Almost like a phoenix from the ashes, winter signing Edmond Tapsoba has become a regular starter in the team under head coach Peter Bosz. “It’s a dream come true,” said the 21-year-old in an interview with the Werks11 Magazine. Tapsoba talks about his unusual career path and explains why he had to change his sleeping habits after his move from Portugal to adjust to the German mentality.
His Leverkusen teammate Patrik Schick joined the Werkself in the summer. The Czech Republic international, who became a father for the first time in October, came to Leverkusen via Prague, Genoa, Rome and Leipzig and now provides an interview with the Werks11 Magazine on top of the famous Leverkusen Water Tower.
Under the title “Perfect long-distance relationship”, the magazine looks at the special link between Bayer 04 and America, which reached a milestone in September. The signing of the Colombian Santiago Arias (Atlético Madrid) marked the arrival of the 40th player from America in the Rhineland to play for the Black and Reds. In addition to the defender, unfortunately sidelined with a long-term injury, six other players from the other side of the Atlantic are in the current Bayer 04 squad.
The Virtual Bundesliga (VBL) started it’s fourth season on 10 November. Bayer 04 are competing again and the successful duo of Kai ‘DETO’ Wollin and Fabian ‘B04_DUBZJE’ De Cae are looking to make a good start together with two new signings at the #B04eSports team. The Werks11 Magazine introduces both eSports players and also talks to Florian Dederichs, head of eSports at Bayer 04, about the importance of virtual football for the club.
Click HERE to access the new edition. Enjoy the read!
You can browse all the previous Werks11 Magazines since edition 1 from 2015/16 at bayer04.de.
Bayer 04 and Olympiacos had only met twice before the current UEFA Champions campaign. After the encounter on Matchday 7 of this season’s league phase, the Werkself travel to face the Greek side for the second time in just four weeks for the knockout play-off first leg. The Black and Reds were dominant for large spells in mid-January but lost 2-0 after missing a number of presentable chances. The Werkself aim to do better on Wednesday night to “seize the chance for revenge,” as managing director sport Simon Rolfes put it. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game in our matchday news.
Show more
A bitter end to the fifth showdown of the 2025/26 VBL Club Championship as the #B04eSports team failed to take any points in the three remaining matches of the preliminary online round of the fifth and final showdown, missing out on the offline round. They can no longer take points in the overall table. Bayer 04 slipped out on the top eight, so direct participation in the final event for the German Club Championship is no longer possible, with Bayer 04 having to contest the play-offs.
Show more
A rematch in Athens: On Wednesday, 18 February (kick-off: 21:00 CET), the Werkself face Greek double winners Olympiacos for the second time this season at the Karaiskakis Stadium. After the encounter in the league phase, it's now time for the first leg of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League play-offs. Ahead of the game, head coach Kasper Hjulmand spoke about how his side will approach the clash, while captain Robert Andrich explained how the team will try to dampen the atmosphere in the stadium tomorrow.
Show more
With the much-celebrated 2-1 derby win against 1. FC Köln, the Bayer 04 Women underlined their credentials as one of the top teams in the Bundesliga. Anyone wishing to support the Werkself in the stadium in the race for third place can now purchase tickets for the home match against FC Carl Zeiss Jena. Tickets are also still available for the upcoming clash against TSG Hoffenheim at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium on Sunday, 22 February. The latest information at a glance.
Show more
Let's give it our all one more time! Today, Tuesday 17 February (live on the VBL Twitch channel from 18:00 CET), the #B04eSports team play the remaining three preliminary round matches of the fifth and final showdown of the VBL Club Championship 2025/26. The Leverkusen console pros go up against 1. FC Nürnberg, 1. FC Magdeburg and Bayern Munich, aiming to secure their place in the offline knockout round and pick up valuable points for the overall table and the battle to get into the final event for the German Club Championship. The lowdown on our next opponents.
Show more
