News in brief ahead of #M05B04: Cortus refs – Can Diaby score again?

The German Football Association (DFB) have appointed Benjamin Cortus as the referee for tonight's match at the MEWA Arena (kick-off: 20.30 CET). The 40-year-old has previously been in charge of eleven games involving the Werkself with nine in the Bundesliga and two in the DFB Cup – there have been eight wins, two draws and one defeat for Bayer 04. The Black and Reds have picked up 23 yellow cards and one red in those games.

The assistant referees are Florian Heft and Jan Neitzel-Petersen, and Tobias Welz is the VAR match official. Have a good game.

Fan info  for #M05B04

500 Leverkusen supporters will be backing the Werkself at the MEWA Arena with a capacity of 10,000 set for tonight's game. The fan liaison team have put together information for all travelling Black and Red fans.

Werkself Radio and DAZN

Anybody unable to be at the game at Mainz, can follow the match on the Werkself Radio. The commentator duo of Cedric Pick and Niko Hartmann report live from the MEWA arena. The programme starts half an hour before kick-off with coverage on the new Bayer 04 app or at bayer04.de. The Friday match #M05B04 will also be broadcast live on the streaming service DAZN.

Positive records against Mainz

The Werkself are unbeaten in eight Bundesliga fixtures against Mainz 05 (seven wins) – of the current teams in the top-flight, the Black and Reds only have a longer unbeaten run against FC Augsburg (22 games). For their part, Mainz have not had such a long run without a win in the Bundesliga against a team other than Bayer 04. May that continue...

Diaby on target

Our number 19 is really performing in the second half of the Bundesliga season: Moussa Diaby has scored in each of the last three Bundesliga fixtures – with a total of five. No other player in Germany's top flight has scored more during that period. The France international has netted ten goals in the current Bundesliga campaign – already one more than in the whole of the 2020/21 season. Keep on going, Mousse.

U17s at home

At home instead of away: The Bayer 04 U17s are set to play their game against FC Hennef in the U17 Bundesliga West at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The two clubs agreed to swap the right to be at home as the ground in Hennef is out of action due to the storm. The kick-off at UHS is at noon CET on Saturday 19 February.

happy birthday

Today (Friday) is the birthday of Klaus Schulze, one of the Black and Red promotion heroes of 1979. The former midfielder, under the Bayer Cross from 1978 to 1980, celebrates his 68th birthday. Many happy returns, Klaus.