CHAPTER 624: CHAPTER 624 SUBBED OUT

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[78’]

Halstenberg threw himself across desperately, sliding with everything he had, but Volland arrived a fraction earlier. The striker didn’t even need to adjust his stride—he simply redirected the rolling ball with the inside of his right boot, guiding it into the empty net.

"GOOOAAAAAL!" Drury’s voice exploded. "KEVIN VOLLAND! Leverkusen lead again! What a sequence! What display of skill from Rakim Rex and Volland is there to finish making his effort worth it!"

The Leverkusen bench, which had moments ago been on tenterhooks, erupted, players leaping off their seats as Volland sprinted toward the corner flag, sliding on his knees with his arms outstretched. His teammates mobbed him instantly, with Diaby the first to reach him, screaming in celebration.

"That is absolutely sensational football," Beglin said, his voice full of admiration. "Rakim Rex has just produced one of the great individual runs in Champions League history. Four defenders beaten, and even when Gulácsi takes him out, Volland is there to capitalise. Simply phenomenal from the youngster."

The referee consulted briefly with his assistant before pointing emphatically to the centre circle—goal! No foul on Gulácsi’s challenge; Rakim had simply got there first. The Leipzig players protested, but the decision stood.

[RB Leipzig 1-2 Bayer Leverkusen - Volland 78’]

Rakim, meanwhile, was being helped to his feet by the physio, wincing slightly as he tested his right ankle where Gulácsi had caught him. After a few stretches and some spray, he gave the thumbs up and jogged back into position, receiving applause from his teammates.

[84]

Now in the lead, Bosz made his final substitution, bringing on Amiri for the exhausted Rakim, who received warm applause from his teammates as he jogged off. "It looks like the physical toll of all the games he’s played all year long is finally getting to him. But I wouldn’t be disappointed with his performance here today." Drury commented as the fourth official announced the change.

"Indeed, he’s had multiple runs that looked dangerous, one leading to the creation of the first goal, and moments ago to give his team back the lead." Beglin said, "The biggest beneficiary of this is Volland, who has netted a brace, bringing his Champions League goal tally to 11."

[85’]

With Amiri now on the pitch, Leverkusen shifted their shape slightly, the Iranian playmaker slotting into the left side of midfield, playing more centrally to support Havertz. The shift was clear, aiming to defend smartly and maintain the threat of a counter-attack.

Leipzig, knowing they were running out of time, threw everything into attacking the Leverkusen goal. Nagelsmann was screaming instructions from the touchline, urging his team to calm down. But the players were too desperate to remain as disciplined as they were for most of the game. Every pass in their ranks moved with more urgency, looking for the most direct path to the goal.

Nordi Mukiele on the RB right flank picked up the ball just past the halfway line. Flicking the ball inwards, he turned past Amiri, chasing the return pass from Schick. Exploding forward at pace, he looked inwards for a moment before sending a lofted through ball into the box.

Poulsen, holding of Tah, leapt into the air, stretching his neck, trying to guide it onto Haidara, but Hradecky appeared, punching the ball out. "Keeper’s ball!" Beglin barked. "Hradecky clears it himself."

Leverkusen tried to breathe, but Leipzig were relentless. Forsberg sought space in midfield, demanding possession every time they recycled. In the 88th minute, he wriggled free, slipped Haidara into the left channel, and the cut-back found Schick twenty yards out. The attacking midfielder struck through it, low and nasty, but Tah flew across feet first, deflecting the ball out, spinning behind for a corner.

Forsberg’s delivery teased the six-yard line. Upamecano bullied a path and thumped a header that looked in until Hradecky’s palm lifted it over. Drury could only laugh. "Upamecano could not beat Lukas Hradecky for a second time!"

Leverkusen finally broke the press in the 89th minute as Amiri pinched a pass off Laimer and immediately stabbed forward to Havertz. He turned with the ball, dodging a defender and released Diaby over the top into acres on the right. The Frenchman burned clear of Halstenberg, creating enough space to attempt the shot, and he did.

The ball flew straight, heading straight to the far corner, forcing Gulacsi to shuffle across his line. He leapt into the air fully outstretched, but he knew he couldn’t reach it. But lady luck smiled upon him as the ball kissed the outside of the upright, skipping wide.

"Oh, that would’ve finished it," Beglin sighed. "Leipzig are still alive."

[90]

The fourth official’s board went up: four minutes of added time. Leipzig had four minutes to save their Champions League dream, or they were going home. "Four minutes for Leipzig," Drury announced. "Four minutes to find a way past this magnificent Leverkusen side."

