Back
9.05.2022Bayer 04

Back Again in the Champions League: 13 campaigns

Last Saturday’s 4-2 win for Bayer 04 at TSG Hoffenheim on 7 May sealed the thirteenth Champions League qualification in the club’s history. Which Leverkusen players shaped the most successful Bundesliga seasons under the Bayer Cross to date? Who coached the Werkself at the time? And on which matchday did the Black and Reds qualify for Europe’s premier club competition? A review that answers these questions and many more.
crop_20220507_JS_TSG_B04_2333.jpg

First to the most recent success. The team under head coach Gerardo Seoane secured third spot with one game to play in his first season in charge at Leverkusen. The Werkself will return to the group stages of the Champions League in 2022/23 despite long-term injuries to Patrik Schick, Florian Wirtz, Amine Adli, Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Jeremie Frimpong over the course of this season.

Bundesliga 2021/22 (Position: matchday 33)

Finish: Third (qualification for UCL group stage)
Points: 61
Goal difference: 78-46
Top goalscorer: Patrik Schick (24)
Player with most appearances: Lukas Hradecky and Jonathan Tah (32 each)
Coach: Gerardo Seoane
Matchday UCL qualification was sealed: Matchday 33 – with a 4-2 win at TSG Hoffenheim
Other UCL qualifiers (After 33 games): Bayern Munich (76 points, first place), Borussia Dortmund (66 points/second place) and RB Leipzig (57 points/fourth place)

Here is an overview of the stats and facts on the twelve of the Bundesliga season where Bayer 04 qualified for the UEFA Champions League:

Bundesliga 2018/19

Finish: Fourth (qualification for UCL group stage)
Points: 58
Goal difference: 69-52
Top goalscorer: Kai Havertz (17)
Player with most appearances: Kevin Volland and Kai Havertz (34 each)
Coach: Heiko Herrlich (up to 23 December 2018) and Peter Bosz (from 4 January 2019)
Matchday UCL qualification was sealed: Matchday 34 with a 5-1 win at Hertha Berlin
Other UCL qualifiers: Bayern Munich (First/78 points), Borussia Dortmund (second/76 points) and RB Leipzig (third/66 points)

Bundesliga 2015/16

Finish: Third (qualification for UCL group stage)
Points: 60
Goal difference: 56-40
Top goalscorer: Chicharito (17)
Player with most appearances: Bernd Leno and Karim Bellarabi (33 each)
Coach: Roger Schmidt
Matchday UCL qualification was sealed: Matchday 32 with a 2-1 win against Hertha Berlin
Other UCL qualifiers: Bayern Munich (First/88 points), Borussia Dortmund (second/78 points) and Borussia Mönchengladbach (fourth/55 points)

Bundesliga 2014/15

Finish: Fourth (participation in UCL qualifiers)
Points: 61
Goal difference: 62-37
Top goalscorer: Karim Bellarabi (12)
Player with the most appearances: Bernd Leno and Stefan Kießling (34 each)
Coach: Roger Schmidt
Matchday UCL qualification was sealed: Matchday 30 with 1-1 draw at FC Köln
Other UCL qualifiers: Bayern Munich (first/79 points), VfL Wolfsburg (second/69 points) and Borussia Mönchengladbach (third/66 points)

Bundesliga 2013/14

Finish: Fourth (participation in UCL qualifiers)
Points: 61
Goal difference: 60-41
Top goalscorer: Stefan Kießling (15)
Player with the most appearances: Bernd Leno (34)
Coach: Sami Hyypiä (up to 5 April 2014) and Sascha Lewandowski (5 April 2014 to 30 April 2014)
Matchday UCL qualification was sealed: Matchday 34 with a 2-1 win against Werder Bremen
Other UCL qualifiers: Bayern Munich (first/90 points), Borussia Dortmund (second/71 points) and Schalke 04 (third/64 points)

Bundesliga 2012/13

Finish: Third (qualification for UCL group stage)
Points: 65
Goal difference: 65-39
Top goalscorer: Stefan Kießling (25 Tore)
Player with the most appearances: Stefan Kießling and André Schürrle (34 each)
Coach: Sami Hyypiä/Sascha Lewandowski
Matchday UCL qualification was sealed: Matchday 31 with a 1-0 win against Werder Bremen
Other UCL qualifiers: Bayern Munich (first/91 points), Borussia Dortmund (second/66 points) and Schalke 04 (fourth/55 points)

Bundesliga 2010/11

Finish: Second (qualification for UCL group stage)
Points: 68
Goal difference: 64-44
Top goalscorer: Arturo Vidal (10)
Player with the most appearances: Arturo Vidal (33)
Coach: Jupp Heynckes
Matchday UCL qualification was sealed: Matchday 32 with the 2-0 defeat at FC Köln
Other UCL qualifiers: Borussia Dortmund (first/75 points) and Bayern Munich (third /65 points)

 

crop_L_Bender_Kiese_Thelin.jpg

 

Bundesliga 2003/04

Finish: Third (participation in UCL qualifiers)
Points: 65
Goal difference: 73-39
Top goalscorer: Dimitar Berbatov (16)
Player with the most appearances: Hans Jörg Butt (34)
Coach: Klaus Augenthaler
Matchday UCL qualification was sealed: Matchday 34 with a 2-0 win at VfB Stuttgart
Other UCL qualifiers: Werder Bremen (first/74 points) and Bayern Munich (second/68 points)

