"The 2020/21 season was affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the associated crowded fixture list," said Felix Duden, CEO of TecArena-Plus GmbH. The final league match at the BayArena was played on 27 June 2020, then came the second leg of the Round of 16 tie against Glasgow (Rangers) in Leverkusen on 6 August, and matches continued on 13 September with the DFB Cup game against Norderstedt at Bismarckstraße. "In order to be able to deal with increasing demands on the future, and particularly to ensure the level of quality in the winter months, the introduction of hybrid grass is the right move technically," added Duden.
This innovative playing surface at the BayArena is a combination of natural grass that is supported by synthetic components in the form of artificial fibres. "This ensures the grass is significantly more resilient while at the same time maintaining the positive characteristics of a traditional natural grass pitch," explained the CEO of TecArena-Plus.
Particular attention has been paid to the issue of sustainability in the implementation of this project. "To minimise the use of resources, a damp course has been installed below the undersoil heating. Temperature control will now be regulated according to the weather. And the sprinkler system will be upgraded so that targeted sprinkling will be possible in the future as required," Duden reported.
Construction work is set to be finished in August. That is to ensure the Werkself can play their first home game on the new BayArena pitch. The DFL have organised the start of the 2021/22 Bundesliga season for the weekend of 13 to 15 August.
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
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From special edition jerseys to fan banners, the home game against Mainz 05 was all about the many Bayer 04 fan clubs. Accordingly, a fitting tribute to the long-standing Werkself supporters was not to be missed during half-time in the Bundesliga match. Fernando Carro, CEO, honoured the up to 50-year anniversaries of six fan clubs in front of the coaches' benches at the BayArena.
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It is an expression of solidarity and a tribute to the unique fan culture Under the Cross: Bayer 04 Leverkusen make a special statement with the "50 Years of Fan Clubs" jersey. To mark the founding of the "First Fan Club 1976 Leverkusen", which was followed by many more over the years right up to the present day, the Bundesliga club is commemorating 50 years of passion with this new jersey. Highs and lows, successes celebrated together as well as defeats suffered are manifested in this piece of white fabric, a symbol of unwavering identification with the Werkself.
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There’s lots going on at the BayArena today. The home game against FSV Mainz 05 is all about the numerous Bayer 04 fan clubs, whose birth - the founding of the "1. Fanclub 1976 Leverkusen" - dates back 50 years. A number of fan club representatives will be involved in awards, a banner display and a half-time matchday chat, and the Werkself are set to play in a special white fan club jersey. During half-time, Leverkusen mayor Stefan Hebbel and javelin world champion Steffi Nerius will also talk about the Olympic bid involving Leverkusen. Black and Red fans are advised to get to the stadium in good time today. Matchday news.
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The Werkself host Premier League club Arsenal in the Round of 16 first leg in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League campaign. The match at the BayArena is on 10/11 March. Read on for information on ticket sales for this fixture.
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