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Exactly 23 years ago today, Erik Meijer scored to make it 2-0 again Schalke 04 – and that also secured the medal for Goal of the Month on the ARD Sportschau. "Of course, I've still got it. It's in a sports bag where I collect particular pieces of memorabilia," revealed the former central striker on his only strike that was rated as Goal of the Month. "It was brilliant the way the ball went into the net!"
The Werkself's Brazilian player Paulo Sérgio sent in a low cross from the right for Meijer standing on the six-yard box. "We were on the same wavelength. I definitely set him up more than he did me," said the Dutchman with a smile. "To that extent, it was good that it was the other way round this time." By his own admission, Meyer took up a position at the near post too early, "so my only option was to back-heel it. And with my right foot too – I was a left footer… But that makes it even better!"
Thanks to the win against Schalke 04, Bayer 04 remained on the heels of the league leaders from Munich but went out of the title race on the penultimate matchday of the 1996 – 97 season with a 4-0 defeat away to FC Köln. Missing out on the title has not had diminished Meijer’s positive memories of his three years at Bayer 04. "Leverkusen was definitely the best time of my career from a footballing point of view. We had an incredibly great team. It was huge fun working with that group," said the 50-year-old. "If you think about the club almost getting relegated in 1996 then what we achieved in the 1996/97 season was massive."
Meijer came to Leverkusen in the summer of 1996 as did the coaching duo Christoph Daum and Roland Koch. The striker signed from KFC Uerdingen recalls: "They led a strict regime (he laughs). But we were very successful and had every reason to regularly celebrate in style."
In Meijer's second season at Leverkusen, the Werkself were in the Champions League and after that in the UEFA Cup and were twice runner-ups and third once. The likeable Dutchman rounded off by saying: "Oh my word, that was a special time…"
Bayer 04 visit Italian club AS Roma in the first leg of the 2023/24 UEFA Europa League semi-finals. The match takes place on Thursday 2 May (kick-off 21:00 CEST) at the Stadio Olimpico. Information on ticket sales.
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Show moreBayer 04 fought to the end to maintain their unbeaten run with a 1-1 draw away to Borussia Dortmund on Bundesliga matchday 30. Niclas Füllkrug broke the deadlock in a largely uneventful encounter putting BVB 1-0 up on 82 minutes. But the Werkself again demonstrated their ability to fight back and avoided a first defeat of the season with a goal from Josip Stanisic in added time (90+8'). That means the team under head coach Xabi Alonso are now undefeated in 45 games across all competitions.
Show moreFollowing the 1-1 draw at West Ham United, which saw the Werkself qualify for the Europa League semi-finals, the Black and Reds face the second away game this week on Bundesliga matchday 30. Today, Sunday 21 April, Bayer 04 are away to Borussia Dortmund (kick-off: 17.30 CEST/live on DAZN and Werkself Radio). Today's matchday news brings you up-to-date ahead of the game at Signal Iduna Park with the Nordkurve12 fan group again organising another Finally Red campaign.
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