“This news makes me very proud. My time at Bayer 04 Leverkusen was very formative for me, it was the most successful period of my life as a player,” emphasised 50-year-old Nowotny. “Back then, we were able to establish the club at the top of German football and also on the European football map. I'm particularly pleased that the honour now coincides with the club's greatest success, winning the 2024 Bundesliga.”
CEO Fernando Carro explained the award for the former Karlsruhe man as “a sign of our gratitude and recognition of his achievements. Jens Nowotny has worn the captain's armband the longest of all Leverkusen captains, a total of eight years. He is an important part of our history and is held in high esteem by our fans. We want to express this by making him an honorary captain.”
Managing director for sport Simon Rolfes justified the appointment of the former Germany international to this elite circle with the special skills that once characterised Nowotny as a player in black and red: “Jens was a world-class defender, incredibly quick, technically adept and strong in tackles. He was also a great leader. In a team with top stars like Lucio, Zé Roberto and Berbatov, he took matters into his own hands and led the way. He has earned this award.”
Nowotny was assistant coach to the Germany U17 team that won the World Cup in Indonesia in December 2023. The 48-time international still demonstrates his close ties to the Werkself today with regular appearances for the Bayer 04 veterans team.
The Bayer 04 honorary captains are Rüdiger Vollborn, Bernd Schneider, Ulf Kirsten, Carsten Ramelow, Simon Rolfes, Stefan Kießling, Lars Bender and Jens Nowotny (from 2024).
Just in time for its 30th anniversary, the Lions Club is getting a new patron: Bayer 04 goalkeeper Mark Flekken is taking over the role from Lukas Hradecky, who showed great commitment and passion for the youngest Werkself fans in recent years. The Dutchman, who is himself the father of a daughter, will accompany Lions Club events and activities and be a role model for the children with his warm and positive manner.
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It's time for another Members' Matchday! Bayer 04's Bundesliga home game against 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 on Saturday 8 November (kick-off 15:30 CET) will see lots on offer for Werkself fans of all ages on the areas around the BayArena. Members also benefit from exclusive discounts until Sunday. More information on that, and the clash with FCH, in the Matchday News.
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1. FC Heidenheim 1846 are currently bottom of the table in their third season in the Bundesliga. However, after a poor start, the underdogs from Baden-Württemberg have recently shown an upturn in form. This Saturday, 8 November (kick-off: 15:30 CET), FCH will once again be looking perform as a cohesive, combative unit at the BayArena. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Before heading into the final international break of the year, the Werkself entertain 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 at home in the Bundesliga on Saturday, 8 November (kick-off: 15:30 CET). Ahead of the encounter on Bundesliga matchday 10, head coach Kasper Hjulmand spoke about anticipation ahead of the game in front of a home crowd after three away fixtures in a row. He also talked about player availability.
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The fixture details for the Round of 16 ties in the 2025/26 DFB Pokal have been finalised. Accordingly, Bayer 04's away match at Borussia Dortmund will be played on Tuesday, 2 December, at 21:00 CET. This was announced by the German Football Association (DFB) today (Thursday).
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