A successful matchday for the Black and Reds: Not only was the result right in the home win against FC Augsburg but the team performance as well as individual displays by the Werkself players can be described as extremely successful. Moussa Diaby, Jeremie Frimpong, Mitchel Bakker, Robert Andrich, Florian Wirtz and Lucas Alario were all considered for the top teams across the media.
Diaby received 04 nominations: The Frenchman scored his first hat-trick as a professional player with just four shots in the game against FCA and he was justly rewarded with inclusion in the Team of the Week in BILD, kicker, on the Sportschau and for the DFL. The football magazine kicker gave the hat-trick hero top marks and named him ‘Player of the Matchday’.
Jeremie Frimpong's appearance was marked by inclusion in the BILD, kicker and on the DFL website. With a total of 45 sprints and a top speed of 34.8 kmph, the 21-year-old produced the top stats in the game. He also earned a high 1.5 mark in kicker.
Midfield dynamo Robert Andrich and defender Mitchel Bakker were also considered. In addition, Bakker – like his teammates Diaby Frimpong – was included in the DFL ‘Team of the Week’. The Dutch defender provided the assist for the opener in the Leverkusen goal fest.
The BILD team of the matchday included the two Leverkusen players Lucas Alario and Florian Wirtz in addition to Diaby and Frimpong. The 18-year-old set a personal record of 102 touches of the ball. Carry on, lads.
Patrik Schick has every reason to be happy on his 26th birthday today: The Czech Republic centre forward, at Leverkusen since the summer of 2020, can spend his birthday with his family instead of on the pitch – the Werkself start training on Tuesday this week. Schick can also look back at an impressive record of 18 goals in 17 Bundesliga matches – no other Bayer 04 player has ever achieved that before at this point in the season. Here’s to further success in a Werkself shirt, Patrik. Enjoy your day and stay fit and healthy.
Black and Red birthday greetings are also sent to Kärnten: Robin Dutt, head coach of the Werkself from July 2011 to April 2012, today celebrates his 57th birthday. The Cologne-born coach has been at the helm of the Austrian club Wolfsberger AC since the summer and they are currently third in Austria's top-flight. Many happy returns to you, too.
Today brings the first match of the season for the Werkself. Bayer 04 kick off the 2026/27 campaign today, Saturday 22 August, at 13:00 CEST with a first-round DFB Pokal tie away to third-tier side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. The 3,700 travelling fans can not only look forward to what will hopefully be a successful start to the season, but also now organise their journeys to Black and Reds games even more easily via the WERKSELFgo car-share platform. Meanwhile, following two defeats at the start of the league season, SV Wehen are hoping to spring a surprise in the DFB Pokal tie. Today’s matchday news.
Show more
Carolin Simon is the new captain of the Bayer 04 women’s team. The full-back, who joined from Bayern Munich in the summer, will take over the captain’s armband for the 2026/27 season. Simon returned to Leverkusen in the summer after ten years away. The 33-year-old succeeds goalkeeper Friederike Repohl, who retired at the end of last season.
Show more
Bayer 04 start the 2026/27 season away to third-division side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. Ahead of the DFB Pokal tie on Saturday 22 August (kick-off: 13:00 CEST), head coach Carles Martínez spoke at the pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon. The topics: anticipation, passion, the fans’ support – and the captaincy for the new season.
Show more
After 62 days of preparation, the time has finally come: the Werkself kick off the new Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga season on Sunday (16:00 CEST) with an away match at RB Leipzig. Following a major shake-up over the summer, with eleven players leaving and twelve new signings, initial impressions from the past few weeks have given manager Roberto Pätzold great cause for optimism.
Show more
SV Wehen Wiesbaden undoubtedly envisaged a different start to the new season. After two matchdays, the Hessen side currently sit bottom of the Liga 3 table. On Saturday 22 August (kick-off: 13:00 CEST), SVWW host the Werkself in the first round of the DFB Pokal at their home ground, the BRITA Arena. It was there, in this very competition a year ago, that the club almost pulled off a massive upset. The lowdown on our next opponents.
Show more
