Humiliation in front of your own audience. Feyenoord’s defense with Hancko had no chance against the German champions – Sport – Football – European Cups

The footballers of Feyenoord Rotterdam failed to enter the league phase of the Champions League 2024/2025. In Thursday’s match of the 1st round, they lost at home to reigning German champion Bayer Leverkusen 0:4, conceding all four goals in the first half.

Dávid Hancko (right) during Feyenoord’s offensive action.

Slovak representative Dávid Hancko played the entire match on the left side of the defense of the Dutch vice-champion. In the next meeting, Crvena zvezda Belgrade lost to Benfica Lisbon 1:2.

Feyenoord did not catch the beginning of the meeting against Leverkusen and lost from the 5th minute after a quick action by Florian Wirtz, who finished from behind the penalty area with a left-footed shot right at the post.

The home team enjoyed an equalizer after a corner kick thanks to Ramiz Zerrouki, but VAR intervened and the goal was ruled out for offside. The team from Rotterdam kicked mistakes in the next course, which the guests uncompromisingly punished.

Alejandro Grimaldo made it 2-0 for Bayer after half an hour, then Wirtz added his second strike and shortly before the break, goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther scored an own goal after Edmond Tapsoba’s header, who failed to keep the ball off the line.

After a half-time of horror, Feyenoord’s players rallied in the second game and managed to stop the opponent’s cannonade. In the 59th minute, Hancko played a direct kick, sending the ball high over the goal with his left foot.

The home team tried, but could not get back into the match, in the 73rd minute substitute Ajase Ueda opened the net, but even this goal was thwarted by an offside position.

Turkish legionnaires pulled Benfica to victory in Belgrade. First, in the 9th minute, Karem Aktürkoglu finished from close range and Orkun Kökcü made it 2:0 for the guests with a great shot from a direct kick.

In the second act, the Portuguese team kept its lead, the Serbian champion only managed to correct the result in the end with a goal by Feliciod Milson.