According to the assessment made by the safety authorities on site, the match against the Dutch top-flight club can kick off at 16.00 CEST as planned. There will be a minute’s silence just before kick-off and the Bayer 04 players will wear black arm bands as a mark of respect for the one fatality and the people injured by the explosion.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, there is a limit of 350 spectators at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium and the remaining tickets were sold out on Tuesday afternoon. Fans were able to buy the tickets for five euros from the Bayer 04 service centre. All the proceeds go to the ‘Leverkusen hilft’ organised by the Leverkusen community foundation with the money raised helping victims of the floods.
Away fans are not permitted at the game; spectators have to be double vaccinated’, have recovered from the virus or have a negative test. Children from six years of age need a certified, negative test result. The relevant document must be produced on entering the stadium.
Bayer 04 will soon announce ticket sales for the final friendly ahead of the start of the new season. The Werkself were due to play Celta Vigo on Saturday 31 July at 16.00 CEST. The match has been called off due to positive Covid-19 cases at the Spanish club. Bayer 04 are now looking for new opponents for the final pre-season friendly. The Werkself kick off the new season on 7 August with the DFB Cup tie against FC Lokomotive Leipzig.
Sandwiched between their UEFA Champions League knockout play-off tie against Olympiacos, Bayer 04 return to Bundesliga action on Saturday with a trip to Union Berlin (kick-off: 15:30 CET). It’s a fixture of contrasting styles, with Leverkusen preferring to control the play while Union look to remain compact and counter. The Berliners are therefore suited to facing top teams, but they have only ever managed to win one of 16 meetings with the Werkself, who are looking for a fifth clean sheet of 2026 but will need to beware the home side’s threat from set pieces. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game in our matchday news.
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After six wins in seven games, the Werkself will be looking to continue their winning run in the capital at FC Union Berlin. Coach Kasper Hjulmand spoke ahead of the match on Saturday, 21 February (kick-off: 15:30 CET) about defenders, the short preparation time and the condition of the pitch at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
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Union Berlin have performed particularly well against the top clubs in the Bundesliga this season with a draw at home to Bayern Munich and wins against VfB Stuttgart and RB Leipzig. This Saturday, 21 February (kick-off: 15:30 CET), the Irons now welcome the Werkself, currently sixth in the table, to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. And the hosts are in desperate need of a win. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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It took exactly 60 minutes for the Werkself to take the lead through a perfectly finished counter-attack by Patrik Schick in the first leg of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League play-off at Olympiacos. Referring to the meeting in the league phase and the initially squandered opportunities, coach Kasper Hjulmand said afterwards: "I thought: 'Oh no, déjà-vu.'" But after the opening goal, it took just 144 seconds for the Czech to spark more wild celebrations among those in black and red in the Greek cauldron, when Schick nodded in Alejandro Grimaldo's corner. Much to the delight of the Bayer 04 fans, his teammates and his coach, who had warm words for the striker in the aftermath. The Werkself Review.
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