RB Leipzig closed out the year with a disappointing result, suffering their first home defeat of the season under head coach Ole Werner after a 3–1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.

The hosts made a promising start and took the lead, but were ultimately punished for wasteful finishing and costly defensive errors. Leipzig’s task was made even harder by a severe injury and availability crisis, with no fewer than nine first-team players missing for various reasons.

2025-26, Germany - Bundesliga

RB Leipzig - Bayer 04 1:3 (1:2)
Goals: Schlager X., 35 (1:0); Terrier, 40 (1:1); Schick, 44 (1:2); Culbreath, 90 (1:3)

RB Leipzig: Gulacsi; Orban W.; Nedeljkovic (Baku R., 70); Lukeba; Seiwald N. (Bitshiabu, 89); Raum D.; Schlager X.; Baumgartner; Gomis T. (Werner, 79); Harder; Rômulo (Maksimovic An., 70)
Substitution: Baku R. (from 70); Maksimovic An. (from 70); Werner (from 79); Bitshiabu (from 89)
Bench: Vandevoordt; Finkgräfe; Konate S.; Klostermann
Yellow Cards: Lukeba 90

Bayer 04: Flekken; Badé L.; Arthur Soares (Vazquez L., 83); Hofmann (Fernández Ez., 57); Andrich; Tella (Tape, 77); Aleix Garcia; Belocian; Terrier (Culbreath, 77); Tillman M.; Schick (Kofane, 77)
Substitution: Fernández Ez. (from 57); Tape (from 77); Culbreath (from 77); Kofane (from 77); Vazquez L. (from 83)
Bench: Blaswich; Lomb; Mensah; Sarco
Yellow Cards: Arthur Soares 30; Tape 87