"Before RB Leipzig were around to corral all the disapproval of German supporters at large, there was El Plastico. As the two factory' teams of German football, grown from Bayer and Volkswagen respectively rather than from a fanbase, Leverkusen and Wolfsburg have endured a lifetime of rival fans looking down their noses at them, judging them as not organic or real enough."
"So when Bild's headline called this the wildest plastico of all time, they really did mean it was something special. Tension and huge potential consequences can often make for a stilted, cautious spectacle. Not here."
"For Wolfsburg, there was an element of predictability in that it was a 20th successive game without a clean sheet and they didn't look like keeping one for an instant. Still, the record wouldn't have mattered at all had Die Wolfe held the 3-1 lead with which they approached half-time."
Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg, often criticized for lacking organic fan support, have created memorable moments in Bundesliga history. Their rivalry, known as El Plastico, has seen thrilling matches, including a 5-4 win for Wolfsburg in 2015 and a dramatic 4-3 victory for Leverkusen in 2024. Despite Wolfsburg's ongoing defensive struggles, they approached a match with a 3-1 lead at halftime, showcasing their potential amidst a challenging season. The fixture continues to captivate fans, proving that excitement can emerge even from teams facing adversity.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]