Carles Martínez’s revitalized Werkself secured a third straight win to leave Martín Demichelis searching for consistency.
For one week, RB Leipzig looked as though they had found an answer.
The 5-0 demolition of Hamburger SV had given Martín Demichelis the kind of response he needed after defeats to Werder Bremen and Como. It was emphatic, energetic and, most importantly, clean. The question was whether Leipzig could take that performance beyond the comfort of the Red Bull Arena.
At Bayer Leverkusen, they found out that the problem had not gone away.
Leverkusen won 2-0 at the BayArena on Sunday, producing another controlled performance as Carles Martínez's side continued to gather momentum. After a difficult opening to the season, the Werkself have now won three consecutive matches across the Bundesliga and Europa League, and there is a growing sense that the team is beginning to understand what its new coach wants from it.
The improvement is not simply about results.
Leverkusen followed their 4-0 victory over Union Berlin with a 2-2 draw at Augsburg, then beat NK Celje 2-0 in midweek before overcoming Leipzig. Against a side that had just scored five goals, they were composed rather than reckless, gradually taking control and finding the moments that mattered.
Patrik Schick provided one of them.
The Czech striker opened the scoring shortly before halftime, continuing his remarkable record against RB. Schick has repeatedly punished the club, and Sunday was another reminder that Leipzig have yet to find an answer for a forward who seems particularly comfortable playing against them.
Miguel Gutiérrez provided the assist, before the new signing added Leverkusen's second goal early in the second half. It was an encouraging afternoon for a player brought in to add quality and progression from the left, and another indication that Martínez is beginning to get important pieces of his squad into the game.
Ibrahim Maza was another positive.
After missing the Europa League victory over Celje due to illness, the 20-year-old returned to the lineup and was involved in Leverkusen's attacking play. His presence between the lines gave the hosts another player capable of connecting midfield and attack, while his continued development is becoming increasingly important to Martínez's plans.
For Die Roten Bullen, meanwhile, the defeat brings an uncomfortable question back to the surface.
Demichelis had spoken before the match about taking the confidence Leipzig show at home onto the road. He specifically acknowledged the mistakes that had cost his team at Bremen and Como and pointed to the 5-0 victory over Hamburg as evidence of their ability to respond.
But the performance at Leverkusen offered little evidence that the away problem has been solved.
The Hamburg result remains impressive. It also now looks increasingly isolated.
Leipzig has quality, attacking options, and enough individual talent to produce spectacular performances. But until they can carry that intensity and conviction into difficult away games, Demichelis will continue to face questions about the consistency of his team.
Leverkusen, meanwhile, are moving in the opposite direction.
They are not perfect yet. Martínez himself has acknowledged that there is still work to do. But three wins in succession, two consecutive clean sheets and another victory over a strong Bundesliga opponent suggest that the pieces are beginning to fit.
For Leipzig, the international break now arrives at an important moment.
For Leverkusen, it may have come at exactly the wrong time.