Leverkusen tried to take the sting out of the game, keeping possession near the corner flag as Amiri shielded the ball from three Leipzig players. But Forsberg finally won it back with a well-timed tackle, and suddenly, Leipzig were streaming forward one more time.

The Swedish midfielder played it quickly to Schick, who flicked it into the path of Poulsen. The Danish striker drove toward the box, but Baumgartlinger came across to make a crucial sliding tackle, winning the ball cleanly and sending it out for a throw-in.

[90+1’]

In the first minute of stoppage time, Leipzig won a free kick in a dangerous position, twenty-five yards from goal and slightly left of centre. Every Leipzig player except Gulácsi pushed into the Leverkusen box, unwilling to play it safe any longer.

"This could be Leipzig’s last chance," Drury said, his voice tense. "Everything rides on making this set piece count."

Forsberg stood over the ball, taking deep breaths as he surveyed his options. The Leverkusen wall consisted of five players, arms linked, with Hradecky organising his defence behind them. The Finnish goalkeeper was taking no chances, positioning his players with military precision.

The Swedish midfielder’s run-up was measured, striking the ball cleanly with the inside of his right foot. The ball rose over the wall with vicious dip and curl, heading for the top right corner. Hradecky was rooted to his spot, having anticipated another angle, completely beaten. But the ball struck the underside of the crossbar with a sickening metallic clang and bounced down onto the goal line before spinning out.

"THE WOODWORK!" Drury bellowed. "The crossbar has saved Leverkusen! How many times tonight has Leipzig been denied by the frame of the goal?"

Chaos erupted as the ball bounced clear. Poulsen threw himself at the rebound, but Tah got there first, heading it desperately away from danger. The clearance didn’t go far, falling to Upamecano on the edge of the box. The French defender struck it first-time, a powerful volley, but it didn’t get far, hitting Havertz on the chest.

The ball cannoned off the German midfielder and spun away toward the touchline, where Lars Bender was. The full back wasted no time booting the long, up the right flank, relieving the pressure. "Bodies on the line!" Beglin shouted. "Leverkusen are defending like their lives depend on it!"

[90+3’]

Diaby chased the ball down near the touchline, but before he could work the ball across the halfway line, he was immediately fouled by a desperate Laimer, who hauled him down. The referee showed the Austrian a yellow card, his second of the match, sending him off.

"Laimer’s night is over," Drury announced. "A second yellow card, and Leipzig will finish this match with ten men. Not that it matters much now, they’re all or nothing anyway."

Demirbay prepared to take the free kick, taking an age-long time to place the ball, retied his laces, adjusted his socks, anything to waste precious seconds. When he finally took it, he had received a yellow for time wasting, but he didn’t mind as he launched it long toward the Leipzig box, where bodies contested in the air.

The ball broke loose to Amiri, who had found space on the left wing. The Iranian midfielder looked up and saw Diaby making a run through the middle. His pass was weighted perfectly, splitting the exhausted Leipzig defence. "Diaby’s through!" Drury’s voice rose with excitement. "This could be it!"

The Frenchman was one-on-one with Gulácsi, who rushed out desperately. Diaby barely got to take a touch before the keeper was upon him, but he managed to slot it past him as he vaulted over him. Calmly slotting it into the empty net, he continued his run all the way to the corner flag as the ball nestled into the back of the net.

"GOOOAAAAL!" Drury roared. "MOUSSA DIABY HAS SEALED IT! Leverkusen are going to the semi-finals of the Champions League!"

[RB Leipzig 1-3 Bayer Leverkusen - Diaby 90+4’]

Diaby sprinted toward the corner flag, arms outstretched, screaming with pure joy. His teammates mobbed him, a mass of red and black jerseys jumping and celebrating. On the bench, Bosz allowed himself a smile, pumping his fist as his staff embraced around him.

"That is surely the final nail in the coffin," Beglin said. "Leipzig have fought valiantly, created chance after chance, but tonight belongs to Bayer Leverkusen and their magnificent goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky."

On the Leipzig side, the devastation was palpable as players could be seen sitting on the turf, their shirts pulled over their faces. Some clutched their knees, exhausted, their bodies soaked in sweat. "Heartbreaking for Leipzig," Drury said, his tone now sombre. "They’ve done everything but score enough goals. Hit the woodwork multiple times, forced incredible saves, created countless chances—and yet they’re going home."

The final whistle came less than thirty seconds later. Leipzig barely even attempted to restart, simply kicking the ball forward before the referee brought proceedings to a close.

[Full Time: RB Leipzig 1-3 Bayer Leverkusen]

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To Be Continued...