Bayer 04 are at home at the BayArena for the first matchday of December. SpVgg Greuther Fürth are the visitors for the game that kicks off at 15.30 CET (stadium opens: 13.30 CET). And for the match against the newcomers, Werkself LIVE is available at the stadium – alternatively it is available now online. The Bayer 04 matchday flyer offers interesting facts and stats on the match between the Werkself and the team currently bottom of the Bundesliga. On the back there is a poster of centre forward Patrik Schick. HERE is the e-paper.
There are new conditions attached to entry to the BayArena as a result of the latest decisions by the Minister-Presidents Conference (MPK) plus the coronavirus protection order from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. A maximum of 15,000 spectators may attend Werkself home games, standing is currently not allowed. Visitors to the stadium must wear a medical mask at all times including in their seat. Further information is available in the home game FAQs.
The German Football Association (DFB) have appointed Tobias Reichel as the referee for this fixture. The 36-year-old has previously refereed one match involving the Werkself: this season’s 1-1 draw at Union Berlin on matchday one. Against Fürth he will be assisted by Christian Bandurski and Dominik Schaal. Markus Schmidt is the VAR match official.
In memory of Horst Eckel, who passed away yesterday, both teams and the match officials will wear black arm bands. The last surviving member of the World Cup winning team of 1954 was 89 years old.
The former halfback made 32 appearances for Germany between 1952 and 1958. Eckel, nicknamed 'Greyhound', was twice champion of Germany with FC Kaiserslautern in 1951 and 1953. Rudi Völler, sporting managing director at Bayer 04: "As a symbol for all of the 54 World Cup winners, Horst Eckel was a particularly down-to-earth man with great modesty. He had absolutely no airs and graces and was always very pleasant to talk to. Whenever we met, it was always wonderful to talk to Horst about old times. He is a big loss to German football."
Will the Werkself keep a clean sheet against Fürth? Bayer 04 have not conceded in the previous two meetings with the team from Franconia (2-0 H, 0-0 A). The Black and Reds have only not conceded in the first three matches in the Bundesliga against Schalke 04. Another good omen, Bayer 04 have won eight of the last nine Bundesliga home games against newly promoted clubs.
During half-time in #B04SGF there will be the presentation of the 15th volunteering awards by the Bayer 04 Sportförderung gGmbH. Due to the postponement of the award in 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the two association presidents Bernd Neuendorf (FVM) and Peter Frymuth (FVN) will present the awards this year and also to the winners of the volunteering award in 2020. That includes Jugendsport Wenau 1957 and SC Sparta Bardenberg two clubs from the Middle Rhine Football Association (FVM) and TuB Mussum 1955, a club from the Lower Rhine Football Association (FVN).
Rudi Völler, sporting managing director at Bayer 04, has often been a guest on Doppelpass in the past – and is again this Sunday. The football discussion show starts at 11.00 CET and is broadcast live on free-to-air TV on SPORT1.
Völler will be joined in Munich this time by the following guests: Mario Basler, Tobias Altschäffl (BILD), Thorsten Poppe (freelance journalist) plus Patrick Berger (SPORT1). Rudi Brückner and Jana Wosnitza are the hosts.
Goal-getter and grafter: Without doubt, Ulf Kirsten is one of the best and most popular players in the club's history. Born in Riesa in 1965, ‘der Schwatte’ – his nickname – became a professional footballer at Dynamo Dresden. In 1990, the world class centre forward joined the Werkself and won the DFB Cup in 1993. Kirsten was the top scorer in the Bundesliga for three seasons during his time at Leverkusen.
He finally hung up his boots in 2003 after 350 Bundesliga games and 182 goals. The Champions League finalist from the year before became the first Bayer 04 honorary captain after the end of his playing career. On his 55th birthday today, Kirsten will definitely have an eye on the match involving his former club. Many happy returns, Schwatter.
Somebody who knows Kirsten well is Jürgen Radschuweit. They played together at Bayer 04 between 1990 and 1993 – the central defender also became a DFB Cup winner in his final year under the Bayer Cross. The Cologne-born player made 20 Bundesliga appearances for the Black and Reds and is today celebrating his 53rd birthday. Many happy returns.
The Bayer 04 Women have made good use of the international break. In stormy weather, the Werkself beat top-flight Dutch team NAC Breda 8-1 in a friendly on Thursday afternoon. Caroline Kehrer (5’/18’), Paulina Bartz (15’), Valentina Mädl (38’/69’/79’) and Vanessa Fudalla (53’) scored for the Leverkusen side.
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Bayer 04 welcomed former Chinese forward Chen Yang, the first player from his country to play in the Bundesliga, to the BayArena on Monday as part of a collaboration with Bundesliga International. The initiative aims to promote Bundesliga stories and behind-the-scenes content for the Chinese market ahead of the launch of Chen’s Douyin (China’s TikTok) social media channel later this month.
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