
A good omen? Bayer 04 have never lost when Sören Storks has been the referee. The 33-year-old has been in charge of four games involving the Black and Reds with the Werkself winning three. Storks showed the yellow card to today’s hosts three times. His assistants on Monday night, 26 October (kick-off: 20.30 CET/live on DAZN and on Werkself Radio at bayer04.de and on the Bayer 04 app), Thorben Siewer and Philipp Hüwe. Dr. Felix Brych is the VAR referee.
As CEO Christian Seifert announced on Monday, he will leave the German Football League (DFL) at the end of his contract in June 2022. After 17 years with the DFL, the 51-year-old is looking to “begin a new chapter in his professional career.”
Fernando Carro, chairman of the board at Bayer 04, said in response to Seifert’s announcement: “The Bundesliga and thereby Bayer 04 Leverkusen are grateful to Christian Seifert for the outstanding work he has performed to date for German football. He will be a hard act to follow with the huge challenges that have to be overcome.”
Augsburg’s head coach Heiko Herrlich was able to gain a massive amount of experience as a player and coach at the Werkself. Bayer 04 enabled the man from Mannheim to take his first steps as professional footballer in 1989 and then in 2017 he had the opportunity to work as head coach in the Bundesliga.
The total of five and a half years the now 48-year-old spent at Leverkusen had a big effect on his life and character as the coach explained at the FCA press conference on Sunday. “I’m very grateful I had the chance there and I look back very positively,” said Herrlich who is assuming the Werkself will have gained a lot of strength ahead of the game against his team with the Europa League opener against Nice (6-2). “I expect all of my players to give 100 per cent,” added Herrlich.
The Robert Enke Foundation (RES) has provided important work for the past ten years on education, research and treatment of depression. As part of the campaign ‘Robert Enke Foundation on tour’, the foundation is providing the opportunity for digital and individual contact to gain information on the illness of depression and means of support. At the Werkself home game against FC Augsburg, people have the chance to make contact with workers from the foundation via an online platform. The foundation workers will be available from 17.30 to 20.30 CET on Monday.
The German Football Association (DFB) has postponed all international fixtures and courses for the junior national teams until the end of the year due to the increasing number of coronavirus infections. From a Black and Red perspective, that affects Bundesliga defender and Germany U20 international Juliane Wirtz plus U19 youngster Emrehan Gedikli. The central striker, who was in the Werkself squad for the first time in the 1-0 win at Mainz, recently played for the Germany U18s.
This does not apply to the U21 team who have qualifiers for the European Championships coming up. Coach Stefan Kuntz has called up the Leverkusen players Lennart Grill and Florian Wirtz recently.


In the first episode of the new interview series "A New Chapter", Werkself defender Jarell Quansah reflects on his first few months under the Cross and speaks about his journey from England to Leverkusen. Having come through the ranks at Liverpool, a new chapter began for Quansah in the summer at Bayer 04 — with new objectives, fresh challenges and much ambition. In the video, the centre-back speaks about his development as a player and person, about the courage to leave your own comfort zone, and about what it means for him to be part of an international team in a different country. Honest, reflective and full of motivation — just like the start of his Werkself career.
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Full focus on Hoffenheim: after the late postponement of the away match at Hamburger SV, the Werkself are looking forward. To get themselves in top shape for the key clash at top-six rivals TSG Hoffenheim on Saturday 17 January (kick-off 15:30 CET), a number of players showed full commitment even on a day off - including two AFCON returnees...
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After Rio de Janeiro, it's off to Thuringia: This summer, Bayer 04 Leverkusen will prepare for the 2026/27 football season in Germany. While Brazil was the destination last year, the Werkself will now set up their training camp in Blankenhain, just outside Erfurt, from 1 to 7 August 2026.
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Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...
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Due to the last-minute postponement of the Bundesliga match between Hamburg and the Werkself on Tuesday, 13 January, Bayer 04 will reimburse the ticket price to all 3,500 fans who had already travelled to Hamburg as a sign of appreciation. The tickets remain valid for the rescheduled match (date not yet set).
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