New pitch for the Schalke game

Replacing the old playing surface became necessary due to having to play four successive home matches within twelve days plus the following unusually high amount of rainfall.

Golden Boy award 2019: Bronze for Havertz

What Bayer 04 fans have known for a long time has now been confirmed: Kai Havertz is one of the top three players under 21 years of age. The 20-year-old received the bronze medal in the vote for the Golden Boy award. Havertz on 75 points was third behind Joao Félix of Atletico Madrid, who won by a huge margin with 332 points, and Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho (175 points). The vote is held annually by the Italian magazine Tuttosport.

Bender nominated for Goal of the Week

Even with a gap of two days: Sven Bender scored a sensational goal against Lokomotiv Moscow on Tuesday night. Charles Aránguiz chipped the ball from outside the box into the penalty area on the left for Sven Bender to net the second goal in the 2-0 victory with a volley. The strike impressed UEFA who have nominated the goal for the Champions League Goal of the Week. Also nominated are Paulo Dybala (Juventus), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan) and Alejandro Gómes (Atalanta Bergamo).

Click here to vote for Sven Bender.

Bayer 04 at the Leverkusen Christmas markets

Once again this year, the Schwadbus will again be at the Leverkusen Christmas markets. From Saturday 30 November to Tuesday two December, the vintage vehicle will make its first stop in Wiesdorf. From 13 to 15 December, the bus will be at the Christmas market in Opladen before it returns to Wiesdorf on the final Advent weekend from 20 to 22 December. It's worth calling in: The Bayer 04 Club will be there with a raffle and a wheel of fortune. Prizes include VIP tickets for the final Bundesliga home game of the year against Hertha Berlin (Wednesday, 18 December at 18.30 CET), a first team shirt worn by Sven Bender plus vouchers and discount codes for the Bayer 04 fan shops.

New jobs for Fritz and Beinlich

The former Leverkusen player Clemens Fritz is the new head of scouting at Werder Bremen. The midfielder played for the Werkself from 2003 to 2006 before moving on to Bremen – where he became a legend. Fritz played for the Green and Whites up to the end of his career in 2017. He was the club captain and, after hanging up his boots, hw was named honorary captain. "I'm looking forward to a new challenge and lots of new tasks," said the 38-year-old who takes over from the director of scouting Tim Steidten who has joined Bayer 04.

In addition to Fritz, another former Werkself player has recently started a new job: Stefan Beinlich, at Bayer 04 from 1997 to 2000, is now director of the academy at his original club Hansa Rostock. "Working with youngsters was always one of the big achievements of FC Hansa Rostock who are considered to be one of the best clubs for talented youngsters throughout Germany," said the 47-year-old was been given a contract the summer of 2022. Beinlich follows on from Stefan Karow, who is set to resign at the end of the year at his own request.