Bayer 04 headed to the Ruhr area yesterday evening to the team hotel in Essen. Lukas Hradecky and Co. have a communal walk, a short meeting this morning and then lunch.
The circumstances could not be better: All 81,365 tickets for the game at the Signal Iduna Park have been sold so BVB and Bayer 04 meet in front of a full house. 5,294 fans from Leverkusen will be cheering on the Werkself tonight.
The German Football Association (DFB) has appointed Dr Felix Brych as the referee. The 47-year-old has been in charge of 41 games involving the Werkself to date and the last time was a 2-0 away win at Wolfsburg on matchday 27 last season. Brych will be assisted by Mark Borsch and Robert Kempter, Patrick Alt is the fourth official. Have a good game.
A lot has changed on and off the pitch at Borussia Dortmund. Under head coach Edin Terzic, a spirit of optimism developed during the preseason also due in part to the signing of high quality players. BVB have brought in the Germany international players Nico Schlotterbeck, Niklas Süle and Karim Adeyemi. How tonight’s hosts performed in the DFB Cup and the performance and problems they have can be found in the lowdown on our next opponents.
The last draw between the two Bundesliga top teams at the Signal Iduna Park was on 31 January 2009 (1-1). A good omen for the Werkself: Last season the games were won by the away team with an impressive seven goals per match (a 4-3 win for Borussia Dortmund, a 5-2 victory for Bayer 04).
The Werkself matches this season will again be broadcast on Werkself Radio. Cedric Pick and Niko Hartmann will today report live from the Signal Iduna Park. The broadcast starts 30 minutes before kick-off at 18.00 CEST and is available on the Bayer 04 app or at bayer04.de.
Two sevens for Wilhelm ‘Willi’ Haag: The man from the Rhineland Palatinate, who played for the Werkself in 1967 to 1970, today celebrates his 77th birthday. Bayer 04 wish him all the best for the coming year.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have signed France U17 international Kenan Doganay. The 1.90-metre-tall defensive midfielder, who has Turkish roots, joins Leverkusen from the U19s at French top-flight club Olympique Lyon. He will initially train with and play for the U19 team.
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The Sports Tribunal of the German Football Association (DFB) has fined Bayer 04 Leverkusen €185,000 for spectators setting off pyrotechnic devices during a total of five competitive matches. This relates to four Bundesliga matches and the DFB Pokal semi-final against Bayern Munich. The highest individual fine relates to the away match at FC Köln at the end of April.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended the contract with U19 goalkeeper Simeon Rapsch. The Germany youth international goalkeeper has signed a long-term contract with the Werkself running to 30 June 2029. The 18-year-old joined Leverkusen from FC Viktoria Köln in the summer of 2024.
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Ken Izekor is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen to join third-tier side Alemannia Aachen with immediate effect. The 19-year-old centre-forward joined the club from Alemannia in 2018, and Izekor is now returning to his hometown.
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