
Karim, how are you all feeling heading to Dortmund?
Bellarabi: We had a couple of days off last weekend and were all able to recover to some extent. We worked well in training this week and the last few weeks have gone very well overall. Therefore, we are going into this game full of confidence. Nevertheless, we also know it will be a very difficult and exciting match against a strong team.
Two of the three best attacking sides in the Bundesliga meet in BVB (52 goals) against the Werkself (49 goals). Can the fans of both teams expect a goal fest?
Bellarabi: Games against Dortmund are always special. They are actually very similar to us and we have a lot of quick players too. Therefore, I believe it will be exciting right to the end.
It's second against third. What could make the difference in the end?
Bellarabi: We'll see. In games like that it's mostly the little things. We always give 100 per cent and we have our plan. We went to implement that as well as we can and for as long as possible.
To what extent do you have a score to settle with BVB after the 4-3 defeat earlier in the season?
Bellarabi: That was an intense match but I can remember it exactly. Of course, this time we want to end up with the three points.
You are the only player in the current Werkself squad to have won at Dortmund. Did you know that?
Bellarabi: That's the first time I've heard that. I hope a couple of my teammates can follow suit on Sunday. (He laughs) It's absolutely of secondary importance if I'm responsible for that. We want to achieve more as a team and play with high intensity. What happened in the past or happens in the future is irrelevant at the moment.
To finish with, tell us about your personal highlight against BVB.
Bellarabi: That's easy – obviously my goal after nine seconds. (He laughs) It was a very special game back then. It was the first Bundesliga match under Roger Schmidt and we had lots of plans at the start of the season. We faced a very strong opponent in Dortmund but we’d actually planned to get on the front foot early and take a risk. The fact it worked straightaway was obviously brilliant.

Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 2-0 win at RB Leipzig on the 1st matchday of the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga 2026/27.
Show more
Thanks to an efficient second half, Bayer 04 Women kicked off the new Bundesliga season with a hard-earned 2-0 win at RB Leipzig on Sunday afternoon. A quickfire double from strikers Cornelia Kramer and Maja Sternad after the break earned coach Roberto Pätzold's side the first three points of the campaign.
Show more
It was a perfect start for Bayer 04: in Carles Martínez's first competitive match as Leverkusen head coach, Patrik Schick broke SV Wehen Wiesbaden's resistance shortly before half-time. The Black-and-Reds pulled clear in the second half, winning by a final score of 4-0. There was also good news on the personnel front. The Werkself Review of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal first-round clash.
Show more
After the 4-0 win at SV Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round of the DFB Pokal, goalscorers Lucas Vázquez and Nathan Tella spoke to Werkself-TV...
Show more