
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.

There were celebrations among those in black and red at the RheinEnergieSTADION. On Matchday 9 of the 2026/27 Bundesliga season, the Werkself beat 1. FC Köln 2-0 and registered their sixth successive win in the derby. Aleix Garcia put Bayer 04 in front after just seven minutes with a direct free kick. Leverkusen played with discipline and energy after that and didn't allow some fierce challenges to unsettle them. Patrik Schick made it 2-0 in the 86th minute, and Said El Mala's goal in stoppage time for Köln proved nothing more than consolation. Jonas Hofmann crowned the derby win with his 100th appearance for the club.
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Bayer 04 have won each of their last five competitive encounters with 1. FC Köln, and it's around seven years since their last defeat in the cathedral city. That said, the hosts are in strong form at home and will make it anything but easy for the Werkself at the RheinEnergieSTADION on Sunday afternoon (kick-off 15:30 CET). The Matchday News.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04 Women's 2-0 win against Hamburger SV on Matchday 9 of the 2026/27 Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga.
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1. FC Köln host Bayer 04 on Sunday 8 November (kick-off 15:30 CET) in the 75th Bundesliga derby between the Rhineland neighbours. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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