Four wins on the bounce, with the last game ending 3-1 against a bogey team in Fürth with the previous seven home games against them failing to produce one win: FC Union Berlin have their tails up ahead of the DFB Cup second round tie at the BayArena on Tuesday (kick-off 18.30 CET). Last season Borussia Dortmund discovered Union Berlin could be an uncomfortable and determined opponent for big top-flight sides in one-off games – BVB needed a penalty shoot-out on their own turf to progress to the next round. And the Berliners head to Leverkusen in confident mood as goalkeeper Daniel Mesenhöler explained: "Leverkusen are very good opponents but if we have a really good day then we're in with a decent chance of going through."
Of course, the Werkself will be determined to avoid that under any circumstance. "Union are a well-organised side and make life extremely difficult for any opponent," declared defensive stalwart Sven Bender. And head coach Heiko Herrlich is firmly convinced his players will face a tough battle in the Cup on Tuesday. "We accept the role of favourites in this encounter but we must be aware we're facing an opponent who has nothing to lose and wants to cause an upset here," said the Werkself coach at the pre-match press conference at the media centre at the BayArena, broadcast live as usual on Bayer 04.de and on Faceboook.
Herrlich added: "It's a competition where you can't put things right after a defeat. So we need to be absolutely on our toes and fully focused on the game as the Berliners have a very strong squad and deservedly are in the leading group in the second division."
Bayer 04 will be without Tin Jedvaj (rehab) and Kevin Volland who suffered an ankle injury on Saturday at Mönchengladbach in a collision with the Borussia keeper Yann Sommer. Central defender Jonathan Tah is also suffering from a slight knock. "Jona should have recovered by tomorrow," said Herrlich who is considering making one or two changes but does not want to give anything away before the match: "I'm assuming we'll give several players a chance who have not had much time on the pitch recently."
Bayer 04 are expecting a crowd of 25,000 for the Cup tie against Union Berlin. 23,500 tickets have been sold so far and the Berliners are bringing 3,000 fans with them. Tickets will be available from the BayArena ticket offices on the night.
After eight years in the youth set-up at Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Benjamin Adam is leaving the club. The 35-year-old, who most recently coached the Leverkusen U17s, will take charge of the Hansa Rostock U19 team next season.
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There was a successful end to the women's internationals with Werkself players Carlotta Wamser and Cornelia Kramer qualifying for the 2027 World Cup finals in Brazil. A third Leverkusen player is still in with a chance of joining them. The Germany U23 players also experienced success in their last two international friendlies of the season.
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Traveling to North America for the World Cup this summer to see your favorite Bayer 04 players? Here’s a quick cheat sheet with thumbnail portraits and insider tips for each city from a local expert, so you can make the most of your visit and activities beyond the game!
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A fresh look for the BayArena: The Bayer 04 stadium will have new seating in the form of folding seats for the 2026/27 campaign that will ensure significantly improved seating comfort and simplified movement within the rows of seats. As part of routine replacement after 17 years, fans of the Werkself were able to purchase the existing seats, used to witness the first German league title in the club's history. In addition, a large proportion of the seats will be donated to charitable projects, primarily in the local region. Bayer 04 fans can look forward to new, functional folding seats for the season opener at the beginning of August - still in the club colours of black and red, of course. A glimpse at the BayArena during the refurbishment.
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