The Werkself collected 63 points in the end. The fact that total was 'only' good enough to qualify for the Europa League is primarily down to the strong competition this term. Since the introduction of three points for a win in 1996, 63 points has always been enough to finish in the top four. The points return is also the best for the Werkself in a season for seven years: In 2012/13, the Black and Reds finished in third place on 65 points.
Bayer 04 only picked up more points (39) in the second half of the season in 1999/2000 than in the recently completed Bundesliga campaign the total of 35 also being achieved in 1996/97 and 2010/11. In the first four weeks after the winter break, the Werkself picked up a lot of points with eight wins out of ten league games.
Goals guaranteed with games involving Bayer 04. The team led by head coach Peter Bosz only failed to score once in the second half of the season in a 2-0 defeat against Hertha Berlin on matchday 33. And the Black and Reds scored 15 more goals (38) than in the first half of the season (23).
Bayer 04 have often been the first out of the blocks this season: Kevin Volland and Co. scored 14 goals in the first 15 minutes, second only to the perennial champions FC Bayern on 18. Although Leverkusen did score the most goals in the final 15 minutes: Werkself fans were able to celebrate goals 17 times in the closing stages of league matches.
The Bayer 04 players covered a distance of 4,055 kilometres (an average of 119.3 kilometres per game) in 2019/20 and they put in the most running of any team in the Bundesliga. The 129.4 kilometres on matchday 11 in the 2-0 away win at Wolfsburg was a record for the season.
Peter Bosz' possession-based approach is reflected in the numbers: His team had an average of 65% possession this season – only the champions from Munich were better (66%). The Werkself also had the third best passing accuracy this season (87%).
The Black and Reds definitely did not have to rely on one striker: A total of 15 different players got their name on the scoresheet and you have to go back to the 2002/03 season to find more Werkself players (17) scoring in a Bundesliga campaign.
The Bosz team proved to be unpredictable in front of the opposition goal. 24 goals were scored with the left foot and the same number with the right. And there were also eight headed goals to celebrate.
Exciting experiences and exclusive insights into the Werkself and the BayArena awaited the young footballers from the BA04 Football Academy Guangzhou in China during their visit to the Rhineland this week. As well as taking part in a joint training session with the Bayer 04 Football Academy, the youngsters marvelled at the Bundesliga club’s stadium during a guided tour. The highlight of the visit was a private press conference with former Bayer 04 striker Stefan Kießling, during which he shared tips from his own career with the young players. On Saturday afternoon, 10 October, the group will round off their visit by supporting the Werkself in the away match in Mainz.
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Fun, games and promising talent: At the fourth Bayer 04 Junior Girls’ Talent Day at the Kurtekotten training centre, 90 football-mad girls had the chance to put themselves forward for the Werkself youth teams. During a 90-minute training session, children born between 2011 and 2019 had the chance to demonstrate their skills.
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Despite the international break, numerous Werkself fans turned up at the BayArena on Saturday 3 October. The occasion: Bayer 04, together with Bayer Vital and main sponsor BarmeniaGothaer, organised a Health Day. In the stadium’s Premium Lounge, guests listened to fascinating talks on the subject of cancer, featuring, amongst others, Bayer 04 record appearance holder Rüdiger Vollborn and former Werkself player Hans Sarpei. Afterwards, young and old alike enjoyed interactive stations such as a grip strength test and eye pupil test.
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In issue #56 of Werkself Magazine, Afonso Moreira offers some interesting insights into his home country, Portugal, as part of the ‘Sag mal’ (Tell me) feature. Among other things, the 21-year-old talks about his favourite places in the country on the Iberian Peninsula, the local cuisine and music, as well as heroes and historical figures beyond the world of football. ‘Sag mal’ with Afonso Moreira!
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