Ferencváros have lost two out of three games against Bayer 04 in the Europa League. However, they did win the last home game 1-0 in December 2021 - the Werkself were already confirmed as group winners at that point.
Another interesting fact demonstrates the goal threat from the Bayer 04 players. Of all the clubs who have taken part in the last three Europa League campaigns (since 2020/21), Bayer 04 have the highest average number of goals per game over that period (2.5).
While the Ferencváros full-back Endre Botka is currently serving a one-match ban, the same fate is hanging over several Bayer 04 players if progress is made to the quarter-finals: Odilon Kossounou, Mitchel Bakker, Kerem Demirbay and Florian Wirtz could be suspended for the first leg of the quarter-final tie if they pick up another yellow card in the match against Ferencváros.
Ferencváros lost 2-1 on Sunday night at home to fifth-placed Puskas Akademia in the OTP Bank Liga. It was the first defeat in front of their owns this season. Coach Stanislav Cherchesov made six changes to the side that started in the 2-0 defeat in Leverkusen as he rested a number regular starters. More information on the club from Budapest can be found in our lowdown on the next opponents.
UEFA has appointed Artur Dias to referee the match in Budapest. This will be the second time the 43-year-old has been in charge of a game involving the Werkself. The Portuguese match official refereed the Champions League group match at Atlético Madrid in October 2019 (0-1). Dias’ assistant referees at the Puskas Arena are his fellow countrymen Paulo Soares and Pedro Ribeiro with Tiago Martins, also from Portugal, in action as the VAR official.
As usual, Werkself Radio is available for anybody unable to be at today's game. The audio broadcast begins 30 minutes before kick-off with commentary provided by Cedric Pick and Niko Hartmann. In addition, the live text update service will keep you up-to-date to ensure you don't miss anything in the game. Both Werkself Radio and the live text updates can be found at bayer04.de and on the Bayer 04 app – tune in.
Midfielder Ruby Grant is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and joining Portuguese runners-up Sporting CP a year before her contract expires. The 24-year-old has been at the Werkself since January 2025.
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Bayer 04 have loaned Brazilian full-back Arthur to Bundesliga side Werder Bremen for one year. Arthur Augusto de Matos Soares – the full name of the right-back – has a contract with Leverkusen until 30 June 2031. At Werder, the 23-year-old is expected to make an impact and help the long-established club further consolidate their position in the Bundesliga.
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Bayer 04 have loaned defender Jeanuel Belocian to Spanish top-flight side Racing Santander. The 21-year-old defender joins the team currently ninth in La Liga until the end of the current 2026/27 season. Belocian’s contract remains valid until 30 June 2029. Last season, the 1.86-metre-tall U21 international was loaned to VfL Wolfsburg for six months.
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He knows the dressing room, the pitch and the club. But, above all, he knows the feeling of playing for the Werkself at the BayArena: Moussa Diaby is back in Leverkusen after three years. The lightning-fast winger has signed a contract with Bayer 04 until 2031 and he will once again wear the number 19 jersey. The left-footed player previously played for the club from 2019 to 2023, having arrived in the Rhineland from his native France as a promising young talent and eventually leaving the club – having established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s best attackers – to join Aston Villa in the Premier League. Now he has returned to Bayer 04 from Al-Ittihad FC in Saudi Arabia.
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