Bundesliga 2001/02

Finish: Second (qualification for UCL group stage)
Points: 69
Goal difference: 77-38
Top goalscorer: Michael Ballack (17)
Player with the most appearances: Hans Jörg Butt (34)
Coach: Klaus Toppmöller
Matchday UCL qualification was sealed: Matchday 33 with a 1-0 defeat at FC Nürnberg
Other UCL qualifiers: Borussia Dortmund (first/70 points) and Bayern Munich (third/68 points)

Bundesliga 2000/01

Finish: Fourth (participation in UCL qualifiers)
Points: 57
Goal difference: 54-40
Top goalscorer: Oliver Neuville (15)
Player with the most appearances: Oliver Neuville (34 )
Trainer: Christoph Daum (to 21 October 2000), Rudi Völler (21 October 2000 to 11 November 2000) and Berti Vogts (12 November 2000 to 20 May 2001)
Matchday UCL qualification was sealed: Matchday 34 with a 1-0 win against VfL Bochum
Other UCL qualifiers: Bayern Munich (first/63 points), Schalke 04 (second/62 points) and Borussia Dortmund (third/58 points)

Bundesliga 1999/00

Finish: Second (qualification for UCL group stage)
Points: 73
Goal difference: 74-36
Top goalscorer: Ulf Kirsten (17)
Player with the most appearances: Jens Nowotny and Oliver Neuville (33 each)
Coach: Christoph Daum
Matchday UCL qualification was sealed: Matchday 29 with a 1-1 draw at Hansa Rostock
Other UCL qualifiers: Bayern Munich (first/73 points), Hamburg SV (third/59 points) and 1860 Munich (fourth/53 points)

Bundesliga 1998/99

Finish: Second (qualification the UCL group stage)
Points: 63
Goal difference: 61-30
Top goalscorer: Ulf Kirsten (19)
Player with the most appearances: Adam Matysek (34)
Coach: Christoph Daum
Matchday UCL qualification was sealed: Matchday 31 with a 2-0 win against VfL Bochum
Other UCL qualifiers: Bayern Munich (first/78 points), Hertha Berlin (third/62 points) and Borussia Dortmund (fourth/57 points)

Bundesliga 1996/97

Finish: Second (Qualification for die UCL group stage)
Points: 69
Goal difference: 69-41
Top goalscorer: Ulf Kirsten (22)
Player with the most appearances: Markus Happe (34)
Coach: Christoph Daum
Matchday UCL qualification was sealed: Matchday 32 with a 3-0 home win against FC St. Pauli
Other UCL qualifiers: Bayern Munich (first/71 points) and Borussia Dortmund (third/63 points)

 

 

Related News

crop_20260808_VK_Piazza_1666.jpg
Bayer 04 - 08.08.2026

2026 season launch blog: The men’s team’s presentation at the BayArena

Bayer 04 are back at the BayArena! Under the slogan “One day. Two teams. One club.”, the Leverkusen stadium grounds will be transformed into a world of experiences – with a wide range of exclusive activities both on and off the pitch. Keep track of all the highlights in our blog for the 2026 season launch.

Show more
Jubel der Werkself
Women - 08.08.2026

Goal fest with a hat-trick from Kramer: Women’s team beat Feyenoord 7-0

Spurred on by a flawless hat-trick from Cornelia Kramer, the Bayer 04 women’s team won their penultimate pre-season friendly in commanding fashion. As part of the season launch, the Werkself beat Dutch top-flight side Feyenoord 7–0. In front of 3,000 spectators at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium, Kramer (6’, 25’, 45’), Sofie Zdebel (47’), Maja Sternad (59'), Natasha Kowalski (83') and Vanessa Fudalla (86') scored the goals for coach Roberto Pätzold’s side.

Show more
eSports-Trikot
eSports - 07.08.2026

#B04eSports: The eSports jersey for the 2026/27 season

Kicking off the new season with a fresh look: Bayer 04, in collaboration with sportswear manufacturer New Balance, has unveiled the official kit for Leverkusen’s e-Sports players for the coming season. The jersey is now available from the Bayer 04 online shop and the Fanwelt.

Show more
Paulo Sergio mit Carles Martínez
Bayer 04 - 07.08.2026

‘Excellent prospects’ for the new season in Leverkusen and Brazil: Interview with club legend Paulo Sergio

Paulo Sergio and Bayer 04 have enjoyed close ties since the Werkself training camp in his native Brazil last summer. The club legend is in charge of the Bayer 04 Soccer Academy, which opened in the summer of 2025, and he has also been at this year’s training camp in the Weimarer Land. As well as interacting with the many fans who travelled to the camp, the 1994 World Cup winner used the time to plan the next steps for the Academy together with club officials. In an interview with bayer04.de, Sergio spoke about the project’s future development, the upcoming visit by young Academy players to Leverkusen, and plans for the coming months in Germany and Brazil.

Show more
crop_20260806_JS_Trainngslager_Tag5_3197.jpg
Bayer 04 - 06.08.2026

Day 5 blog: Team event and football tennis| Training camp in the Weimarer Land

A round-up of the Werkself training camp in the Weimarer Land, all in one place: in our daily blog you’ll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day five (Thursday 6 August) is as follows: The squad have the final open session of the training camp in the morning. After lunch, there will be a team event.

Show more