
Leverkusen and Dortmund have both claimed one victory each in this fixture in the last three seasons. The first meeting this campaign ended in a 1-0 defeat for the Werkself back in August. One fact in Bayer 04’s favour is that, even though Borussia won 4-3 here last season, they haven’t been victorious in back-to-back fixtures in Leverkusen since 1991.
The DFL and the 36 clubs across the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 are once again supporting German football’s day of remembrance this year. Home games closest to 27 January 2023 (Matchdays 18 and 19) are dedicated to the #WeRemember campaign (‘!Nie wieder’ in German) that remembers the women who were persecuted and murdered because of their resistance to National Socialism. The two teams will come together before kick-off at the BayArena for a photo with the campaign banner.
Anyone wanting to read key information on the game against Dortmund should get hold of a copy of the latest Werkself LIVE. The matchday magazine, providing facts and stats on the clash, is available at the BayArena. Alternatively, it is available free of charge online. In addition, the latest programme contains a big poster of Edmond Tapsoba, whose penalty put Bayer 04 a goal up against Bochum during the week. HERE is the e-paper.

BVB have made a perfect start to the new year in terms of points, keeping pace with the teams at the top after wins over Augsburg (4-3) and Mainz (2-1). With half the season’s fixtures played, Dortmund found themselves just two points off Union Berlin in second and five behind leaders Bayern Munich ahead of the weekend’s action. But on reflection, BVB found some words of self-criticism. "We have taken a lot of issues with us that we urgently want to put right," said head coach Edin Terzic after the hard-fought victory at home to Augsburg. And following the victory in Mainz, the 40-year-old admitted: "We’re fortunate winners with almost the last touch. It could’ve gone in all three directions. We’re happy to have started with six points." Read more about the players, the star and the problems with the lowdown on our next opponent.
The DFB have appointed Tobias Welz to oversee the Dortmund game. It’s the 45-year-old’s 13th Bundesliga fixture involving the Werkself. His assistants are Dr. Martin Thomsen and Marcel Pelgrim. Pascal Müller ist he VAR.
As ever, anyone unable to be at the game against Dortmund can follow the match on Werkself Radio. The audio broadcast begins 30 minutes before kick-off with commentary provided by Cedric Pick and Niko Hartmann. In addition, updates are provided by live text to ensure you do not miss anything in the game. Both Werkself Radio and the live text updates are available on bayer04.de as well as in the Bayer 04 app – join us for the action.

Decision made: Germany will submit a bid to the IOC (International Olympic Committee) to host the 2036, 2040 or 2044 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Munich. The representatives of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) voted for Munich over Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr at their extraordinary meeting in Baden-Baden on Saturday 26 September. Berlin had already withdrawn from the vote a few days earlier.
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Former Werkself star Michael Ballack, who won the German Footballer of the Year award in 2002 while playing in Leverkusen, celebrates his 50th birthday on Saturday. Bayer 04 sends him its best wishes!
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A challenging start to what will hopefully be a long journey: The Bayer 04 women’s team kick off their new DFB Pokal campaign on Sunday (14:00 CEST) against second-division leaders FC Viktoria Berlin. Coach Roberto Pätzold expects stiff resistance in the capital – and is counting on his team’s strong away form in the Bundesliga so far this term.
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Attention Werkself fans: In addition to tickets for the floodlit home match against Werder Bremen, tickets are now also available for the Bayer 04 women’s team’s two subsequent fixtures against Eintracht Frankfurt and Hamburger SV at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. Both matches in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga will take place at family-friendly kick-off times on Saturday afternoons. Here is the latest information on matchday ticket sales.
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