One day to go before Gerardo Seoane, the Swiss head coach at the Werkself, stands on the touchline at the Bruno Plache Stadium in Leipzig. A crowd of over 6,000, including 500 from Leverkusen, will make themselves heard from the stands on Saturday from 15.30 CEST. "We are all very much looking forward to be able to experience the atmosphere and emotion of the crowd," declared Seoane at the pre-match press conference on Friday. "It feels very different. It will definitely be special, above all for the youngest in the team who haven't played a first-team game in front of spectators before."
Head coach Seoane will have to manage without six of his players in the clash with the fourth tier team from Leipzig. While Jonathan Tah is suspended, Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Edmond Tapsoba are still ruled out through injury. Also sidelined are Lucas Alario and new signing Mitchel Bakker with minor injuries. In addition, Paulinho is in the Olympic Games final with Brazil against Spain in Japan on Saturday afternoon at 13.30 CEST. “With the players where there were slight doubts after the week of training, we are assuming they will be able to play," said Seoane.
The Werkself are set to face underdogs FC Lokomotive Leipzig whose coach Almedin Civa described the Leverkusen draw as a "gift". His opposite number Seoane believes there will be a "classic cup tie" at the Bruno Plache Stadium. The Bayer 04 head coach added: "Leipzig will be highly motivated for the tie. We have to go into the game with the same aggression as them and then win the match by the quality of our play."
Match information:
Broadcasters: Sky and Werkself Radio
Referee: The match officials will be announced on the day of the game
Video games manufacturer Electronic Arts (EA), together with the Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL), has announced the six nominees for the February 2026 Bundesliga Player of the Month award. Not one, but two Werkself players are on the list in Edmond Tapsoba and Alejandro Grimaldo. Supporters of the Black-and-Reds have from now until midnight on Sunday 8 March to vote!
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The German Football League (DFL) has announced the three candidates for Bundesliga ‘Rookie of the Month’ for February. Among the candidates is Werkself player Jarell Quansah. Fans of Bayer 04 can vote for their favourite on the Bundesliga app from now until Thursday, 5 March (23:59 CET).
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Bayer 04 have once again significantly stepped up measures against the unauthorised resale of tickets and, as a result, reallocated a certain number of season tickets to fans on the waiting list. In doing so, the club wants to send a clear message: Tickets belong in the hands of those who have purchased these tickets legitimately and obtained them via official Bayer 04 channels and who support the Werkself. At the same time, the tickets should be available at the regular fixed prices.
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Bayer 04 will have to manage without Brazilian player Arthur for the next few weeks. The full-back tore a ligament in his left ankle in yesterday's Bundesliga match against Mainz 05 (1-1).
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