A good omen? Bayer 04 have never lost when Sören Storks has been the referee. The 33-year-old has been in charge of four games involving the Black and Reds with the Werkself winning three. Storks showed the yellow card to today’s hosts three times. His assistants on Monday night, 26 October (kick-off: 20.30 CET/live on DAZN and on Werkself Radio at bayer04.de and on the Bayer 04 app), Thorben Siewer and Philipp Hüwe. Dr. Felix Brych is the VAR referee.
As CEO Christian Seifert announced on Monday, he will leave the German Football League (DFL) at the end of his contract in June 2022. After 17 years with the DFL, the 51-year-old is looking to “begin a new chapter in his professional career.”
Fernando Carro, chairman of the board at Bayer 04, said in response to Seifert’s announcement: “The Bundesliga and thereby Bayer 04 Leverkusen are grateful to Christian Seifert for the outstanding work he has performed to date for German football. He will be a hard act to follow with the huge challenges that have to be overcome.”
Augsburg’s head coach Heiko Herrlich was able to gain a massive amount of experience as a player and coach at the Werkself. Bayer 04 enabled the man from Mannheim to take his first steps as professional footballer in 1989 and then in 2017 he had the opportunity to work as head coach in the Bundesliga.
The total of five and a half years the now 48-year-old spent at Leverkusen had a big effect on his life and character as the coach explained at the FCA press conference on Sunday. “I’m very grateful I had the chance there and I look back very positively,” said Herrlich who is assuming the Werkself will have gained a lot of strength ahead of the game against his team with the Europa League opener against Nice (6-2). “I expect all of my players to give 100 per cent,” added Herrlich.
The Robert Enke Foundation (RES) has provided important work for the past ten years on education, research and treatment of depression. As part of the campaign ‘Robert Enke Foundation on tour’, the foundation is providing the opportunity for digital and individual contact to gain information on the illness of depression and means of support. At the Werkself home game against FC Augsburg, people have the chance to make contact with workers from the foundation via an online platform. The foundation workers will be available from 17.30 to 20.30 CET on Monday.
The German Football Association (DFB) has postponed all international fixtures and courses for the junior national teams until the end of the year due to the increasing number of coronavirus infections. From a Black and Red perspective, that affects Bundesliga defender and Germany U20 international Juliane Wirtz plus U19 youngster Emrehan Gedikli. The central striker, who was in the Werkself squad for the first time in the 1-0 win at Mainz, recently played for the Germany U18s.
This does not apply to the U21 team who have qualifiers for the European Championships coming up. Coach Stefan Kuntz has called up the Leverkusen players Lennart Grill and Florian Wirtz recently.
Today sees Bayer 04 go head-to-head with their next direct rivals in the race for Champions League qualification (kick-off 15:30 CEST). Opponents Stuttgart are currently fifth in the table, level on points with the Werkself but one place below them due to a three-goal inferior goal difference. The Black and Reds' record at Bad Cannstatt tells a clearer story: they've not lost at VfB for over 16 years. One important factor in securing what would be three crucial points away from home is Leverkusen's strength on the counter-attack. Whilst Stuttgart are also extremely dangerous going forward, they will be without their captain. Today’s matchday news.
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Another showdown in the race for the Champions League places takes place in Swabia: on Saturday 9 May (kick-off 15:30 CEST), the Werkself visit VfB Stuttgart, who are only behind on goal difference. In his pre-match press conference, head coach Kasper Hjulmand spoke about confidence, excitement and mentality.
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Reinforcement in attack: Bayer 04 Leverkusen have secured the transfer of striker Maja Sternad from Bundesliga rivals SV Werder Bremen. The 22-year-old has signed a contract until 30 June 2028.
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It's a thrilling situation: as the season draws to a close, Stuttgart and Bayer 04 are heading into the home stretch almost neck and neck. After 32 games, with 17 wins, seven draws and eight defeats each, both teams are on 58 points. Even in terms of goals scored, VfB and the Werkself are level on 66. The Black and Reds have conceded just three fewer goals (43) than their rivals (46), which is why they sit one place behind fourth-placed Leverkusen. This Saturday, 9 May (kick-off: 15.30 CEST), the two teams go head to head at the MHP Arena in Stuttgart. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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