Nobody wants to get used to it. After almost eleven months without spectators at the BayArena – apart from 6,000 at the game against RB Leipzig – it’s still painful to see empty stands. Although Werkself fans cannot be physically present they are there in spirit. And that is evident from a massive support banner in the East Stand.
Several months in the open air and the winter weather of recent weeks have made their mark. Therefore, the club management decided to replace the banner and include top sponsors in the new one. That happened in the run-up to home game against VfL Wolfsburg. The message remains the same: ‘We for you – you for us!’ That applies to the fans and partners of the Werkself.
Under the maxim of ‘Your support for the Werkself’, all fans of the Black and Reds were asked in the spring of 2020 to send in photos for the banner and thereby, in spite of games behind closed doors, bring a little Black and Red feeling and support for the Werkself into people’s homes. Around 3,500 fans followed the call and took part.
Latest info before the match, facts on #B04WOB and other Black and Red news to get fans in the mood for the game. Also, new signing Timothy Fosu-Mensah talks about his first days under the Bayer Cross, his communication with the team from the Netherlands plus English and his playing style. “The team like playing with the ball and having lots of possession. That suits me and I’m happy about that,” said the 23-year-old.
HERE is the digital matchday magazine.
Referee Marco Fritz is in charge of the Werkself game against the Wolves on Saturday afternoon (kick-off: 15.30 CET). For Bayer 04, it will be match number 18 officiated by the 43-year-old banker from Korb in Baden-Württemberg. The Werkself have won eleven times, three games ended in draws and there have been four defeats. The assistants on the touchlines are Dominik Schaal and Marcel Pelgrim. The fourth official is Thorben Siewer and the VAR duo are Markus Schmidt and Christian Leicher.
Two former Bayer 04 players celebrate their birthdays today. Thomas Brdaric, at the Werkself from 1999 to 2003 including loan spells, is 46. At the start of the season he took over the helm as coach at Albanian top-flight club KF Vllaznia. Also one year older, at the age of 69, is the former Bayer 04 head coach Reinhard Saftig. Saftig was in the dugout at Bayer 04 for 77 games and he led the Werkself to the DFB Cup final in 1993. Bayer 04 wish both a very Happy Birthday.
Barely two weeks since beating St. Pauli in the DFB Pokal quarter-finals, Bayer 04 again welcome the Hamburg club to the BayArena for Matchday 22 in the Bundesliga this Saturday (kick-off: 15:30 CET). The visitors received a welcome confidence boost last weekend with a win over VfB Stuttgart, but the head-to-head record is still very much in Leverkusen’s favour, which Kasper Hjulmand’s team will look to maintain. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game in our matchday news.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 2-1 win against FC Köln on the 18th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga 2025/26.
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In preparation for the Bundesliga home match against FC St. Pauli on Saturday, 14 February (kick-off: 15:30 CET), the Werkself had a full week of training for the first time since the first match in 2026. At the press conference ahead of the clash against the relegation-threatened Kiezkicker, coach Kasper Hjulmand spoke about the intensive work during the week and the lessons learnt. The Dane also announced the good news that Ibrahim Maza is available again.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen are strengthening the squad for next season with the addition of Serbia U19 international Aleksa Damjanovic. The 17-year-old centre-forward is set to join the Bundesliga club in the summer from Serbian champions Red Star Belgrade. Damjanovic, who also has Austrian citizenship, has signed a long-term contract.
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