The team under head coach Gerardo Seoane are well and truly back to winning ways: The late victory against Celtic on Thursday night not only saw the Black and Reds win the group with a game to play and secure a slot in the Round of 16. The 3-2 victory was also the third win in the last four games (1 draw). “In comparison with the Bochum match (1-0, ed.) we took a clear step forwards yesterday,” declared Seoane at the pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon. “Above all in being compact at the back. We closed down space well, were aggressive and solid.”
Sunday’s visitors are not the only team in form at the moment. The hosts from Leipzig have recovered in recent weeks. RB made an impressive return to form in the Champions League with a 5-0 runaway win at Club Brugge. Seoane: “That match was enough of a preview. We know what to expect. But we also know we have the players to find the right solutions against them.”
It remains to be seen whether any of the convalescent quartet of Patrik Schick, Lucas Alario, Karim Bellarabi and Charles Aránguiz will be in the squad. “The final decision will be taken on Saturday afternoon in discussion with doctors and the physios,” said Seoane. He did consider including one or the other aforementioned players in the squad for the Europa League match against Celtic but decided against it in the end.
The Werkself are the only team in Germany’s top flight unbeaten on the road. With the first match behind closed doors this term, Lukas Hradecky and Co. will experience new, old circumstances. “Unfortunately, we’ve all been involved in games behind closed doors and we have drawn certain conclusions from those experiences. We’ll get used to it pretty quickly,” declared Seoane. “Of course, it’s a great pity there’ll be no fans at the game. We need them and their emotion.” In view of the precarious situation in Saxony, the Swiss coach said: “It’s clear the public health situation always has to take priority.”

Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 4-0 win at SGS Essen on the 24th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga 2025/26.
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Bayer 04 put in a brilliant performance to beat RB Leipzig 4-1 on Bundesliga matchday 32 and are now fourth in a Champions League spot. The Black and Reds took control of the game right from the start and, with 75 per cent possession at one stage, took a 2-0 lead into the break through Patrik Schick (25’) and Nathan Tella (45+1’). The visitors initially tried to do more after the break, but the Werkself remained determined and Schick scored his second goal to increase the lead to 3-0 (76'). The Red Bulls pulled a goal back through Christoph Baumgartner (80'), but the disciplined Leverkusen side were not rattled - and certainly not Schick: The Czechia international crowned a brilliant display with his third goal shortly before the final whistle to make the final score 4-1.
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In the previous game against RB Leipzig in December last year, the Werkself turned came from behind to win 3-1 and further improved Leverkusen's already strong record against the Red Bulls. Montrell Culbreath stood out with his first goal on his debut for the Black and Reds. While the 18-year-old would certainly like to score a second goal against Leipzig on Saturday night, the attack-minded visitors come to the BayArena in confident mood after five Bundesliga victories in a row. The Nordkurve12 supporters group knows the Werkself will therefore once again be reliant on the vociferous support of the fans, and has once again called for the ‘Finally Red’ campaign in the run-in. Today’s matchday news.
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Video games manufacturer Electronic Arts (EA), together with the German Football League (DFL), announced the top male and female selections for the 2025/26 Bundesliga season this week. Bayer 04 striker Vanessa Fudalla is in the starting eleven of the women's "Team of the Season". Alejandro Grimaldo and Aleix Garcia have been selected as bench players in the men's team.
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