
The Bayer 04 shareholders committee completed a thorough review of the 2016/2017 season at its meeting on 17 May. This detailed analysis will continue over the next few weeks to determine and implement targeted measures.
In contrast two contrary speculation, the shareholders committee expressed its full confidence in the management of Bayer 04 led by CEO Michael Schade and sporting director Rudi Völler.
"It is purely about doing everything we can to get our club back on track for the coming season," said Werner Wenning, chairman of the shareholders committee of Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH. "We are firmly convinced that will happen under the leadership of Michael Schade and Rudi Völler."
The top priority now is the appointment of a new head coach and then planning the squad for next season. In addition, internal processes and organisational details are to be improved. The aim is to learn from the mistakes of the current campaign to be able to finish in a European spot next season. Bayer 04 have competed in European competition 17 times in the past 20 years including eleven times in the Champions League – with the last four years in succession.

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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Werkself TV shows highlights of the 2-0 win at Olympiacos in the first leg of the play-offs of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 league...
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The Werkself beat Olympiacos 2-0 in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League play-off first leg to claim a crucial victory in the Greek capital. After a focused first-half display with a number of presentable chances, Patrik Schick crowned a textbook counter to hand the Werkself the lead on the hour (60’). The Czech rounded off his brace when he headed in from a corner just 144 seconds later. Bayer 04 maintained their lead with aplomb to achieve a good position for the return leg in Leverkusen.
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Bayer 04 and Olympiacos had only met twice before the current UEFA Champions campaign. After the encounter on Matchday 7 of this season’s league phase, the Werkself travel to face the Greek side for the second time in just four weeks for the knockout play-off first leg. The Black and Reds were dominant for large spells in mid-January but lost 2-0 after missing a number of presentable chances. The Werkself aim to do better on Wednesday night to “seize the chance for revenge,” as managing director sport Simon Rolfes put it. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game in our matchday news.
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