The joy of playing, passing the ball at will and intense celebration – not just members of the media spoke highly of the performance of the Werkself in the convincing home win against the second best away team in the league before last Saturday's matchday. Following three defeats, the team from Leverkusen hit back impressively and now have as many points from the first three games in the second half of the season as in the three opening matches at the start of the season.
Several Werkself players received top marks for their performances against VfB and were included in teams of the day: The Bild-Zeitung and the Kölnische Rundschau named two-goal Kerem Demirbay and winger Moussa Diaby in their teams of the week, kicker included the duo and Leon Bailey in their team the day. The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger gives top marks to the performances of Demirbay and Diaby with a mark of '1.5'
Head coach Peter Bosz was able to celebrate a personal anniversary at the weekend in addition to the three points: The match against the Swabians was the 100th game as coach at the Werkself for the 57-year-old. Since his appointment on 23 December 2018, the Dutchman has clocked up 58 wins (14 draws). Under his leadership, the Werkself players have scored an impressive 206 goals (and conceded 123).
The total of six of Bosz' predecessors can look back at 100 games in the Leverkusen dugout: Dettmar Cramer (108), Michael Skibbe (123), Erich Ribbeck (124), Roger Schmidt (125) and Christoph Daum (185) are in the top spots behind legend coach Willibert Kremer who leads the ranking with 213 games in charge. The now 81-year-old coached the Werkself from 1976 to 1981 for a total of 2,061 days. It will be interesting to see how many of his predecessors Bosz will be able to overtake…
Like the head coach, his players were able to start the week in buoyant mood. Following the start of the build-up for the next home game against FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday 13 February (kick-off: 15.30 CET), Charles Aránguiz and Co. had a PR and Partner day on Monday afternoon.
The players engaged in entertaining social media content, gave TV interviews, made announcements in front of the cameras, and were photographed for the website and web shop. Joining the PR and Partner day for the first time were the three winter signings from the British Isles: Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Jeremie Frimpong took each other on in an ‘eyes quiz’, Demarai Gray was in action at the 'International’ camera position.
With the number one keeper Lukas Hradecky on the second floor at the BayArena, there was a requirement for an absolute top performance in ball control: For a short video clip, he had to shoot the ball with his foot just centimetres away from the camera. But the Finn once again demonstrated that he is absolutely reliable. Job done, off to the the next position…
They are jolly good fellows! Four former Leverkusen players celebrated their birthdays on Monday; Renato Augusto, Hakan Calhanoglu, Bruno Labbadia and Uwe Stöver. Augusto, for the past five years at the top Chinese club Beijing Sinobo Guoan, is 33. While the Brazilian is still waiting for the start of the season with his team, Calhanoglu is in the middle of a title race in Italy: The now 27-year-old signed for AC Milan from Leverkusen in the summer of 2017. The big Italian club are top of the table in Serie A with 49 points. If AC Milan are top of the table at the end of the season then that will be their first league title in ten years.
With Labbadia, a Bosz predecessor is also celebrating his birthday. The 55-year-old coached the Werkself in 2008/09. His time at Leverkusen was followed by appointments at Hamburg SV, VfB Stuttgart and VfL Wolfsburg. His last position with the Bundesliga club Hertha Berlin recently ended after 28 games in the dugout.
The fourth member of the group is Uwe Stöver. Born in Wuppertal, he joined the Bayer 04 second team from Cronenberger FC in 1989. After three years he stepped up to the senior squad and, after nine appearances in the 1992/93 season, the central defender then moved on to VfL Bochum. After ending his playing career in 1999, Stöver began his career as a coach and he later moved into management. Today, the now 55-year-old is the sporting managing director at Holstein Kiel. The former Werkself player has developed the 'Storks' into promotion candidates in the second division since taking up his post in the autumn of 2019. Three points away to Fortuna Düsseldorf on Monday night would put the North German team in the top three in the second division. Bayer 04 send out many happy returns and best wishes to all four birthday boys.
Standing on the pitch where the Werkself players perform - for many Bayer 04 club members, this wish became reality at this year's Members' kickabout. Around 400 active participants of all ages took the opportunity to experience the BayArena from a new and special perspective. And there was also plenty going on in the stands: The event attracted more than 1,000 visitors in total and provided an atmospheric end to the season.
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Lying third in the Bundesliga, the Werkself made a faltering start in 2026 after the winter break, but gradually rediscovered winning ways and, as in the previous campaign, were among the top 16 in Europe and the top four in the DFB Pokal. In the Bundesliga, the Werkself also remained in the race for Champions League qualification right to the end. However, because setbacks repeatedly crept into the Werkself's performances between good displays and crucial games, it was not quite enough to secure a UCL spot in the end. A season with many ups and downs brought sixth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Part II of the review of the 2025/26 season.
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Rogier Meijer is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and returning to his native Netherlands: The 44-year-old will take over at Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on 1 July. Meijer has been part of the Werkself coaching set-up since the start of the 2025/26 season - first as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag, then on Kasper Hjulmand's staff.
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Following the final match of the 2025/26 season, the prevailing feeling was naturally one of disappointment after missing out on qualification for the Champions League. The Werkself finished the Bundesliga in sixth place, meaning they'll start the 2026/27 campaign in the Europa League. "But to talk negatively about everything now because of that would be wrong," stressed captain Robert Andrich following the final game, knowing that the past year at Bayer 04 was marked, more than almost any other, by the start of a new era and the courage to change – and in particular, the belief in a positive direction. Everyone was aware this process would need time. The first part of the 2025/26 season review.
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