Bayer Leverkusen cruise past Fortuna Dusseldorf to reach DFB Pokal final

Bayer Leverkusen moved a step closer to clinching their first-ever domestic double by comfortably defeating local rivals Fortuna Düsseldorf 4-0 in the DFB Pokal semi-final.

The Düsseldorf keeper was at fault for the third goal, 10 minutes before the break, after being beaten fair and square for the second.

Die Werkself demonstrated their ability to create chances without assistance, but a loose pass to Robert Andrich led to Florian Wirtz scoring with an Adli pass, giving the hosts a three-goal lead at halftime.

Leverkusen maintained their dominance in the second half, scoring their fourth goal from a penalty after an hour.

Despite a warning shot from Christos Tzolis, the penalty was awarded with the help of VAR due to Schick's header hitting Matthias Zimmerman's hand.

Wirtz confidently converted the penalty, extending their lead, while Alonso focused on rotating his squad to keep players fresh for their upcoming match against Union Berlin.

Leverkusen will face Kaiserslautern in the Pokal final, where they are expected to be strong contenders for their second domestic cup victory in 31 years.