The first leg of the play-off is the first meeting of Bayer 04 and AS Monaco in the UEFA Europa League. The previous six matches were in the UEFA Champions League in 1997/98, 2014/15 and 2016/17. The Werkself only won one of the six games against Monaco in Europe's premier club competition (two draws, three defeats) but that was in the last game between the two sides in December 2016 (3-0).
Monaco have won four of their last six league games and most recently beat league leaders Paris St Germain 3-1 but the record against German clubs has not recently favoured AS: The last three matches against German opponents were all lost, most recently the two group matches against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League in 2018/19.
Bayer 04 request everybody to arrive at the BayArena in good time to allow fans to get to their seats in time for kick-off and to avoid long queues at the turnstiles.
Anyone wanting to read key facts about the match against Monaco before the game should take a look at the new Werkself LIVE. The matchday flyer, providing important facts and stats on the clash in compact form, is available at the BayArena. The digital version is also available free of charge online. The flyer this time includes a large poster of Karim Bellarabi. HERE is the e-paper.
Like Bayer 04, with the 3-1 win at TSG Hoffenheim, AS Monaco go into the first leg at the BayArena on the back of a victory at the weekend. Monaco beat league leaders Paris St Germain 3-1 at home in the big match in Ligue 1. Aleksandr Golovin and captain Wissam Ben Yedder put the hosts two up early at the Stade Louis II. And the goal for PSG scored by superstar Neymar failed to put Monaco off course. Ben Yedder restored the two-goal advantage for the far superior home side just before the break. The team from Monaco could have secured an even bigger win if the PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma had not made a number of outstanding saves. Further information on personnel, performers and problems at AS Monaco can be found in the lowdown on our next opponents.
UEFA have appointed Orel Grinfeld as the match referee for the game against Monaco. This will be the first time the 41-year-old Israeli has been in charge of a fixture involving the Werkself. Grinfeld will be assisted by his fellow countrymen Roy Hassan and Idan Yarkoni, and Roi Reinshreiber – also from Israel – is the VAR official.
As usual, Werkself Radio is available for anybody unable to be at tonight'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.
Bayer 04 record-appearance maker Rüdiger Vollborn invites you to another evening in the popular ‘Rudi lädt ein’ series: on Tuesday 10 November, in collaboration with Bayer AG, the focus will be on the Nazi period. The focus will be on football, Bayer 04 and the city of Leverkusen.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen has secured a new network partner in Extreme Networks GmbH. The leading provider of AI-powered network automation has agreed a five-year partnership with the Bundesliga club, running until 30 June 2031. As part of this, the club’s existing Wi-Fi 5 infrastructure will be replaced by more than 400 Wi-Fi 7 access points, which are specifically designed to meet the requirements of a stadium with a high user density. The aim is to enhance the fan experience while optimising operational processes and security.
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New signing Miguel Gutiérrez has made a good start at Leverkusen and has promptly earned a nomination for Player of the Month in his first few weeks in the Bundesliga. He has scored one goal and provided three assists in four league games. The Spanish left-back has also brought some impressive stats with him to Bayer 04. Issue #56 of the Werkself magazine has taken a look at these figures. ‘Facts & Fun’ with Miguel Gutiérrez.
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With seven points, Mainz 05 are currently joint seventh, level on points with sixth-placed Bayer 04. In today’s head-to-head clash (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself must be particularly wary of the clinical Mainz strike duo. For Leverkusen fans who have left it to the last minute, there are still a few tickets available from the matchday ticket office. Those following the Black and Reds from home, on the other hand, have a choice: RTL is broadcasting the match on free-to-air TV, and Werkself Radio is also offering the expert commentary of former Bayer 04 player Falko Götz. Today’s matchday news.
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Back from the international break: On Saturday 10 October (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself are away to Mainz 05. Ahead of the clash at the MEWA ARENA against the side currently sixth in the table, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about the team’s work during the extended international break. The Spaniard also commented, when asked, on a number of squad matters, including Ibrahim Maza.
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