
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!

The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
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After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
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When Exequiel Palacios moved from the Argentinian club River Plate to Bayer Leverkusen on 1 January 2020, the then 21-year-old could not have imagined just how successful the next six and a half years would be for him. Pala, as he is known, had already won the Copa Libertadores – the most prestigious competition in South American club football – with River Plate. But there were still so many more trophies to come.
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To mark Exequiel Palacios’s departure, we’ve put together a compilation of the midfielder’s finest and most important goals from his six-and-a-half years at the club.
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