It’s one game after the next in the Bundesliga with the new matchday about to start. The Black and Reds kick it off tomorrow night (kick-off: 20.30 CET) with an away game at SC Freiburg. Unfortunately, the fans will not be able to support their Werkself from the stands. However, tomorrow’s clash is available on two streaming services and a Black and Red broadcast: Both DAZN and Amazon Prime are broadcasting the match live on TV. And, of course, Werkself Radio, with Niko and Cedric on the mic, will report live as well. Their commentary is available free of charge at bayer04.de and on the Bayer 04 app.
Ahead of tomorrow’s match, Christian Streich is full of praise for Bayer 04 playmaker Kai Havertz. “He plays with total confidence. I’d be interested to know what his heart-rate is when he goes on the pitch. It’s probably half as high as mine although I’m not even playing,” said the Freiburg coach. “If you have the quality he does than you can obviously completely rely on your own ability. It’s a pleasure to watch him on television every week.”
The kick-off in the Breisgau is at 20.30 CET – it’s worth tuning in half an hour earlier. From 20.00 CET, Bayer 04 are again broadcasting ‘Spieltag – Die Show’ live on YouTube to get into the mood for the game along with the fans. The guests this time are Daniel Schwaab (PSV Eindhoven), who has played for both the Black and Reds and Freiburg, and Torben Hoffmann. The 45-year-old used to wear the Bayer 04 shirt. Hoffmann has worked as a reporter at Sky Sport News HD since 2011. Dirk Maverick will again sing the club anthem before kick-off – joining in is welcome and encouraged! Werkself Radio will then take over for the kick-off. Tune in!
Twelve days to go: Then it will be time for the eagerly awaited DFB Cup semi-final between FC Saarbrücken and Bayer 04. The club from the Saarland have had reason to celebrate this week: FCS return to the third division after a break of six years. This was due to a decision made by the extraordinary general meeting of the DFB on Monday that transferred decision-making on promotion to the regional associations. The South-West Regional League then declared FC Saarbrücken champions that simultaneously meant promotion. We congratulate the team and head coach Lukas Kwasniok and look forward to the clash in Völklingen.
Action returns to the FLYERALARM Women’s Bundesliga at the weekend. The Bayer 04 Women’s team led by head coach Achim Feifel face MSV Duisburg in a North Rhine-Westphalia clash. The kick-off at the Kurtekotten Academy is at 14.00 CET. This game will also be played behind closed doors. DFB TV (tv.dfb.de) will broadcast the match live.
The most prolific goalscorer in the Bundesliga playing in goal is 46 today. He is, of course, Hans-Jörg Butt, who was between the sticks for the Werkself from 2001 to 2007. During that time, the Oldenburg-born shot-stopper scored 8 goals in 263 games with all of those coming from the penalty spot. Bayer 04: Many happy returns!
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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