The Werkself have gone out in all eleven knock-out rounds in Europe after losing the first leg at home. Hopefully that stat will change today.
The head-to-head favours Monaco: Bayer 04 have only won one of the seven previous matches against AS Monaco (2 draws, 4 defeats) – that was a 3-0 win in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League in 2016/17.
AS Monaco continued their run in Ligue 1 at the weekend. The 2-1 win at Stade Brest was the ninth league game unbeaten on the bounce (7 wins, 2 draws). Clement made five changes to the team that played in Leverkusen. Further information Monaco is in our lowdown on the next opponents.
UEFA has appointed the Spanish referee Alejandro Hernández fir the match in the principality. This will be the first Werkself game with the 40-year-old in charge. His assistants are José Naranjo and Diego Sanchez Rojo with Guillermo Cuadra Fernández the VAR official.
As ever, Werkself Radio is available for anyone unable to be at the game. The audio broadcast starts 30 minutes before kick-off with commentary provided by Cedric Pick and Niko Hartmann. The live text update service will also ensure that you can keep up to speed with the game. Both Werkself Radio and the live text updates can be found at bayer04.de as well as on the Bayer 04 app – get on board.
A podcast tip for all Bayer 04-Fans: Sporting managing director Simon Rolfes has recently been a guest on the podcast ‘Mehr als ein Spiel’. The podcast series launched in the summer of 2022 by the DFB foundations Sepp Herberger, Egidius Braun and the DFB cultural foundation is dedicated to community affairs, socio-political and cultural aspects of football. Here is the latest episode with Simon Rolfes!
The former Werkself player Ramon Menezes will act as the caretaker coach of the Brazil team for the international fixture against World Cup semi-finalists Morocco on 25 March. That was announced by the Brazil Football Association CBF. The U20 coach of the record South American winners of the World Cup played for Bayer 04 in the 1995/96 season under his name at the time of Ramon Hubner. He made 15 Bundesliga appearances. The Brazil FA parted company with national coach Tite after losing to Croatia in the World Cup quarter-finals in Qatar.
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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