The battling 2-1 win for the Werkself at Wolfsburg again demonstrates the ability of head coach Roger Schmidt’s team to take blows and fight back. Bayer 04 succeeded in coming back from behind to win a match for the third time in the current Bundesliga campaign. The previous two victories were against Hamburg SV and FSV Mainz 05 when hat-tricks from Joel Pohjanpalo and Chicharito turned the games round. Those nine points are the highest number in the league and Leverkusen were the most successful team last season in this respect, picking up 19 points after going behind (five wins, four draws).
The boost from an important match, played with great determination, comes at exactly the right time in a busy week of fixtures that sees the Werkself take on Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League on Wednesday before returning to Bundesliga action on Saturday with a home fixture against Darmstadt 98. Bayer 04 set off to London on Tuesday from Cologne/Bonn Airport. There will be no lack of support for the Werkself in Britain’s capital: A large number of the players’ and coaches’ wives and girlfriends will be there along with the Bayer 04 Veterans team plus some 2,000 fans.
World-famous Wembley stadium
They are all looking forward to Wednesday night’s clash at the legendary Wembley Stadium opened in 2007 – in exactly the same spot as the historical arena opened in 1923 and the stage for the Olympic Games in 1948, the World Cup Final in 1966 and the Euro 96 Final. It was demolished in 2003 to make way for the new stadium. Wembley, with a capacity of 90,000, has twice hosted the Champions League Final: In 2011 between Barcelona and Manchester United (3-1) and in 2013 between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich(1-2). This season has seen the start of construction work at Spurs home ground of White Hart Lane and that means that Tottenham will play all their home Champions League games at Wembley this term and in the 2017/18 season all home games will be played at Wembley. The new White Hart Lane will have a capacity of 61,000 (currently 36,000). The stadium will be ready for the start of the 2018/19 campaign.
Spurs remain unbeaten in Premier League
Spurs are still the only team in the Premier League yet to lose a match this season. However, the team coached by Mauricio Pochettino have stuttered a bit lately. On Saturday, they drew 1-1 with reigning champions Leicester City with the Dutchman Vincent Janssen putting them ahead from the penalty spot. Tottenham are currently fifth in the English top flight, three points behind leaders Manchester City, and their next outing in the league is the North London derby against Arsenal on Sunday.
The Werkself U19 team also have great plans for the trip to London. The team coached by Markus von Ahlen and Iraklis Metaxas are looking for a result to follow up the 3-1 victory against Spurs in Leverkusen to set themselves up with a good chance of making the knockout stages of the Youth League. That match kicks off at 18.00 CET on Wednesday.
The Bayer 04 U19s have extended their winning run with a fifth consecutive victory on Matchday 5 of the DFB Youth League’s preliminary round. Coach Patrick Greveraars’ side secured a 3–2 (2–1) win in their match against second-placed FC Viktoria Köln, with Burak Kir and Nebe Domnic scoring for the hosts in the first half before captain Ben Hawighorst found the net after the break.
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Bayer 04 will have to manage without defender Guéla Doué for the time being. The Ivory Coast international sustained a muscle injury to his right calf during the final Werkself training session yesterday ahead of the Europa League clash with Slovenian champions NK Celje.
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For the first time since reaching the final against AS Roma (2–2, first leg 2–0) in May 2024, Bayer 04 are playing another home match in the UEFA Europa League – and they will be wearing their new European kit. On Wednesday 16 September (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), the BayArena will welcome Slovenian champions NK Celje, who appointed a new coach this week following a mixed start to the season. Under the slogan “40 Years Across Europe. Still Creating History.”, the Black and Reds now aim to add the next chapter to their European history, which has seen so much success in recent years. Bayer 04 fans can follow the match on free-to-air TV on RTL, as well as on Sky and Werkself Radio. The matchday news.
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European football returns to the BayArena: Bayer 04 host Slovenian champions NK Celje on matchday 1 in the group stage of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League. Ahead of the match on Wednesday 16 September (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), head coach Carles Martínez and midfielder Aleix Garcia spoke at the pre-match press conference. The focus was primarily on the great anticipation surrounding the competition and the clear objectives for it – and, given the circumstances, on a last-minute change to the opposition line-up.
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The champions of Slovenia NK Celje are in a European competition for the fourth time in their history. This Wednesday, 16 September (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), the side lead by head coach Vitor Campelos visit the BayArena for matchday 1 in the group stage in the UEFA Europa League. Celje’s last match at the weekend did not go to plan. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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