A second-half goal from Alex Grimaldo sent Bayer Leverkusen to a 1-0 home win over Mainz, closing the gap with league leaders Bayern Munich to one point.In Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso's defending champions were dominant against an in-form Mainz but were held at bay until Grimaldo produced a stunning free kick after 48 minutes.

Bayer LeverkusenAfter a shaky start to the season, the German champions have steadied their ship with nine wins in a row across all competitions.Xabi Alonso's men began 2025 in the manner they had

Champions Bayer Leverkusen battled past Mainz 05 with a 1-0 win coming courtesy of a superb Alex Grimaldo free kick on Tuesday to stretch their winning run to seven straight matches in the Bundesliga and close in on leaders Bayern Munich.

(AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File) Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany reacts during a Bundesliga soccer match against FSV Mainz 05, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in Mainz, Germany. (Thomas Frey/dpa via AP) Munich’s Jamal Musiala, right, and Leipzig’s Willi ...

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The victory came thanks to a brilliant free kick from Alex Grimaldo at the beginning of the second half and keeps Leverkusen second in the table, one point behind leaders Bayern Munich. The visitors, meanwhile, are fifth in the table and trail Leverkusen by 10 points following the defeat.

Union Berlin welcomes Mainz 05 to the An der Alten Försterei in what promises to be a tense Bundesliga encounter. These two sides come into the game on opposite trajectories, adding an intriguing layer to an already compelling matchup.

Bayer Leverkusen wins 1-0 against Mainz, thanks to Alex Grimaldos stunning free kick, marking their tenth consecutive victory in all competitions.

Xabi Alonso's men began 2025 in the manner they had hoped, as Die Werkself handed Borussia Dortmund their first home league defeat of the season with a 3-2 win at Signal Iduna Park. Patrik Schick netted a brace in the opening 19 minutes to make it 11 goals in his last six Bundesliga appearances.

Bayer Leverkusen battled past Mainz 05 with a 1-0 home victory courtesy of a superb Alex Grimaldo free kick on Tuesday to stretch their winning run to seven straight matches in the Bundesliga and close in on leaders Bayern Munich.

Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen only managed a narrow 1-0 victory against Mainz but that was enough to keep them close to leaders Bayern Munich. Leverkusen failed to find a way through in-form Mainz in the first half but Alejandro Grimaldo finally broke the deadlock with the winner in the 48th minute.