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[17/10/2020 | Bundesliga Week 4 | MEWA Arena, Mainz | FSV Mainz 05 v Bayer Leverkusen | Attendance: 250]

"QUAISON!" Kai exclaimed. "Mainz takes the lead early!" The goal energised the tiny crowd, their voices echoing bizarrely around the empty stadium.

[31]

The unexpected shock rattled Leverkusen's system for a moment, visibly disrupting their rhythm as Mainz exerted control over possession. Still, their disciplined formation and a few heroics from their defenders and keepers allowed them to weather the storm. When it came time to trike back, Rakim rose to the occasion after collecting the ball on the left touch line.

Faced up against veteran right-back Daniel Brosinski, who tried to show him outside, he slotted the ball inside before accelerating past him. Palacios ' return pass came just in time, keeping him onside by a hair's breadth. He approached the edge of the box at speed as Jerry St. Juste stepped out to challenge, but Rakim chopped the ball onto his right foot past the defender's lunge.

Before he could re-plant his legs, he curled a shot toward the far corner, catching Robin Zentner in the Mainz goal off guard. He still dove, but he was nowhere close to reaching it, and it netted into the bottom right corner, narrowly skimming the post. "RAKIM REX!" Wolff roared. "What a goal! That's his fourth in three games! The boy is on fire!"

"Absolutely sensational," Kai added. "Zentner had no chance. One moment, he couldn't see the ball, and in the next moment, it was cruising toward his goal."

[FSV Mainz 05 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen — Rex 31']

The tiny crowd fell silent, the handful of Leverkusen fans in attendance making themselves heard despite their small numbers. Rakim jogged back to the halfway line, pointing to the badge on his chest, as teammates congratulated him.

[58]

The winner came from an unlikely source in the 58th minute when Lars Bender decided to push forward from the right back position. A quick one-two with Diaby around the halfway line, he found himself continuing his run as he overlapped. The veteran fullback drove toward the byline and whipped in a dangerous cross under pressure from Brosinski.

The ball flew in at pace, evading everyone, including Zentner, and somehow found its way into the far corner via the post. "LARS BENDER!" Wolff exclaimed. "The captain with a rare goal! Was that a cross or a shot? I don't think he knew himself!"

"Doesn't matter—it's in the net!" Kai laughed. "Look at his teammates' reaction—they're as surprised as anyone!"

True to his words, Rakim, Demirbay and Schick, who had been charging into the box, looked stunned. The German captain did not care in the least as he roared loudly in joy and turned to the corner flag behind him. His celebration was him playing a rock guitar solo before being mowed down by his teammates.

[FSV Mainz 05 1-2 Bayer Leverkusen — L. Bender 58']

Mainz threw everything forward in the final thirty minutes, but Leverkusen's defence held firm. Tah and Sven Bender were imperious, dealing with everything Mainz could muster. The final whistle brought relief more than joy, as they had secured crucial three points, but the performance had been far from vintage.

