Bienvenido a Leverkusen! A group from Mexico arrived in Leverkusen on Friday afternoon. Ahead of the impending #Bayer04MexicoTour directly following the final game of the season, the Werkself invited the partners to Germany for a few days. The guests include Arturo Sanchez (CEO of Bayer Mexico), Mikel Arriola (President of the Mexican MX league) plus management from Deportivo Toluca and Club América.
Over the next few days the delegation will gain an insight into the world of the Werkself. In addition to discussions with the two Leverkusen managing directors Fernando Carro and Rudi Völler, they will watch the U19s home game against SC Paderborn at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium on Saturday 30 April. They will also have an exclusive tour of the BayArena. And the delegation will be at the home game against Eintracht Frankfurt.
The exchange is an important part of the partnership around the centenary celebrations of Bayer Mexico.
Bayer 04 entertain Eintracht Frankfurt on Monday 2 May (kick-off: 20.30 CEST) in the night game at the BayArena. This will be the sixth Monday match for the Werkself in the Bundesliga. And they seem to suit Bayer 04. Up to now, the Black and Reds have picked up points in all the games at the start of the week with three wins and two draws. Here is a list of those matches:
Bring on the Monday night challenge…
Anybody wanting to attend the home game against Eintracht Frankfurt to support the Werkself in the end of season run-in can get tickets via the Bayer 04 ticket shop. And then it's a case of: Everybody in red! The Nordkurve12 fan group have again launched the campaign Finally Red for the last three Bundesliga matches and the race for Champions League qualification. Whether it's a replica shirt, pullover, T-shirt, shirt or jacket – every spectator should show whose side they are on: For Bayer 04! For the Werkself! For SVB!
The partnership between Bayer 04 and the Finnish technology company ILOQ has been extended. The two partners agreed an extension of the contract to the summer of 2023 – with the option of a further extension to 2024.
ILOQ is the exclusive safety partner the Werkself and since this season has been responsible for fitting out the BayArena with a digital locking system. The iLOQ keys and locks function through kinetic energy and do not need batteries or cable and thereby reduce the environmental impact. Also, access rights are programmed so that only one key is needed for the whole stadium and changes can be made quickly and easily digitally.
iLOQ will continue to have a presence on advertising hoardings, on the TV video panel in the stadium, on all digital communication from Bayer 04 and at iLOQ stakeholder events.
Bayer 04 congratulate Domagoj Vida on his 33rd birthday. The Croatia international signed for Leverkusen in July 2010 from NK Osijek. The central defender made eight appearances for the Werkself in the Europa League and one in the Bundesliga. After one season, the World Cup runner-up of 2018 joined the top Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb. Vida is currently at Besiktas. Many happy returns, Domagoj.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
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Welcome to Leverkusen, Carles Martínez Novell. Bayer 04 have appointed the 42-year-old Spaniard as the new head coach on a contract to 2028. Martínez most recently worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. He previously spent four years at Barcelona's legendary academy La Masia in his home city. Bayer04.de introduces Martínez in more detail.
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Bayer 04 plans for the 2026/27 pre-season continue to take shape. The Werkself will kick off the new season in mid-July with the return to the training ground. The highlight will be the official season opener on 8 August at the BayArena, including a friendly against La Liga club Sevilla. Friendlies in Germany will take the team to neighbouring Monheim, Offenbach and Jena.
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Strengthening the Bayer 04 Leverkusen youth teams: Konstantinos Kotsifakis will join the Werkself from Bundesliga 2 club Hertha Berlin for the 2026/27 season, where he will be a permanent member of the Leverkusen U19 coaching set-up. The German-Greek will also take on an operational role in coaching the Bayer 04 Future Team. The 29-year-old was most recently head coach of the U17s at Hertha Berlin.
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Another award for the Bayer 04 head groundsman and staff: After coming top in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons, the BayArena pitch came second in the Bundesliga Pitch of the Year ranking for the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg secured the top spot this year, with TSG Hoffenheim in third place.
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