Saturday afternoon, home game at the BayArena. VfB Stuttgart are the visitors on matchday 20. The latest info on the clash, facts and stats on #B04VFB plus other Black and Red news about Bayer 04 to get in the mood for the afternoon of football. There is also an interview with Wendell. “After recent results, we should all be aware of what it’s about on Saturday. It doesn’t matter at all who we’re playing against,” said our number 18.
HERE is the e-paper.
Sven Jablonski is in charge of today’s game between the Werkself and VfB Stuttgart. The 30-year-old referee from Bremen has already officiated one game involving the Black and Reds this season: the 0-0 draw with Wolfsburg on the first matchday. The assistant referees are Christian Gittelmann and Rafael and Christof Günsch. Felix Zwayer and Thomas Gorniak are the VAR officials at the studio in Cologne.
Your vote counts! Nadiem Amiri’s opener on ten minutes in the Bundesliga away game at Eintracht Frankfurt (1-2) on 2 January is included in the vote for the January Goal of the Month on the ARD Sportschau programme. Florian Wirtz produced a delicate chip to Amiri in the middle and he beat Frankfurt’s Durm before scoring with a back-heel. The goal for the Werkself was not enough to ensure victory but it was still a tremendous finish.
Click HERE to cast your vote.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
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Welcome to Leverkusen, Carles Martínez Novell. Bayer 04 have appointed the 42-year-old Spaniard as the new head coach on a contract to 2028. Martínez most recently worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. He previously spent four years at Barcelona's legendary academy La Masia in his home city. Bayer04.de introduces Martínez in more detail.
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Bayer 04 plans for the 2026/27 pre-season continue to take shape. The Werkself will kick off the new season in mid-July with the return to the training ground. The highlight will be the official season opener on 8 August at the BayArena, including a friendly against La Liga club Sevilla. Friendlies in Germany will take the team to neighbouring Monheim, Offenbach and Jena.
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Strengthening the Bayer 04 Leverkusen youth teams: Konstantinos Kotsifakis will join the Werkself from Bundesliga 2 club Hertha Berlin for the 2026/27 season, where he will be a permanent member of the Leverkusen U19 coaching set-up. The German-Greek will also take on an operational role in coaching the Bayer 04 Future Team. The 29-year-old was most recently head coach of the U17s at Hertha Berlin.
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Another award for the Bayer 04 head groundsman and staff: After coming top in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons, the BayArena pitch came second in the Bundesliga Pitch of the Year ranking for the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg secured the top spot this year, with TSG Hoffenheim in third place.
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