Ibrahim Maza was involved in twelve goals in 44 matches during the 2025/26 season. He scored seven goals across all competitions, provided five assists and impressed throughout the season as a driving force in attack. The 17-time Algerian international also secured the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month award for November 2025 and April 2026.
In the vote for Bayer 04 Player of the Season for 2025/26, Maza received 39.1 per cent of the votes cast.
In second place in the vote with 22.1 per cent is Alejandro Grimaldo. The Spaniard played 46 matches for Bayer 04 last season and had 26 goal involvements (14 goals, 12 assists).
Patrik Schick is also in the top three, as he was last year . Last year’s runner-up in the rankings was voted into third place this year with 14.2 per cent of the vote. His tally for the past season: 22 goals and four assists in 42 matches.
The top five:
Whilst Maza won the vote for Bayer 04 men’s Player of the Season, Vanesa Fudalla won the Bayer 04 women’s Player of the Season vote for 2025/26 with 28.9 per cent of the votes. Like Maza, this was also the forward’s first season playing for the club. Fudalla, the team’s top scorer, contributed 14 goals to the Bayer 04 Women’s team in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga, which was the most successful in the club’s history in terms of points won (46).
Germany international Carlotta Wamser came second with 18.4 per cent of the vote. She was followed by Kristin Kögel with 13.1 per cent, who is leaving the club after six years to take on a new challenge abroad.
The top five:
The Werkself have reached at least the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal in each of the last three years. The Black-and-Reds would like to make it to the final four of the competition again this season, but to do that they'll need to overcome 1. FC Nürnberg in round two, who travel to the BayArena with momentum following a successful league campaign so far. However, Bayer have a 100 percent record at home in all competitions this season - and have also won six of their last seven home matches in the Pokal. The Matchday News.
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Back at home in the second round of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal, Bayer 04 host FC Nürnberg at the BayArena. The match against the current second-placed side in Bundesliga 2 is on Wednesday 28 October at 20:45 CET. Ahead of the game, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about his anticipation of the clash in front of a home crowd. The Spaniard also commented on a number of personnel matters, including Ibrahim Maza and Montrell Culbreath, plus the visitors’ coach, Miroslav Klose.
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Now in their third season under head coach Miroslav Klose, FC Nürnberg are among the promotion contenders in Bundesliga 2. On Wednesday 28 October (kick-off: 20:45 CET), the team currently second in the table are away to Bayer 04 in the second round of the DFB Pokal. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Werkself player Ibrahim Maza has been named in the top ten in the ‘Men’s Young Talent of the Year’ category for 2026. The 20-year-old was at the London Palladium on Monday evening for the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards ceremony. Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 CEO, also attended the ceremony. Lamine Yamal of Barcelona was named the winner in the ‘Men’s Young Talent of the Year’ category.
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Bayer 04 will have to manage without forward Moussa Diaby for their upcoming matches. The 27-year-old Frenchman sustained a thigh injury in the 3-0 defeat against TSG Hoffenheim yesterday afternoon, Sunday 25 October. Diaby is expected to be available again after the international break in November.
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