The rebuilding of the Werkself home ground started just before Christmas in 2007. The new stadium had a capacity of over 30,000 and a unique roof construction, new levels in the stands and exclusive VIP areas to provide a fitting stage for a host of great moments of football. Ultras and visiting fans, company directors and families are all equally welcome at Bayer 04.
The 2009/10 season started with a 1-0 away win for the Black and Reds in the first round of the DFB Cup at the then Regional League outfit SV Babelsberg 03. And the team led by head coach Jupp Heynckes were also on the road on Bundesliga matchday one: The game at FSV Mainz 05 ended in a 2-2 draw. But then it was finally time – in the third match of the new season, Simon Rolfes, Stefan Kießling and Co. were able to play at their new stadium. 28,000 fans made their way to Bismarckstraße and there were queues at the entrances. A banner bearing the words ‘home sweet home’ adorned the North Stand - goose bumps by the River Dhünn!
The Werkself quickly took control of the home game against TSG Hoffenheim and penned the opposition in their own half. But the attack were unable to create any clear-cut chances. That changed in the middle of the second half: Renato Augusto was under no pressure when he played a pass to Eren Derdiyok who back-heeled the ball to Kießling who was just a fraction quicker than his TSG opponent Josip Simunic - 1-0 (67’). The first win of the season was clocked up.
Bayer 04 finished fourth in the Bundesliga in 2009/10. Memories remain of qualification for the Europa League as well as special moments at the ‘new’ BayArena...
Match stats:
Bayer 04: Adler - Castro (Schwaab 80’), Friedrich, Hyypiä, Kadlec - Vidal, Rolfes - Renato Augusto (Kroos 88’), Barnetta (Zdebel 88’) - Derdiyok, Kießling
TSG Hoffenheim: Hildebrand - Beck, Simunic, Compper, Ibertsberger - Carlos Eduardo, Vorsah (Wellington 74’), Salihovic - Obasi, Ibisevic (Ba 59’), Maicosuel (Vukcevic 46’)
Goals: Kießling (67’)
Booked: Kadlec, Vidal, Adler - Vorsah, Ibisevic
Referee: Peter Gagelmann (Bremen)
Attendance: 28,000
It all kicks off in around a week and a half! The new season of the VBL Club Championship by WOW starts on 16 October. And before the Leverkusen eSports players Marc and Sean Landwehr plus Markus Hüttemann and Keanu Senkbeil compete on the console again, bayer04.de provides an overview of the structural changes for the upcoming eSports season. The changes affect both the match procedure in individual fixtures and the entire competition mode.
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At the Werkself's Bundesliga game at home to Union Berlin last Saturday, it wasn't just sporting emotions that took centre stage. To mark International Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, the Bayer 04 Women's team, together with their sleeve sponsor s2-Software, sent out a strong message at the BayArena in support of education, prevention and solidarity in the fight against breast cancer.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 2-0 win against Union Berlin on the 6th matchday of the Bundesliga 2025/26...
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Several fan clubs were honoured at half-time during the Werkself’s Bundesliga game at home to Union Berlin on Saturday. CEO Fernando Carro and record appearance-maker Rüdiger Vollborn gave thanks to fan clubs marking their 10th and 15th anniversary.
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Bayer 04 got their third win under Kasper Hjulmand thanks to goals in either half from Ernest Poku and Christian Kofane to earn a 2-0 victory at home to Union Berlin in the Bundesliga.
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