Back
1.10.2023Bayer 04

Match of the month: 25 years ago – comeback in Frankfurt

Bayer 04 Leverkusen travel to newly promoted Eintracht Frankfurt on matchday eight in the 1998/99 season. The Werkself are third in the table with 12 points albeit with a four and seven point gap to the two Munich clubs Bayern and 1860 in first and second place. The start of the season is not seen as successful in spite of the high position. So three points are almost a must at Frankfurt.

Display videos

Yes, I'd like to see videos dispalyed.

The Werkself have a miserable first half. Without taking on the opponents, with lots of mistakes both in defence and in attack. Poor passing, bad to non-existent challenges. The Frankfurt team are deservedly 2-0 up at half-time with goals from the Chinese player Chen Yang and Alexander Schur. The Bayer 04 team go into the dressing room depressed and disappointed and they sit on the benches in silence.

The dressing room door is suddenly ripped open and an enraged Reiner ‘Calli’ Calmund comes in, he kicks a metal case across the room and issues a number of choice words. He shouts at the team for a minute, turns round and slams the door as he leaves. Coach Christoph Daum quietly looks into the eyes of his players and says: "That was the emotional reaction to our first half. Now we'll look at the rational side."

He puts Jens Nowotny in a back three with Robert Kovac and Markus Happe. He demands man-to-man marking in the first 15 minutes of the second half to finally be able to make challenges and he calls for a more aggressive approach. Ulf Kirsten pulls a goal back on 54 minutes. Bayer 04 don't give Eintracht Frankfurt an inch. Attack after attack rolls towards the Eintracht goal. Christoph Daum brings on Niko Kovac in place of his brother Robert on 73 minutes to turn the back three into a back two and thereby have an extra player in midfield.

The German Croat scores the equaliser two minutes later but that is not enough for Bayer 04. Thomas Reichenberger comes on in place of Paulo Rink on 79 minutes and he scores with a tap-in on 85 minutes with the winning goal to make it 3-2 to Bayer 04. In response to the question of what he said to the team in the dressing room, Reiner Calmund answers: "I politely asked them to run a bit more."

Related News

Christoph Daum – Der Mann, der uns das Wollen beibrachte | Legende des Monats Februar
Bayer 04 - 01.02.2026

Legend: Christoph Daum - The man who taught us to want

Christoph Daum was born on 24 October 1953 in Zwickau. As a child, he moved to West Germany with his mother and grew up in Duisburg. He developed a great enthusiasm for football at an early age, even though it soon became clear that his future lay less on the pitch than on the sidelines. Even at a young age, his passion for analysing, explaining and improving things became apparent.

Show more
Horst Stollenwerk im Februar 1961
Bayer 04 - 01.02.2026

From the archives: 65 years ago - Another victory at last

When the Bayer 04 players celebrated Christmas in 1960, they spent the winter in second place in the Oberliga West 2 on 20 points - but already five points behind leaders Schwarz-Weiß Essen. However, coach Erich Garske's team are struggling to get back on track in the new year. A goalless draw against Bonner FV at home at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium was followed by a 2-1 away defeat in Erkenschwick. The following home game also yielded just one point. As a result, the team's promotion ambitions dwindled to a minimum, as the gap to the coveted spot has now grown to a challenging ten points.

Show more
Von Waas bis Tapsoba | Tore des Monats Februar
Bayer 04 - 01.02.2026

Goals of the month: From Waas to Tapsoba

In this video you can see impressive and important goals in Bayer 04 history from the month of February. It's not always about the beauty of the goals, but also a reminder of special games and players.

Show more
Vor 20 Jahren – Das Spiel der offenen Tore | Spiel des Monats Februar
Bayer 04 - 01.02.2026

Match of the month: 20 years ago - A game of goals galore

It is 11 February 2006 and Schalke 04 and the Werkself kick off at 3.30 p.m. in a match that ends up being historic - at least from a Bayer 04 perspective.

Show more
Paul Wiorek im Februar 1951
Bayer 04 - 01.02.2026

History: 75 years ago - The 1950/51 season (February)

As league leaders, the Werkself welcomed the relegation-threatened team from Rhenania Würselen. On 4 February 1951, 5,000 spectators line the touchlines despite the Sunday carnival parades. And they see a home team that is superior on the pitch. Without Theo Kirchberg, who was ill, and Emil Becks, who was suspended, the hosts attacked the opposing goal from the start. Battling against a strong wind in the first half, Bayer 04 created chance after chance, but were repeatedly thwarted by the Würselen goalkeeper. With the score at 0-0 at half-time, Karl Heinz Spikofski tried his luck on 55 minutes and hammered the ball into the opposition net from 20 metres out. Rhenania can no longer counterattack. The siege of the Würselen penalty area continued right to the end, but the game ended in a narrow 1-0 win.

Show more