
The Werkself coach Roger Schmidt is well aware of the task ahead: “We need to be on our best form. We have every chance of winning the game at our own ground with our fans behind us – and that’s what we’re aiming for.”
The Werkself head coach recognises the opposition have been though a busy transfer window: “BVB brought in top players after the departure of Hummels, Gündogan and Mkhitaryan. Götze and Schürrle, Guerreiro, Dembelé and Mor are all very impressive new signings and it means Borussia’s attacking game is now even more adaptable.”
Talking about the high-scoring start to the season for Borussia, Schmidt said: “They look really solid and nothing like a team trying to gel.” Therefore, the boss is calling on his players to be “fully focussed and keep the ball far away from our own net. BVB have some very quick forwards. It’s good that we’ve got fast defenders in our ranks.”
It remains to be seen whether the Bayer 04 captain Lars Bender, who picked up a painful flesh wound in the Champions League match at Monaco, and vice-captain Ömer Toprak (bruised knee) will be fit to play. Schmidt: “I can’t give the green light for either of them and we’ll decide if they’re able to play against Dortmund after the final pre-match training session.”
Fan update:
The BayArena is sold out and Bayer 04 would like to point out that rucksacks and large bags are not permitted in the BayArena.


Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month.
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Kasper Hjulmand has led the Werkself back to winning ways and is back in the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League with Bayer 04 after the 3-0 win against Villarreal on Wednesday evening. In an interview with the Werkself magazine at the BayArena in the team meeting room, directly opposite the dressing room, he provided some special insights for the current issue, which was published in January. A conversation with the 53-year-old coach about values, attitudes and personal experiences as well as interests outside of football.
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The thrilling 3-1 win for Bayer 04 against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Hinrunde is a fond memory for Alejandro Grimaldo, with his brace from free kicks, and coach Kasper Hjulmand, who was in the dugout under the Cross for the first time. Now comes the return fixture in the metropolis on the River Main and after going out of the DFB Pokal and the Champions League, the full focus at Eintracht, currently managed by two interim coaches, is now on the Bundesliga. For their part, the Werkself will do everything in their power to continue the longest winning run against a Bundesliga club. The matchday news.
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Bayer 04 have ended Artem Stepanov’s loan deal at Nürnberg and agreed a new loan to Utrecht in the Netherlands. The Ukrainian striker did not play as much as hoped for at the Bundesliga 2 club and will now continue his development in the Eredivisie for the rest of 2025/26.
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The draw for the knockout play-offs of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League was made on Friday, 30 January and saw Bayer 04 paired with Olympiacos. It’s a reunion with the Greek side following the Werkself’s 2-0 loss in Athens on Matchday 7 of the league phase.
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