Bayer Leverkusen's new faces struggle in thrilling Bundesliga win

However, both players had challenging outings, being substituted at half-time.

The match could hardly have begun worse for Mukiele, who, after just five minutes, scored an own goal, sending shockwaves through the BayArena.

Despite showing promise earlier in the season, the French defender struggled defensively, allowing Sebastiaan Bornauw to level the match with a header from a corner kick.

Head coach Xabi Alonso opted to replace Mukiele at half-time, but he remained supportive of the player's future contributions.

"I made the decision to replace Nordi at half-time, but it's not a problem for me going forward. It has no consequences," Alonso stated in his post-match comments.

Belocian, making his first start alongside Mukiele, faced a similar fate.

After receiving a yellow card early in the match, Alonso decided to take him off to avoid the risk of a sending-off.

"Jeanuel had a yellow card. I know there was a risk that he would be sent off quickly and then we could have a problem," Alonso explained.

Despite their struggles, Leverkusen's attacking prowess shone through, securing a memorable win.

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