The Black and Reds go into 2019 still in three competitions for the first time in three years. At the end of the year, we look back at the stats and facts from the first half of the season:
The Werkself have really got stuck in as the year draws to an end. In the last six Bundesliga fixtures, the Werkself have picked up 13 points, which is more than the eleven earned in the first eleven games of the season – only Bayern Munich, Wolfsburg (16 each) and Borussia Dortmund (15) have been more successful in the league recently. And the Werkself have once again shown that the BayArena can be a fortress for the Black and Reds: The last three home games ended in victory. The last time that happened was in May two years ago.
On the last matchday of the first half of the season, Bayer 04 secured a 3-1 victory over Hertha Berlin to move up to eighth place – just one goal worse off than the team from Berlin on the same points. Nevertheless, Kevin Volland, Kai Havertz and co. have made an historic achievement: The Werkself have finished in the top half of the German top flight after the first half of the season for 13 campaigns in succession – of all rival clubs across the country, only record champions Bayern Munich can look back at a longer run. It's even more impressive that such consistency has been achieved by just two clubs: FC Bayern, in the top half of the winter break this term for the 27th time in succession, and Bayer 04 (17 seasons; between 1985 and 2001).
In the first half of the season Werkself supporters have been able to celebrate a total of 47 goals: six of them in the DFB Cup, 15 in the Europa League and 26 in the Bundesliga – matching the position in the table, the ninth best return. The goals have been scored by 15 different players – that's already more than in the past two (half) seasons. Across all competitions, the Black and Red goalscorers lists is as follows: Kai Havertz (9 goals), Karim Bellarabi (8), Kevin Volland, Lucas Alario (bpth 7), Julian Brandt (3), Aleksandar Dragovic, Tin Jedvaj, Dominik Kohr, Mitchell Weiser (all on 2), Leon Bailey, Lars Bender, Julian Brandt, Jonathan Tah, Isaac Kiese Thelin, Paulinho and Wendell (all on 1). The providers were Brandt, Havertz, Volland (all on 6), Bailey (5), Bellarabi, Lars Bender, Kohr, Weiser (all on 3), Alario, Charles Aránguiz (both 2) plus Sven Bender, Dragovic, Kiese Thelin and Wendell (all on 1).
There is no question that the first half of the season has run like clockwork for Kai Havertz: Goals, assists, his debut for Germany and non-stop gushing praise. But the 19-year-old has absolutely deserved the accolades due to his outstanding performances. It is no coincidence, Heiko Herrlich rarely left out the Werkself number 29: With 1,943 minutes on the pitch he leads the Black and Red top three – ahead of Wendell (1,813) and Lukas Hradecky (1,800). The least time spent on the pitch by a member of the first team squad was the eight minutes for the Poland U20 international Jukub Bednarczyk in the final group match in the Europa League.I
The biggest win for the Werkself came on matchday nine with a 6-2 victory away to Werder Bremen – it was also the first and last time six goals were scored in a league fixture under Heiko Herrlich. The biggest defeat for the Werkself came a week later – with a 4-1 reverse at home to TSG Hoffenheim on matchday ten.
The penultimate Bundesliga matchday of the calendar year marks the end of an eventful first half of the season for the Bayer 04 Women. After seven wins, one draw and four defeats from the first twelve games of the season, coach Roberto Pätzold's team can go above Werder Bremen in the table with a win on Friday, 12 December (kick-off: 18:30 CET).
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The third showdown in the VBL Club Championship 2025/26 kicks off for the Leverkusen eSports team this Thursday, 11 December (live on the B04eSports Twitch channel from 19:00 CET). In the online preliminary round, the Black and Red will once again take on six previously drawn opponents for a place in the Top 16 and the associated entry into the offline knockout round, which will take place at this third showdown on 19 December in Cologne. Showdown One winners Bayer 04 will face FC St. Pauli, who won the second showdown last month, among others. The lowdown on first three opponents in this online preliminary round.
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Alejandro Grimaldo, of course! With his late equaliser (88') in the Champions League clash against Newcastle United, the Spaniard rescued a point for the Werkself, who took the lead through an own goal by Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes (13') but went with two goals for the visitors scored by Anthony Gordon (51') and Lewis Miley (74'). It was the third draw for Bayer 04 in the current 2025/26 campaign on matchday 6 in the UCL league phase.
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The Werkself will be looking to continue their run in the Champions League against Newcastle United on Wednesday, 10 December (kick-off: 21:00 CET). The two victories without conceding a goal at Benfica (1:0) and Manchester City (2-0) will hopefully be followed by a win at home at the BayArena. Against the English side, who have a player with a Black and Red past in their ranks, the way to victory could be through efficiency in attack and quick transitional play. The latter in particular has recently caused the Magpies problems away from home on the European stage. Fans can also get the stylish matchday sticker for their Sound of Dreams tour pass at the Bayer 04 Fanwelt. The matchday news.
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For the first time ever, Bayer 04 have reached the knockout phase of the UEFA Youth League. At the end of the league phase, the Leverkusen U19s secured a 2-1 home win against Newcastle United on Wednesday, 10 December. Montrell Culbreath scored before half-time and Ferdinand Pohl doubled the lead after the restart in the clash with the English side. The UCL youth competition continues at the beginning of February with the Round of 32, which will be played away from home without a second leg.
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