Four more reports on the new Werkself shirt follow this week.
THE BADGE
A lion was the first trademark of the Bayer AG company over 150 years ago. The design was taken from the coat of arms of Eberfeld, home to the Friedrich Bayer & Co factories. The historic logo provided a source of inspiration for the JAKO designer David Blanch.
The lion image from the 1800s forms part of the Bayer 04 Leverkusen club badge. If you stroke your fingers across it it you can feel fine lines that reflect the look of that historic image.
THE LEVERKUSEN SKYLINE
One special detail on the new Bayer 04 shirt is on the inside of the collar. JAKO designer David Blanch has selected iconic buildings in Leverkusen to produce a skyline design.
On the left are Leverkusen terraced houses. Next to that is the facade of the BayArena with its familiar roof structure. The Lindner Hotel is in front of that.
The water tower is the largest element. The Bayer cross next to it is slightly smaller. Then comes the coach house and the town hall with Schloss Morsbroich on the extreme right.
ELEVEN STRIPES
WE ARE TEAM is the motto of the official kit supplier to Bayer 04 Leverkusen. JAKO have incorporated that concept in the new Werkself shirt. Eleven pin stripes are included on the chest to reflect the eleven players in the Leverkusen side. #TeamWerkself
The design of the kit is made more dynamic with different forms of stripes on the whole shirt. Lines are visible from the chest to the seam.
The team ethic is in the DNA of both partners. The JAKO company has built its success on a very close relationship with customers, retailers and partners alike. That is evident in the new Werkself shirt.
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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