Bayer Leverkusen achieved their minimum expectation of qualifying to the Champions League next season but it was another frustrating season for Roger Schmidt's side, who once again failed to take advantage of Borussia Dortmund's dip in form to emerge as title challengers. Schmidt took over from Sascha Lewandowski at the start of the season but, apart from the coach, there were no major arrivals in term of playing personnel with Josip Drmic and Tin Jedvaj seen largely as squad players. Bayer got off to an excellent start to the season and Schmidt got the team playing some exciting brand of attacking football, smashing home 22 goals in their opening six games, including an excellent display against Dortmund in their opening league match. However, they were looking shaky at the back, a weakness that was exploited fully by Wolfsburg who romped home to a 4-1 victory. Inconsistency was once again proving to be Bayer's major worry for a second straight season and, by the time league duties resumed after the winter break in January, Bayer found themselves in sixth place and in serious danger of missing out on a top four finish. However, they were largely being helped by inconsistent form of teams around them in the league table with Schalke, Augsburg and Borussia Monchengladbach all failing to consolidate their place in the top four. Bayer's narrow victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League proved to be the turning point of the season for Schmidt's side and, though they were knocked out of both the Champions League and the DFB Cup on penalties by Atletico and Bayern Munchen respectively, they seemed to have regained their early season rhythm as an excellent run of eight victories in nine games put them in a great position of finishing third in the Bundesliga. However, a crucial defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach meant that Bayer would be finishing the season fourth in the league table and endure a qualifying tie in order to secure a place in the Champions League group stages. Karim Bellarabi emerged as a key player for Bayer, with the winger chipping in with 12 goals and six assists through the season. Bellarabi will be key to Bayer's prospects next season with Schmidt facing a major rebuilding job in the summer with Gonzalo Castro, who was Bayer's top creator with seven assists, confirming his departure to Dortmund while Simon Rolfes, Stefan Reinartz and Kyriakos Papadopoulos have also left the club. Bayer have so far confirmed one arrival with defender Andre Ramalho signed from Red Bull Salzburg though Schmidt needs more reinforcements if Bayer are to emerge as genuine challengers for the league title next season.
