Edmond Tapsoba’s 22nd birthday moves into the background on this Tuesday with the focus being on the DFB Cup Round of 16 tie against RW Essen. After the job has been done and hopefully the best birthday present has been received – progress to the next round – then the team can raise a glass. Happy Birthday, Edmond!
We also send congratulations to Radoslaw Kaluzny, who played for Leverkusen from 2003 to 2005, and after that he signed for Rot-Weiss Essen, tonight’s opponents for the Werkself. Who will the Polish-born midfielder cross his fingers for on his 47th birthday?
Referee Daniel Schlager (31, banker) from Hügelsheim in Baden-Württemberg is in charge of tonight’s cup tie between the Werkself and Rot-Weiss Essen. Marcel Unger and Robert Wessel are assistant referees, Arne Aarnink is the fourth official. The video referees, who are used from the Round of 16 this year, are Tobias Reichel and Benedikt Kempkes.
Deutsche Telekom AG have extended their pay-TV rights option to the third division and the Women’s Bundesliga for another year to the end of the 2022/23 season. The company secured the rights in 2017 to broadcast third division games and top matches in the FLYERALARM Women’s Bundesliga on MagentaSport. That means selected matches involving the Bayer 04 Women will continue to be shown on the pay-TV channel.
Bayer 04 fans are again spoilt for choice: The club Facebook channel again provides the opportunity to choose the best Black and Red goal of the month – this time for January. Up for the vote are the goal scored by Nadiem Amiri against Eintracht Frankfurt, the goals by Dóra Zeller and Kristin Kögel from the Women’s friendly against Werder Bremen and the unmissable strike from Moussa Diaby against Borussia Dortmund. Here are all four goals to watch again. You can vote in the comments section.
He is the living club legend at Rot-Weiss Essen: Willi ‘Ente’ Lippens played for RWE from 1965 to 1976 and from 1979 to 1981. He made 449 appearances and scored 237 goals for Essen. Of course, he is crossing his fingers for his club in the cup clash. “It’s an away game for Leverkusen,” Lippens said to sid: “I can only advise not to be afraid, press high and put the opposition under pressure. And then we’ll see what happens.”
Bayer 04 and main sponsor BarmeniaGothaer have shown great commitment to the community as the sale of custom-designed T-shirts for charity in the Fanwelt as part of the “BarmeniaGothaer Brings Joy campaign raised a good €5,000. Bayer 04 matched this sum with an equal contribution. As a result, a total of €10,000 was presented to Edmond Tapsoba for his foundation ahead of the home match against Hamburg. The foundation supports people facing challenging daily circumstances in his home country of Burkina Faso.
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Bayer 04 host Hamburg at the BayArena for the first time since September 2017 on the final day of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season on Saturday (15:30 CEST). HSV are safe in their first campaign back in the top flight after back-to-back wins, but Leverkusen are unbeaten in their last 19 games against promoted teams as they go for the victory they need to have a chance to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. There’s also heavy discounts on food and drinks at the BayArena. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the Matchday 34 fixture in our matchday news.
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As well as previously confirmed departures, Bayer 04 Women will also say goodbye to Vanessa Haim and Shen Menglu before Sunday’s final game of the season at home to Werder Bremen as the pair leave Leverkusen upon the expiration of their contracts.
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The last competitive match of the 2025/26 season takes place at the BayArena on Saturday 16 May (kick-off 15:30 CEST), where Hamburger SV are the visitors. At the pre-match press conference, head coach Kasper Hjulmand discussed the mindset and the approach for the crucial final game against HSV, among other topics.
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