That applies to both teams over recent weeks. While the Werkself picked up three important points at Hamburg after the 2-0 defeat to Hertha Berlin, Schalke also returned to winning ways: With just one win and one draw from the last five games, Domenico Tedesco's team succeeded in earning three points with a 2-1 win against TSG Hoffenheim – putting them back in touch with the positions that guarantee European football next term.
The 67 Bundesliga games between the two clubs from North Rhine Westphalia have seen Bayer 04 run out as winners almost twice as often. From a Werkself perspective that is 30 wins, 20 draws and 17 defeats against the Royal Blues – Bayer 04 have only clocked up more wins against VfB Stuttgart (34). Schalke 04 have not fared well on their visits to Leverkusen – with eight wins and seven draws against 18 victories for the Werkself. A direct comparison reveals an impressive fact in terms of goals per game with 3.01 goals on average, just five goalless draws (the same also applies to the BayArena this season so far with three goals on average being scored in each Bundesliga fixture).
It looks likely the ball will find the back of the net on Sunday.On the one hand, the Werkself have only failed to score twice this season and, on the other, Schalke have also proved to be effective in front of goal recently: The team from Gelsenkirchen scored for the seventeenth Bundesliga game in succession against TSG Hoffenheim – that run started in the first half of the season in the 1-1 draw with Bayer 04. Nevertheless, the Tedesco team have not proved to be particularly strong away from home. Schalke have scored eleven goals in the last eight away games in the league but also conceded twelve. The club from the Ruhr have only won once in their previous games on the road (three draws, two defeats).
Leon Bailey is having a great season with the Werkself – with the 20-year-old Jamaican once again being a s cool as ice when he netted the opener against HSV. On matchday 6, in the last meeting with FC Schalke, Bailey scored his first Bundesliga goal. After that he struck a rich vein of form: In his last 17 league outings, the striker has been involved in 14 goals (nine goals, five assist) – only Bayern's Robert Lewandowski (21) and the former Dortmund player Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (16) have more goals and assists this term.
Charles Aránguiz has also been on top form in recent weeks. The Chilean has been at Bayer 04 for two and a half years. The 28-year-old is about to make his 50th Bundesliga appearance (five goals, seven assists). He would have reached that milestone earlier if he hadn't torn his Achilles shortly after arriving at Leverkusen that saw him sidelined for six months. His team-mate Kevin Volland could finally score his 50th Bundesliga goal on Sunday. The Werkself top goalscorer has been waiting for five games to score his eleventh of the season in spite of great commitment and effort up front.
The Werkself have played five times on Sunday in the current campaign. Herrlich's team have not lost any of them (three wins, two draws). The opponents from the Ruhr have played four Sunday games this season with Schalke picking up seven points along the way (two wins, one draw, one defeat). However, the Royal Blues do not particularly like playing on Sundays – at least not away from home: the last twelve Sunday away games have only produced one victory for Schalke. The other games ended in three draws and eight defeats. And this weekend could see a fourth loss on the road in succession. S04 have lost the previous three away games and failed to score in the last two. Come on the Werkself!
Panos Retsos replaced Jonathan Tah (flu) in central defence last week and he produced an impressive performance. Retsos also picked up a fourth yellow card of the season at the Volkspark Stadium. He is the only Werkself player in danger of being suspended in the Schalke match. Schalke 04 have four players on four bookings in Matija Nastasic, Naldo, Guido Burgstaller and Daniel Caligiuri. Schalke do have Max Meyer available again for the game against the Werkself following his one-match ban that saw him miss the Hoffenheim game. Moreover: This is the second time this term that Siebert has been in charge of a Werkself match – that was the 3-1 defeat against Bayern Munich in the first game after the winter break. That was the first time Bayer 04 have lost with Siebert in charge of proceedings (he has officiated in seven games involving Bayer 04 – there have been four wins, two draws and the defeat against Bayern. He has also issued 14 yellow cards and two reds against Bayer 04).
Two former stars meet before the game: World Cup winner Dieter Herzog and DFB Cup winner Markus Happe are guests in the roundtable discussion in the Schwadbud (East Stand). After the game, Werkself pro Julian Baumgartlinger will join the #W11Fantalk to discuss the 90 minutes on the pitch with stadium announcer Tobias Ufer, fan liaison officer Rüdiger Vollborn or Frank Linde plus a supporter. If you have any questions for the Austrian please send them in via Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #W11Fantalk. It kicks off at 18.15 CET – and is broadcast live on www.bayer04.de on our Facebook page.
Bayer 04 are away to Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb on Matchday 5 of the league phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League. The game kicks off on Thursday 26 November at 18:45 CET at the Maksimir Stadium. All the information on ticket sales.
Show more
It wasn’t just on the pitch that there was cause for celebration around the Werkself’s 2–1 home win against SC Freiburg. Plenty of happy faces could be seen near the dugouts at half-time too. Once again, CEO Fernando Carro, alongside former striker and club ambassador Stefan Kießling, paid tribute to eight supporters’ clubs celebrating up to their 30th anniversary on behalf of Bayer 04.
Show more
It was a match that will live long in the memory of everyone involved: The Bayer 04 U19s celebrated their seventh win in seven matches in the DFB Youth League preliminary round – and yet it was a very special victory indeed: in the 4–3 (1–1) win at VfL Bochum 1848, no fewer than five goals came in the final quarter of an hour. As the 90th minute approached, coach Patrick Greveraars’s side found themselves behind, but then fought back in true ‘Laterkusen’ style.
Show more
Under Carles Martínez, the Werkself have so far proved unbeatable at the BayArena. The Spaniard has led his team to victory in all three of their most recent home matches – and, it's worth noting, without conceding a single goal. On Sunday, 18 October (kick-off: 15:30 CEST / live on DAZN and Werkself Radio), current league leaders SC Freiburg will make the trip to Leverkusen, but will be without their top scorer. What's more, the Werkself have won all three of their previous home matches against the Black Forest club. With a goal, Patrik Schick could not only secure a fourth consecutive victory but also set a memorable record. Meanwhile, on what will be the ‘Health Day' at the BayArena, much of the focus will be on physical wellbeing. Today's matchday news.
Show more
Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04 Women's 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt on Matchday 7 of the 2026/27 Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga.
Show more
