UEFA have appointed experienced Englishman Michael Oliver to oversee the game. The 37-year-old has been a FIFA referee since 2012 and has previously taken charge of two Bayer 04 matches. The first was a 1-0 win at Rosenborg in the 2012/13 Europa League, followed by a 2-0 victory at Lokomotiv Moscow in the 2019/20 Champions League campaign. Oliver will be assisted by compatriots Stuart Burt and Simon Bennett. Chris Kavanagh is the VAR.
Atletico were also one of Leverkusen’s opponents the last time they competed in the Champions League back in 2019/20. In fact, this is the fourth season where Bayer 04 and the Madrid club have come up against each other. Previous encounters were in the 2014/15 round of 16 (Atletico won on penalties), the same stage of 2016/17 (4-2 on aggregate for the Spaniards) and in the aforementioned group stage in 2019/20, when the Werkself won 2-1 at home and lost 1-0 in Madrid.
Both teams probably expected their campaigns to have started differently. While the Werkself are currently second bottom in the Bundesliga, while Atletico themselves won only two of their first four league outings. A win at the weekend after their opening 2-1 victory over Porto in the Champions League perhaps shows signs of improvement. Here’s more on our opponents.
Bayer 04 fans can also have all the most important information to hand in Champions League home games with Werkself LIVE. The flyer, which offers facts and starts on the clash with Diego Simeone’s team, is displayed in the BayArena. It’s also available for free online HERE.
For those who can’t be at the BayArena tonight, they can listen to the Werkself Radio in German. The broadcast starts around half an hour before kick-off. You can also keep up to date with the German live text. Both are available on bayer04.de and in the Bayer 04 app.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
Show more
Welcome to Leverkusen, Carles Martínez Novell. Bayer 04 have appointed the 42-year-old Spaniard as the new head coach on a contract to 2028. Martínez most recently worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. He previously spent four years at Barcelona's legendary academy La Masia in his home city. Bayer04.de introduces Martínez in more detail.
Show more
Bayer 04 plans for the 2026/27 pre-season continue to take shape. The Werkself will kick off the new season in mid-July with the return to the training ground. The highlight will be the official season opener on 8 August at the BayArena, including a friendly against La Liga club Sevilla. Friendlies in Germany will take the team to neighbouring Monheim, Offenbach and Jena.
Show more
Strengthening the Bayer 04 Leverkusen youth teams: Konstantinos Kotsifakis will join the Werkself from Bundesliga 2 club Hertha Berlin for the 2026/27 season, where he will be a permanent member of the Leverkusen U19 coaching set-up. The German-Greek will also take on an operational role in coaching the Bayer 04 Future Team. The 29-year-old was most recently head coach of the U17s at Hertha Berlin.
Show more
Another award for the Bayer 04 head groundsman and staff: After coming top in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons, the BayArena pitch came second in the Bundesliga Pitch of the Year ranking for the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg secured the top spot this year, with TSG Hoffenheim in third place.
Show more
