Four Big Positives For Leverkusen In 6-0 Fortuna Köln Win

The scoreline will mean little to Carles Martínez. What happened within it could mean considerably more.

Bayer Leverkusen used the international break to beat third-division side Fortuna Köln 6-0 behind closed doors on Friday, but the afternoon was less about the result than about the players Martínez was able to get moving again.

Moussa Diaby produced two assists. Nathan Tella returned from injury and immediately scored. Martin Terrier struck twice. Patrik Schick did the same.

For a Leverkusen attack that Martínez is still piecing together, it was almost exactly what he would have wanted from the exercise.

Diaby provided perhaps the most encouraging performance.

Back at Die Werkself after returning to the club this summer, the Frenchman created the opening two goals almost identically. Twice he accelerated down the right, reached the byline, and cut the ball back into the penalty area. Terrier converted the first after nine minutes, before Schick finished the second in the 21st.

It was a glimpse of the Diaby Leverkusen supporters remember.

His return to the BayArena was one of the more emotional pieces of Leverkusen's summer rebuild. Three years after leaving for Aston Villa, Diaby came back and signed until 2031, but Martínez has understandably had to reintegrate a player returning to Bundesliga football into a very different Bayer side.

Friday suggested that process is moving in the right direction.

There was similarly important news on the opposite flank.

Tella played 45 minutes after recovering from the muscular problems that had kept him out since the beginning of the Bundesliga season. His return had already been approaching, with Roundtable reporting last month that he was due back in team training during the international break. Against Fortuna, he went one better and scored after 23 minutes following Schick's pass.

That gives Martínez another attacking option just as the season prepares to restart.

Terrier also made his case.

The Frenchman opened the scoring before adding another shortly after half-time with a powerful finish on the turn. His two goals were another useful step for a player whose Leverkusen career has repeatedly been interrupted by physical problems.

Schick, meanwhile, simply continued scoring.

After converting Diaby's cutback in the first half, the Czech striker headed in Jonas Hofmann's corner for Leverkusen's sixth. His form has already been one of the constants of Martínez's opening months, including the goal that helped the club beat RB Leipzig 2-0 before the international break.

There was even room for Miguel Gutiérrez to continue his remarkable start.

The Spaniard curled a free kick directly into the top corner for the fourth goal before half-time, another display of the left foot that has already produced one goal and three assists in his opening four Bundesliga appearances.

The opposition and circumstances obviously require perspective.

Fortuna Köln are a newly promoted third-division side; the game was played on Leverkusen's training ground, and Martínez was without nine players away on international duty. Six academy players eventually featured in the second half.

But Martínez did not need Friday to prove how good his team is.

He needed minutes, rhythm and healthy players.

The unusual three-week international break has given the Spaniard something he has rarely had since taking over: uninterrupted time on the training ground.

According to the Spanish coach, the break so far was good to continue growing together, as he explained that Leverkusen had been able to work without immediately having another match three days later.

That may ultimately be the most useful part of the afternoon.

Leverkusen entered the break already showing signs that Martínez's ideas were beginning to settle. Roundtable noted that the 2-0 victory over Leipzig represented their third consecutive win across the Bundesliga and Europa League, following a difficult beginning to the season.

Now Martínez is beginning to get more of his attacking pieces back at the same time.

Diaby is finding his acceleration. Tella is playing again. Terrier is scoring. Schick never really stopped.

A 6-0 training-ground victory will be forgotten quickly.

The players Leverkusen got back from it might not be.

From here the stage only gets bigger.