Maximum support for the Werkself: A total of 500 fans will support the team under head coach Gerardo Seoane at the away game at Mainz on Friday night, 18 February (kick-off: 20.30 CET). Bayer 04 have sold the whole allocation of away tickets.
The Seoane team go into the match against Mainz on the back of four league wins in succession with the most recent a 4-2 home victory over VfB Stuttgart. Following another impressive attacking performance from the Black and Reds, youngster Florian Wirtz has been included in the top teams of the matchday in BILD and kicker. The football journal gave the 18-year-old a high mark of two as did the Rheinische Post and the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.
Kai Havertz scored the winner for Chelsea in last summer's Champions League final against Manchester City. The homegrown Bayer 04 player kept his nerve in the biggest game of his career to date when he was through in a one-on-one with the City keeper. Havertz rounded Ederson and scored the only goal of the game.
The 22-year-old, who developed into a world-class player in his ten years at Leverkusen, was in another final with Chelsea at the weekend. The Premier League club faced the Brazilian team Palmeiras, winners of the South American Copa Libertadores, in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup. With the score at 1-1 after 90 minutes, the match went into extra time with Havertz again keeping his nerve as he scored the winner from the penalty spot on 117 minutes. Congratulations Kai.
Another Werkself homegrown player had every reason to celebrate at the weekend. Benjamin Henrichs, at Leverkusen from 2004 to 2018, was a winner with RB Leipzig at FC Köln. Ahead of the 3-1 victory, with the 24-year-old playing the full 90 minutes, the Germany international got in the mood for the clash on the Rhine with the following words on social media: "It's a derby for me – let's go!" Congratulations on the 'derby win', Benni.
The clubs in the FLYERALARM Women's Bundesliga have unanimously voted against exclusion from the German Football Association (DFB) and voted in favour of the formulation of an amendment. The target is sustainable professionalisation of the first and second divisions under the DFB, above all "quick and sustainable development" in the areas of marketing, media and matchday operations. The amendment, drawn up in recent weeks, has now been finalised and is to be presented to the general meeting of the DFB on 11 March.
A wonder goal: 15 years ago today, on 14 February 2007, Bernd Schneider scored a back-heel goal against Blackburn Rovers in the Round of 32 of the UEFA Cup. The goal putting Leverkusen 3-1 up (final score 3-2) was voted Goal of the Month on ARD Sportschau. You can see the goal again HERE.
Standing on the pitch where the Werkself players perform - for many Bayer 04 club members, this wish became reality at this year's Members' kickabout. Around 400 active participants of all ages took the opportunity to experience the BayArena from a new and special perspective. And there was also plenty going on in the stands: The event attracted more than 1,000 visitors in total and provided an atmospheric end to the season.
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Lying third in the Bundesliga, the Werkself made a faltering start in 2026 after the winter break, but gradually rediscovered winning ways and, as in the previous campaign, were among the top 16 in Europe and the top four in the DFB Pokal. In the Bundesliga, the Werkself also remained in the race for Champions League qualification right to the end. However, because setbacks repeatedly crept into the Werkself's performances between good displays and crucial games, it was not quite enough to secure a UCL spot in the end. A season with many ups and downs brought sixth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Part II of the review of the 2025/26 season.
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Rogier Meijer is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and returning to his native Netherlands: The 44-year-old will take over at Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on 1 July. Meijer has been part of the Werkself coaching set-up since the start of the 2025/26 season - first as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag, then on Kasper Hjulmand's staff.
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Following the final match of the 2025/26 season, the prevailing feeling was naturally one of disappointment after missing out on qualification for the Champions League. The Werkself finished the Bundesliga in sixth place, meaning they'll start the 2026/27 campaign in the Europa League. "But to talk negatively about everything now because of that would be wrong," stressed captain Robert Andrich following the final game, knowing that the past year at Bayer 04 was marked, more than almost any other, by the start of a new era and the courage to change – and in particular, the belief in a positive direction. Everyone was aware this process would need time. The first part of the 2025/26 season review.
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