‘That’s how they are’ is the headline for the match report in the Sunday edition of the Frankfurter Allgemeine and the article continues: “And Bayern win in the end: Lewandowski made it 2-1 in added time against an impressive Leverkusen side.”
The Werkself won particular recognition for the performance in the first half. "Bayer 04 approached this game with an energy and precision that no other team has shown against Bayern Munich and coach Hansi Flick," praised the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger. "The Werkself restricted the record champions to 35 per cent possession. The lead made the relative strengths even clearer."
The goal is described as follows in the BILD: “Leverkusen took a quick corner on the right. Amiri sent in a long cross to the unmarked Schick who thumped the ball into the back of the champions’ net with a brilliant cracker of a volley from fourteen yards out. 1-0 to Leverkusen. That again demonstrated the new Werkself strength at set pieces.”
The Welt am Sonntag takes a look at the stats: “It was Leverkusen's ninth goal from a corner this season." The newspaper also declares: "The Munich side were fortunate on 28 minutes when a goal from Schick was ruled out due to an offside decision."
RP Online saw the half-time score of 1-1 as flattering for Bayern and not just because of that. "The Flick team only had the better of the game in the 15 minutes before half-time," said the match report. "Yet the equaliser at 1-1 from world footballer of the year Robert Lewandowski had not really been on the cards (43')."
"The equaliser gave Bayern a boost," was the view of the EXPRESS, "the visitors only posed a threat after half-time."
In contrast, the WAZ declares: "Bayern were very strong at the start of the second half but Leverkusen quickly recovered and it developed into an enthralling match that could have gone either way at any time." The final sentence of the match report may well sound rather bitter for all Werkself supporters: "But then the world footballer of the year struck again."
The Werkself have reached at least the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal in each of the last three years. The Black-and-Reds would like to make it to the final four of the competition again this season, but to do that they'll need to overcome 1. FC Nürnberg in round two, who travel to the BayArena with momentum following a successful league campaign so far. However, Bayer have a 100 percent record at home in all competitions this season - and have also won six of their last seven home matches in the Pokal. The Matchday News.
Show more
Back at home in the second round of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal, Bayer 04 host FC Nürnberg at the BayArena. The match against the current second-placed side in Bundesliga 2 is on Wednesday 28 October at 20:45 CET. Ahead of the game, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about his anticipation of the clash in front of a home crowd. The Spaniard also commented on a number of personnel matters, including Ibrahim Maza and Montrell Culbreath, plus the visitors’ coach, Miroslav Klose.
Show more
Now in their third season under head coach Miroslav Klose, FC Nürnberg are among the promotion contenders in Bundesliga 2. On Wednesday 28 October (kick-off: 20:45 CET), the team currently second in the table are away to Bayer 04 in the second round of the DFB Pokal. The lowdown on our next opponents.
Show more
Werkself player Ibrahim Maza has been named in the top ten in the ‘Men’s Young Talent of the Year’ category for 2026. The 20-year-old was at the London Palladium on Monday evening for the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards ceremony. Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 CEO, also attended the ceremony. Lamine Yamal of Barcelona was named the winner in the ‘Men’s Young Talent of the Year’ category.
Show more
Bayer 04 will have to manage without forward Moussa Diaby for their upcoming matches. The 27-year-old Frenchman sustained a thigh injury in the 3-0 defeat against TSG Hoffenheim yesterday afternoon, Sunday 25 October. Diaby is expected to be available again after the international break in November.
Show more
