Düsseldorf in their match. They looked disjointed, unable to respond to Dortmund’s ruthlessness. As the final whistle blew, it was clear this was a humbling lesson for the team.

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[Champions’ League Group Stage: Leverkusen 1-2 Lokomotiv Moscow (18/09/2019) 21:00]

The lights of the BayArena burned bright, the Champions League anthem echoing across the stadium. Diaby started on the left, brimming with excitement, looking to make the fans remember his skills after missing a couple of names due to injury. The match, however, began on a sour note for Leverkusen.

In the 16th minute, Lokomotiv’s Miranchuk pounced on a defensive error, latching onto a loose back pass and slotting it past a stunned Hradecky. Leverkusen struggled to find their rhythm, and Lokomotiv capitalized again in the 34th minute when Smolov unleashed a thunderous strike from 25 yards out, doubling the visitors’ lead.

Rakim came on at halftime for his debut in Europe’s grandest competition and took matters into his own hands. In the 62nd minute, he picked up the ball on the left, weaved past two defenders, and unleashed a powerful shot using his Heavy Artillery sending it cannoning off the post and into the net. It was his first Champions League goal, a moment of brilliance that reignited hope.

Leverkusen pushed hard in the dying moments, with Rakim providing a pinpoint cross to Alario, whose header was miraculously saved by Guilherme. The final whistle blew, and Leverkusen suffered a disappointing 1-2 defeat despite Rakim’s heroics.

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[Bundesliga Match Week 5: Leverkusen 2-0 Union Berlin (21/09/2019) 15:30]

Back at the BayArena, Leverkusen had the perfect opportunity to bounce back against Union Berlin. The home crowd created a fervent atmosphere, eager for a strong response. Rakim watched the match from the comfort of the VIP box with some other teammates put on the reserve list.

Leverkusen began brightly, with Demirbay pulling the strings in midfield. In the 18th minute, a moment of magic came from Leon Bailey, who burst down the right flank, cut inside, and rifled a shot past Union keeper Rafal Gikiewicz to open the scoring. Union Berlin tried to fight back, but Leverkusen’s defence, led by Sven Bender and Jonathan Tah, stood firm.

The midfield duo of Amiri and Aránguiz broke up Union’s attacks, launching quick transitions that kept the visitors on their heels. The second goal came in the 54th minute. A slick passing move starting from Wendell on the left flank saw the ball travel through Palacios to Havertz, who spotted Lucas Alario’s intelligent run.

Alario controlled the pass brilliantly before slotting it into the far corner. Union Berlin pushed forward in desperation, but Hradecky made two outstanding saves to maintain the clean sheet. As the final whistle blew, the scoreboard reflected their win as they secured another crucial 3 points in the league.

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[Bundesliga Match Week 6: Leverkusen 3-0 Augsburg (28/09/2019) 15:30]

Away at Augsburg, Leverkusen looked determined to bounce back. Rakim, reinstated to the starting XI, made his presence felt early. In the 12th minute, he darted past two defenders on the left flank and squared the ball to Volland, whose first-time shot rippled the net.

Leverkusen’s midfield dominated proceedings, with Palacios and Amiri dictating the tempo. Rakim felt like he was on a row and utilized his creativity to constantly unsettle Augsburg’s defence. In the 39th minute, he received a long ball from Bender, danced past his marker with a fake shot, and curled a sublime effort into the far corner to double the lead.

The second half saw Leverkusen in complete control. Augsburg’s attempts to get back into the game were stifled by Leverkusen’s solid defensive pairing of Tah and Sven Bender. Rakim continued to shine, assisting Leverkusen’s third goal with a perfectly weighted through ball to Havertz, who calmly finished in the 72nd minute. The 3-0 victory was a statement for the fans showing their fighting spirit after the two shaky matches at the start of the month.

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To Be Continued...