Köln and Bayer Leverkusen coaches get into heated exchange over dry pitch following Bundesliga match | OneFootball

Bayer 04 Leverkusen head coach Kasper Hjulmand remained critical of his own team and the local groundskeeper following his team’s Bundesliga victory over regional rivals Köln. Leverkusen’s 1-2 away win over their Westphalian neighbors certainly helped their Champions League prospects. Hjulmand’s Werkself can nevertheless count themselves lucky to have taken all three points on Saturday afternoon.

There was a most interesting moment at the post-match press conference during which Hjulmand made a slight excuse for his team’s languid early start to the match. As Hjulmand slipped in a reference to the condition of the Kölner pitch in his basic German, Köln head coach René Wagner – fluent in English thanks to his professional career in the United States – hopped in to challenge his counterpart.

Köln outplayed Bayer Leverkusen

The cathedral city hosts bested their guests in the xG battle (2.64 to 1.33). This stat maintains some significance as Leverkusen scored their opening goal via a controversial handball penalty kick. When one subtracts the 0.75 xG associated with the spot kick that enabled Schick to net the 0-1 in the 43rd-minute, Hjulmand’s team were genuinely awful at creating scoring chances.

In his opening statement at the post match press conference, Hjulmand referenced the Bundesliga record his team set last weekend in the league loss against Augsburg. Leverkusen produced 36 shots on target in their 1-2 home defeat. No German top flight club has ever recorded so many efforts during a match in which they failed to take any points.

Hjulmand speaks on ‘crazy football’

“This was a difficult game; the third difficult game in a row,” Hjulmand began, referencing both the Augsburg loss and the midweek Pokal defeat against Bayern Munich. “It was hard. Köln played a super game. Football is pretty crazy sometimes. Last week, we had 36 shots on goal, played a good game, and lost. This time around I think we have to be very critical when evaluating this game. 

“We had some luck, a good keeper, and now we have the three points,” Hjulmand continued. “But we naturally still have to be critical of our performance as we evaluate this and look forward to a very big game [against Champions League rivals] Leipzig next Saturday. 

“We have to do a lot [ahead of Leipzig],” Hjulmand answered in response to a later question about the forthcoming opponent. “Last Saturday, we played a good game. Wednesday less so. [Today], we were too slow in our decisions. We need to establish our game better and play better with the ball.“

“It’s difficult to find an explanation,” Hjulmand responded when asked about the team’s slow start near the end of the press conference. “Köln pressed hard and we couldn’t get behind the back line enough. Eventually we improved and found a solution on the left-hand side. We have to improve.“

Hjulmand and René Wagner’s heated exchange

Hjulmand – responding to the second question – worked in the phrase “ein Platz ohne Wasser” (“an unwatered playing surface“) when answering in German. After Hjulmand finished talking, Wagner quickly jumped in to retort in English.

“May I say something to this very quickly?” Wagner began as the journalists, press officer, and cameraman covering the presser all surprisingly shifted their focus. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but when you say that the pitch wasn’t wet, that wasn’t the case. We didn’t do that on purpose.

“We would apologize if that was the case, but that was not the case,” Wagner continued. “And I want to make sure that that’s not a thing [an issue]. I want to say in English: We didn’t do this. And I don’t think it’s fair to say that.

“It’s only what we experienced,” Hjulmand – visibly shaken – responded in English. “The players said it was dry.“

“I can understand, but we didn’t do this,” Wagner shot back.

“Maybe it was watered and then dried out,” Hjulmand said in an effort to diffuse the situation. 

“Maybe it was the sun,” Wagner spoke over Hjulmand.

“Maybe it had nothing to do with you watering it,” Hjulmand concluded with a wave of the hand.

Hjlumand received a chance to smile when a German journalist in attendance sarcastically shouted out “Geheimsprache” (“Secret language”) to jokingly refer to the unexpected English exchange. 

Wagner kept a straight face. 

GGFN | Peter Weis