After the results on the last matchday, the Werkself can no longer be caught by their rivals from Frankfurt and Freiburg and are therefore guaranteed to finish at least sixth in the Bundesliga and compete in the Europa League. The focus is now exclusively upwards and therefore on TSG Hoffenheim and VfB Stuttgart. Both clubs currently have a two-point lead, and they face each other on Saturday afternoon.
A draw in this head-to-head clash would see the Werkself leap into fourth place if they beat RB Leipzig at home in the top match on Saturday night. From then on, Bayer 04 would have everything in their own hands. If either Hoffenheim or Stuttgart win like Leverkusen, the Black and Reds would finish fifth behind the winner of this clash. In the end, this could also entitle them to participate in the Champions League (see below).
Bayer 04:
TSG Hoffenheim:
VfB Stuttgart:
Whether four or five Bundesliga clubs will compete in the Champions League next season depends on the performance of the participants in this year's UEFA competitions. The overview is provided by the UEFA rankings, also known as the UEFA coefficient. In the end, only the two best associations in the ranking will receive an additional fifth Champions League starting place in the coming season.
England have an unassailable lead, while Portugal, in fourth place, have little chance of finishing second in the UEFA rankings. This means that Spain and Germany are currently in a tight race for second place.
UEFA ranking (as at 1 May):
The points average of the UEFA participants from the respective association is ultimately decisive for the ranking. As the Bundesliga had one less starter than Spain's La Liga this season, positive results for the remaining German participants (Bayern Munich and SC Freiburg) carry more weight than those of the remaining Spanish representatives Atlético Madrid and Rayo Vallecano. To summarise, the two German clubs must be more successful in the knockout matches (semi-finals and final) than their Spanish rivals.
Atlético Madrid face Arsenal in the Champions League, while Rayo Vallecano take on Racing Strasbourg in the Conference League. Bayern Munich face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and SC Freiburg take on Sporting Braga in the Europa League.
Nine points are still up for grabs for the Werkself, and the position in the season run-in is more than exciting. The two home games against RB Leipzig (Saturday, 2 May, 18:30 CEST) and Hamburger SV (Saturday, 16 May, 15:30 CEST) are sold out. An important appeal to Bayer 04 fans: If you are unable to use your season card or match tickets for these games, please put them on the official Bayer 04 ticket exchange. The demand for tickets for these games is very high.
More than 3,000 away tickets have already been sold for the last away game of the season in Stuttgart (Saturday, 9 May, 15:30 CEST). Anyone who does not yet have a ticket and is a Bayer 04 Club member or season card holder can register HERE to secure tickets.
For the run-in, Nordkurve12 has once again called for ‘Finally Red’ at the Werkself's last three games. Let's go for the season finale - all in red, all together!
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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