Match of the month I: From a dream – First the Bökelberg, then TV
Two dreams…
1996/97: First the Bökelberg, then TV
A week after the home win against Werder Bremen in the 1996 – 97 season, the Werkself head to the Bökelberg in Mönchengladbach. With five games to play, there is still the chance of a first league title with a three-point gap to league leaders Bayern Munich and a seven-goals worse goal difference. The Werkself get off to a flying start at that legendary stadium: Niko Kovac puts the visitors ahead after 40 seconds. With aggressive in challenges and full motivation, the Werkself have Gladbach on the ropes in the first half and they lead 2-0 at half-time with the second goal scored by Ulf Kirsten. Borussia pressed our team back into their own half after the restart. The hosts pull a goal back on 65 minutes and then, to the dismay of all Leverkusen players, the equaliser comes in the last minute of the game.
The next day all the Bayer 04 players are sitting in front of the TV watching the Munich derby between 1860 and FC Bayern. With the score at 2-2, the Bayern player Christian Ziege is shown a second yellow card and 1860 go 3-2 up on 82 minutes through Jörg Böhme. Lothar Matthäus is sent off a minute later again with a second yellow card for FC Bayern. However, Carsten Jancker nets the leveller for the nine men on 88 minutes.
For me, that is still the crucial matchday in the title race as a win against Borussia Mönchengladbach at the same time as a deserved defeat for FC Bayern against 1860 Munich would have put us level on points with the league leaders. Whether that would have been enough in the end is debatable but the chances would have been greater. The 4-0 defeat in the derby at FC Köln on matchday 33 finally settled matters and Bayern were the champions of Germany. We were left with second place and a slot in the Champions League qualifiers, which saw us progress in August after two games against Dinamo Tbilisi. In the final home game of the season against VfL Bochum, I was able to make Bundesliga appearance 399 and for me it was my best season at Bayer 04.
Related News
Bayer 04 - 01.11.2025
Birthday boy of the month 1: Peter Zanter turns 60
Peter Zanter was born on 11 November 1965 in Wermelskirchen in the Rhineland. His passion for football was evident from an early age: As a child, he played enthusiastically for the youth teams at SV Dabringhausen and SV Wermelskirchen. His ability and discipline did not go undetected for long - and he joined the youth section at Bayer 04 at a young age.
Show more
Bayer 04 - 01.11.2025
Birthday boy of the month 2: Boris Zivkovic turns 50
Boris Zivkovic was born on 15 November 1975 in the Bosnian town of Zivinice, which is now part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He played for FK Sarajevo at a young age. However, his youth was characterised by the turmoil of the wars in the former Yugoslavia. At the age of just 17, he was also called up and took part in the fighting - a fate shared by many young men of his generation.
Show more
Bayer 04 - 01.11.2025
Legends: Under the Cross for 44 years
For once, this is going to be about me. About my path into football, my years as a goalkeeper at Bayer 04 and my ‘career after my career’ at this great club. So, come with me on a little journey through time...
Show more
Bayer 04 - 01.11.2025
Match of the month: 40 years ago - Bayer 04 hit the jackpot
It is 1 November 1985, a Friday evening, floodlights on. The leaders Werder Bremen with their coach Otto Rehhagel come to the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. 15,000 spectators want to watch this top match, as the Werkself, with their new coach Erich Ribbeck, are in fourth place in the table, just five points behind the leaders.
Show more
Bayer 04 - 01.11.2025
Goals of the month: From Demuth to Calhanoglu
In the video you can see impressive and important goals in Bayer 04 history from the month of November. It's not always about the beauty of the goals, but also a reminder of special games and players.
Show more
