Matches of the month: Two convincing home wins against Freiburg
A goal fest from 1996, which proceeded a number of parties for the Werkself players, and an emphatic victory in front of a full house in 2001.
Display videos
Yes, I'd like to see videos dispalyed.
1996/97 – The 4-2 victory in the opener against champions of Germany Borussia Dortmund and the following 3-1 win at MSV Duisburg, with a hat-trick from Ulf Kirsten, precede two sobering performances: A 1-0 home defeat against Fortuna Düsseldorf and four days later a heavy 4-2 loss at FC Bayern. An internal team evening in the hotel room of team captain Jens Nowotny a few hours after the disaster in Munich produces a clear outcome after an intensive discussion: It can't carry on like this!
The team use the next ten days before the home game against 1860 Munich for two things: Focused preparations for the match and the planning for an internal team evening in the party cellar of 'Zecke' Neuendorf's landlord. As both the match, with a 3-0 win, and the party are a complete success and footballers are sometimes a little bit superstitious, this one-off event became more permanent.
After every home game in that season, the players along with their wives and partners really party for a couple of hours at 'Zecke's'. This time together leads to the already solid group becoming a band of brothers who excited the Bayer 04 fans in that season. They experienced a great football match on 22 September 1996 in the clash against SC Freiburg: The Werkself win 5-3. The TV highlights can be seen above.
kept in touch
2001/02 – Four days after the 2-1 win in the Champions League group match against Barcelona, coach Klaus Toppmöller makes just one change to his starting line-up: Yildiray Bastürk, a substitute in the Barcelona game and the goalscorer at 1-1, replaces Zoltan Sebescen in the starting eleven. The BayArena is sold out on that late Sunday afternoon with a crowd of 22,500. In SC Freiburg, the Werkself entertain a team who have always proved to be tricky opponents in recent years.
From the first minute, Bayer 04 follow on from the performance levels of recent weeks and overcome the team from the Breisgau. The 4-1 win keeps the group led by captain Jens Nowotny in touch with league leaders FC Kaiserslautern.
The line-up:
Jörg Butt – Bernd Schneider, Lucio, Jens Nowotny, Diego Placente, Carsten Ramelow, Michael Ballack, Yildiray Bastürk, Zé Roberto, Oliver Neuville, Ulf Kirsten
Related News
Bayer 04 - 01.10.2023
Birthday boy of the month: Klaus Bruckmann turns 70
Klaus Bruckmann was born in Oberhausen on 9 October 1953. He started with football at TuS Grün-Weiss Holten. After his move to MSV Duisburg his coach in the U19 squad was Willibert Kremer. With him, he won the Germany U19 championship in 1972 with a 2-0 win against VfB Stuttgart. He was then signed on professional terms and he played for MSV Duisburg 75 times in the Bundesliga from 1972 to 1977. In June 1975 he played for the Zebras in the cup final against Eintracht Frankfurt but the game ended in a 1-0 defeat.
Show more
Bayer 04 - 01.10.2023
From the archives: 90 years ago – derby at the Stadtpark
It is Sunday, 22 October 1933 and it's derby time in Leverkusen. Spvgg Leverkusen 04, with Bayer only appearing in the club name from 1935, and Jahn Küppersteg faced each other in front of 1,000 spectators at the Am Stadtpark Stadium.
Show more
Bayer 04 - 01.10.2023
Goals of the month: From Wojtowicz to Bellarabi
In this video you can watch impressive and important goals in the history of Bayer 04 in the month of October. It is not always about the beauty of the goals but also about remembering special games and players.
Show more
Bayer 04 - 01.10.2023
Match of the month: 25 years ago – comeback in Frankfurt
Bayer 04 Leverkusen travel to newly promoted Eintracht Frankfurt on matchday eight in the 1998/99 season. The Werkself are third in the table with 12 points albeit with a four and seven point gap to the two Munich clubs Bayern and 1860 in first and second place. The start of the season is not seen as successful in spite of the high position. So three points are almost a must at Frankfurt.
Show more
Bayer 04 - 01.10.2023
History: 45 years ago – Promotion season 1978/79 (October)
The first game in October takes Bayer 04 to the steel town of Solingen. Union Solingen entertain our Werkself at the Herman Löns Stadium in front of 12,000 supporters on Sunday 8 October 1978. The league leaders arrive in confident mood – and go home with a black eye.
Show more