What makes the season launch special are the games for the Bayer 04 Women’s team against Feyenoord (kick-off: 13:15 CEST, Ulrich Haberland Stadium) and the men’s team against Sevilla (kick-off: 15:30 CEST, BayArena) – and Bayer 04 fans can watch both matches with just one ticket. More than 17,000 fans have already secured their places for this joint season opener.
Alongside the two friendlies, there are plenty of activities on offer, inviting fans to experience the club in a whole host of different ways. The programme gets underway around the BayArena even before the first ball is kicked: the gates on the west side of the BayArena open at 11:30 CEST. The Legends’ Brunch, the stamp hunt with the Werkself Pass and the exhibition match featuring the Inclusion Werkself will kick off the day.
At the Legends’ Brunch, former Bayer 04 players and the managing director sport Simon Rolfes will welcome guests to the Bayer 04 beer garden. Among those attending will be Karim Bellarabi, Paulo Sergio, Falko Götz and Rüdiger Vollborn – representing many other familiar faces from the club’s history. As a Bayer 04 partner, the Merzenich Bakery is supporting the brunch by providing free fresh bread rolls.
At the same time, the area around the BayArena is transformed into a world of varied experiences for the whole family. If you want to discover as much as possible and stand a chance of winning a prize – including a match-worn shirt or Stammtisch tickets (VIP-Light) – you should grab your Werkself Pass (further information HERE). Modelled on a passport, it takes Bayer 04 fans on a stamp hunt and a voyage of discovery across the entire event site.
At 13:00 CET, the Bayer 04 Women’s team will be officially presented at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium, together with Fernando Carro, the Bayer 04 CEO. The friendly against Feyenoord will kick off at 13:15 CEST.
The BayArena will open in full from 1.30 pm. The Werkself are due to arrive at the stadium at around 14:00 CEST. During half-time of the Bayer 04 Women’s friendly, the team will then, as a one-off, enter the BayArena via the Ulrich Haberland Stadium – a gesture intended to highlight the shared nature of the season launch for both teams.
All the Werkself players will be officially presented at 15:20. The second friendly of the day against Sevilla kicks off at 15:30 CEST.
Shortly after the final whistle, stadium announcer Pitti Dahl welcomed a number of players, as well as head coach Carles Martínez for a brief chat in front of Stand F1.
Next up: out of the changing rooms and into the action. Players will mingle with the fans simultaneously at a total of eight different experience zones:
From the first encounters at the Legends’ Brunch right through to the meet-and-greet with the professionals after the final whistle, the season opener is all about kicking off the season together. So if you’d like to experience the Werkself and the Bayer 04 women’s team up close, you can still secure tickets now:
Further information on the day’s programme, activity areas and the timetable can be found HERE
Bayer 04 Leverkusen has secured a new network partner in Extreme Networks GmbH. The leading provider of AI-powered network automation has agreed a five-year partnership with the Bundesliga club, running until 30 June 2031. As part of this, the club’s existing Wi-Fi 5 infrastructure will be replaced by more than 400 Wi-Fi 7 access points, which are specifically designed to meet the requirements of a stadium with a high user density. The aim is to enhance the fan experience while optimising operational processes and security.
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New signing Miguel Gutiérrez has made a good start at Leverkusen and has promptly earned a nomination for Player of the Month in his first few weeks in the Bundesliga. He has scored one goal and provided three assists in four league games. The Spanish left-back has also brought some impressive stats with him to Bayer 04. Issue #56 of the Werkself magazine has taken a look at these figures. ‘Facts & Fun’ with Miguel Gutiérrez.
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With seven points, Mainz 05 are currently joint seventh, level on points with sixth-placed Bayer 04. In today’s head-to-head clash (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself must be particularly wary of the clinical Mainz strike duo. For Leverkusen fans who have left it to the last minute, there are still a few tickets available from the matchday ticket office. Those following the Black and Reds from home, on the other hand, have a choice: RTL is broadcasting the match on free-to-air TV, and Werkself Radio is also offering the expert commentary of former Bayer 04 player Falko Götz. Today’s matchday news.
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FSV Mainz 05 went into the international break on the back of an away win at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Currently sixth in the table, the Rheinhessen side – who have been impressive on the road – now aim to continue their good start to the Bundesliga campaign at home when they face the Werkself on Saturday, 10 October (kick-off: 15:30 CEST). In terms of squad selection, Urs Fischer once again has more options at his disposal. Up front, the Mainz coach is likely to continue relying on what is currently the league’s most successful strike partnership. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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