# Bayer Leverkusen Europa League campaign > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/bayer-leverkusen-europa-league-campaign > Updated: 2026-09-16T01:30:00.000Z. Sources: 38. Developments: 3. Bayer Leverkusen commenced its UEFA Europa League league phase campaign with a 2-0 home victory against Slovenian champions NK Celje at the BayArena. The scoring opened in the 15th minute when an Aleix García cross was inadvertently diverted into the net by Celje's Svit Seslar. Leverkusen secured the decisive goal in the 74th minute when Facundo Medina scored a volley following a corner. While the victory earned the team three points in manager Carles Martínez’s first international fixture, Martínez expressed dissatisfaction with the performance. He noted a lack of energy and criticized the team for allowing excessive space to the opposition. Personnel updates included the return of Robert Andrich to the starting lineup and the return of Eliesse Ben Seghir following a four-month injury layoff. However, the club confirmed that new signing Guéla Doué will be sidelined for several weeks due to a calf injury. NK Celje, led by new manager Zoran Zeljković, provided a resilient defense. Goalkeeper Zan-Luk Leban made several key saves to deny Martin Terrier and Edmond Tapsoba, but the loss highlights the challenges facing the Slovenian side in European competition. Sporting director Simon Rolfes has maintained that the Europa League will serve as a vital platform for squad development. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-16: Bayer Leverkusen defeat NK Celje 2-0 in Europa League opener Bayer Leverkusen defeated NK Celje 2-0 in their Europa League opener, with goals from an own goal and Facundo Medina, despite manager Carles Martínez expressing dissatisfaction with the performance. 28 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bayer-leverkusen-leads-nk-celje-1-0-at-halftime-in-europa-league ### 2026-09-15: German football: Köln draws with Bremen as Leverkusen eyes Europa League 1. FC Köln drew 1-1 with Werder Bremen in Bundesliga play, while Bayer Leverkusen prepares to utilize the Europa League for squad growth. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/german-football-kln-draws-with-bremen-as-leverkusen-eyes-europa-league ### 2026-09-12: Bayer Leverkusen prepares for Europa League opener against NK Celje Bayer Leverkusen prepares for their Europa League opener against NK Celje at the BayArena on September 16, 2026, seeking to stabilize their season after a mixed Bundesliga start. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bayer-leverkusen-prepares-for-europa-league-opener-against-nk-celje --- Cite as: Bayer Leverkusen Europa League campaign. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/bayer-leverkusen-europa-league-campaign