[FT: FSV Mainz 05 1-2 Bayer Leverkusen]

~~~

[21/10/2020 | Champions League Group Stage MD1 | San Siro, Milan | Inter Milan V Bayer Leverkusen | Attendance: 1,000]

The San Siro, one of football's most iconic venues, felt ghostly with only 1,000 fans scattered throughout its vast stands. Inter Milan had been drawn into Group B alongside Leverkusen, Real Madrid, and Shakhtar Donetsk, a group of death by any measure.

"This is Leverkusen's return to the Champions League," Wolff announced as the famous anthem played. "After that heartbreaking semi-final defeat to PSG less than two months ago, they're back on Europe's biggest stage. Antonio Conte has Inter playing aggressive, physical football. This will be a stern test."

The teams lined up in the tunnel, and the contrast was stark. Inter's experienced stars, Lukaku, Lautaro Martínez, Barella, Brozović—versus Leverkusen's young guns. But as the match kicked off, it quickly became clear that Leverkusen's youth wouldn't be intimidated.

[15']

Inter took the lead through Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian striker received a pass from Lautaro Martínez on the edge of the box, held off Tapsoba with his strength, and turned to fire a powerful shot past Hrádecký. The small crowd erupted, their voices magnified by the empty spaces around them.

"LUKAKU!" Kai roared. "Pure power from the Belgian! Tapsoba couldn't handle his strength!"

[Inter Milan 1-0 Bayer Leverkusen — Lukaku 15']

Conte was animated on the touchline, clapping his hands, urging his team to maintain the pressure. For the next 20 minutes, Inter dominated; they used their physicality and experience to overwhelm Leverkusen's young midfield.

[38']

Just before halftime, Leverkusen managed to hit back. Wirtz dropped deep to collect the ball and played a brilliant through pass that split Inter's defence. Rakim timed his run perfectly, staying onside long enough to latch onto it.

Samir Handanović rushed out, but Rakim got there first and simply poked it past the Slovenian keeper. The ball trickled toward the empty net, but Alessandro Bastoni raced back desperately, sliding to try and clear it off the line. He was a fraction too late as the ball crossed the line before his boot could reach it.

"REX!" Wolff bellowed. "Leverkusen are level right before halftime! What a time to score!"

"Look at Wirtz's pass, he picked that out beautifully," Kai added. "And Rex does what he does, puts it into the back of the net."

[Inter Milan 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen — Rex 38']

[Second Half - 62']

The second half became an end-to-end, with both teams creating chances. Lukaku had another opportunity early on, forcing Hrádecký into a brilliant save with a thunderous header from a Barella cross. At the other end, Schick hit the post after a brilliant move involving Demirbay and Diaby.

In the sixty-second minute, Leverkusen took the lead. Rakim collected the ball on the left and drove at Inter's defence. His run drew three defenders toward him, creating space on the opposite flank. With perfect timing, he played a diagonal ball across the pitch to Diaby, who had acres of space.

The Frenchman took it on the run, blitzing past his marker as he raced into the box. He faked a cut toward the near post, forcing Handanović to move before unleashing a curling effort that flew past the keeper's outstretched hand into the far corner.

"DIABY!" Kai screamed. "What a strike! Leverkusen lead at the San Siro!"

"That's beautiful football," Wolff added. "And they are rewarded with the lead."

[Inter Milan 1-2 Bayer Leverkusen — Diaby 62']

[79']

Conte threw on Christian Eriksen and Alexis Sánchez, adding fresh attacking impetus. In the seventy-ninth minute, they found their equaliser. Eriksen's corner was met by Stefan de Vrij, whose powerful header beat Hrádecký at his near post.

"DE VRIJ!" Wolff roared. "Inter are level! Game on at the San Siro!"

[Inter Milan 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen — De Vrij 79']

Both teams pushed for a winner in the final minutes. Lukaku had a glorious chance in the eighty-seventh minute when he broke through on the counter, but Hrádecký produced a world-class save, tipping his shot over the bar. At the other end, during extra time, Rakim forced Handanović into a diving save with a long-range effort in stoppage time.

The final whistle brought a sense of satisfaction for both sides. A point away at the San Siro was a good result for Leverkusen, while Inter would feel they could have won it. "A fair result," Wolff concluded. "Both teams showed quality, and both will feel they can qualify from this group."

[FT: Inter Milan 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen]

~~~

[24/10/2020 | Bundesliga Week 5 | BayArena, Leverkusen | Bayer Leverkusen V FC Augsburg | Attendance: 0]

The BayArena returned to being completely empty. Leverkusen's management, citing rising COVID-19 cases in the region, decided to play behind closed doors. The atmosphere was flat, with only the players and coaching staff making any sound. "Back to the eerie silence of empty stadiums," Kai observed as the teams lined up. "Augsburg are struggling—one win in their opening four matches. They'll need a miracle to get anything here tonight."

[12']

A miracle never appeared as the match turned into an exhibition for the Leverkusen attacking side. In the 12th minute, Rakim took the lead, continuing his remarkable scoring run. Wirtz picked up the ball in midfield and played a beautiful through pass that split Augsburg's defence. Rakim merely used his pace to dust his marker,

Rafał Gikiewicz rushed out, but Rakim kept his composure, rounding the goalkeeper before slotting into the empty net. "REX AGAIN!" Wolff roared. "That's six goals in four games! The boy cannot stop scoring!"

[Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 FC Augsburg — Rex 12']

[28']

The second goal came from a set piece. Demirbay's free kick was whipped in with pace, and Rakim rose highest at the near post, glancing a header past Gikiewicz. His celebration was becoming routine now, but both he and the fans loved it.

"REX WITH A BRACE!" Kai exclaimed.

[Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 FC Augsburg — Rex 28']

[Second Half - 58']

Augsburg tried to mount a response in the second half, but Leverkusen were too disciplined in their defence. In the fifty-eighth minute, Nadiem Amiri added a third, curling a beautiful shot into the top corner from the edge of the box after a flowing move involving Wirtz and Schick.

"AMIRI!" Wolff bellowed. "What a strike! This is turning into a rout!"

[Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 FC Augsburg — Amiri 58']

[73']

The fourth and final goal came when Diaby broke down the right wing and whipped in a low cross that evaded everyone, finding Rakim at the back post. From six yards out, he couldn't miss, tapping it into the empty net.

"HAT-TRICK FOR RAKIM REX!" Kai roared. "Eight goals in four games! His form this season is exceptional!"

[Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 FC Augsburg — Rex 73']

The final whistle confirmed another dominant victory for Leverkusen, who now sat third in the Bundesliga table, just two points behind leaders Bayern Munich. And leading their charge was a seventeen-year-old whose entire game seemed to have evolved.

[FT: Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 FC Augsburg]

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To Be Continued...