Back
15.01.2022Bayer 04

News in brief ahead of #BMGB04: Reunion for Adli

The Werkself are away for the first time in the New Year against the Foals at the top match time on Saturday, 15 January. The clash with Borussia Mönchengladbach kicks off at 18.30 CET. One Werkself player meets a former teammate and good friend. This and more in today's news in brief.
crop_20210304_JS_B04_SpVgg_1602.jpg

For Amine Adli, the match at Borussia Park is a reunion with his own past – not against a former club but rather a former teammate. The Frenchman joined FC Toulouse at the age of 15 and he developed into a first-team player in the south of France before moving to Leverkusen last summer. In 2016, a year after Adli, Kouadio Koné signed for Toulouse where he played alongside Adli and he became a close friend of his. The central midfielder also moved to Germany in 2021 – to be more exact to Borussia Mönchengladbach. Tonight's match will be the first meeting of the pair at first-team level.

Stegemann the man in black

The German Football Association (DFB) have appointed Sascha Stegemann as the match referee. The 37-year-old has only officiated the Werkself once before: In the 2-1 defeat against Arminia Bielefeld in March of last year. Stegemann has refereed 14 games for today's hosts – the Foals came out on top twice. The referee's assistants are Mike Pickel and Frederick Assmuth and the fourth official is Florian Lechner. Have a good game.

Fans return – Werkself Radio on air

Following the 2-2 draw in the opening match against Union Berlin, played behind closed doors at the BayArena due to the coronavirus pandemic, there will be 750 spectators at Borussia Park. This is a result of the new coronavirus protection order from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. There are no tickets for away fans.

Werkself supporters can follow the match on Werkself Radio – the presenters Cedric Pick and Niko Hartmann will report live from the stadium – as well as via live text updates on the new Bayer 04 app and at bayer04.de. The match is also broadcast live on the  satellite TV channel Sky.

Facts on rhineland clash

If you believe the statistics then the Werkself had a good chance of a first Bundesliga win since the 7-1 victory over SpVgg Greuther Fürth at the start of September: Bayer 04 have won the last four league matches against Borussia Mönchengladbach. The Black and Reds have not had a longer run of wins against any other current Bundesliga side.

Moreover: Anybody who likes goals should definitely not miss the encounter at Borussia Park. The last goalless draw between the two teams was 17 years ago on 3 April 2004. In the 93 meetings of the two clubs there have been an impressive 306 goals.

Less surprising: One player who likes to score against the Foals is Patrik Schick. The Werkself striker, who has netted 17 league goals this season to date, has scored in each of his three Bundesliga appearances against today's opponents.

Happy Birthday, René!

The former Werkself player René Adler is 36 years old today. The Leipzig-born shot-stopper moved under the Bayer Cross at the age of 15 and he lived for four years with the then goalkeeping coach and Bayer 04 record player Rüdiger Vollborn. The 6 foot 2 keeper was at the Werkself for ten years and he made 173 appearances for the Werkself, 50 for the second team, became a Germany international, was in the 2009 DFB Cup final and was league runner-up with the Black and Reds in 2011. Bayer 04 wish him many happy returns.

 

crop_20020606_Rene_Adler.jpg

other birthday boys

Our former number one is not the only one to celebrate: Werner Görts, a former Werkself striker, is 75. The Wuppertal-born player was at Leverkusen for three years from the 1962/63 season. Görts played 25 games in the Oberliga West and 44 in the Regional League West. Nicolai Jörgensen is also celebrating his birthday: The Dane, at Leverkusen from 2010 to 2013, is 30 years old. Many happy returns to both of you.

Adam Ledwon would have been 48 years old today. The midfielder, born in Poland, joined Leverkusen in 1998 and played for the Black and Reds for one season. Ledwon passed away in the summer of 2008 in Klagenfurt.

 

Related News

Women: TV-highlights of 0-2 loss at Nürnberg | 8th matchday
Werkself-TV - 25.10.2026

Women: TV-highlights of 0-2 loss at Nürnberg

Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04 Women's 0-2 loss at 1. FC Nürnberg on Matchday 8 of the 2026/27 Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga.

Show more
Loreen Bender am Boden
Women - 25.10.2026

Setback in Nuremberg: Bayer 04 women suffer first away defeat

After nine points from their first three away matches of the 2026/27 season, the Bayer 04 Women suffered their first away defeat on Sunday afternoon. The 2-0 defeat away to FC Nürnberg, who were winless before today, represented a setback for coach Roberto Pätzold’s team in the race for the top spots in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga. Fany Pronietz scored both goals (62’, 85’) for the home side.

Show more
Kurzpässe vor #TSGB04
Bundesliga - 25.10.2026

Matchday news: Strong form and on a roll

The Werkself still have a score to settle with TSG Hoffenheim: Bayer 04 lost both matches against the Kraichgau side last term – after the Black and Reds had won all the previous five encounters. Leverkusen are currently on a roll and looking to kick off a new winning streak against TSG in Sinsheim on Sunday 25 October (kick-off: 15:30 CET), and Patrik Schick is keen to continue his current run of form. However, it will not be easy, as coach Christian Ilzer’s team have also gained confidence recently. Today’s matchday news.

Show more
Training vor dem Spiel in Nürnberg
Women - 24.10.2026

'Exert pressure as a chasing team': Women in action at Nürnberg

A look at the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga table ahead of the Werkself's clash at 1. FC Nürnberg leaves little discussion: Bayer 04 Women go into Sunday's meeting at the Max-Morlock-Stadion (16:00 CEST) as clear favourites. Coach Roberto Pätzold explains what's needed for the fourth-placed team against the second-from-bottom in order to make it four wins from four away matches this season.

Show more
Jonas Hofmann und Co. nach Abpfiff
Europa League - 23.10.2026

Werkself Review: Next clean sheet and hunger for goals

Bayer 04 march on! On the Greek holiday island of Crete, the Werkself made it three wins from three games in the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League league phase against Greek Cup winners OFI Crete. Carles Martínez's side put on an attacking display with a total of 33 attempts, while one player in particular stood out with a brace. At the same time, they kept another clean sheet in Europe. All the reaction and analysis of the 2-0 victory in the Werkself Review.

Show more