The Werkself players Lucas Alario, Exequiel Palacios, with one goal each, and striker Patrik Schick, with two impressive strikes, have qualified for the final Goal of the Month competition in the current season. Alario impressed with his goal making it 4-2 in the away game at TSG Hoffenheim on the penultimate matchday. Schick also stood out in the same match with his two goals at 1-1 and 3-1. In turn, Pala showed a fine touch with his last-minute masterpiece to make it 2-1 in the last game of the season against SC Freiburg. The Argentina international scored in the 97th minute with a shot into an empty net from the semi-circle to round off the 2021/22 season.
You can vote now on the club’s Facebook page. You can see all the goals again there. The winner will be announced on Thursday 26 May.
Youngster Florian Wirtz has also received an award: The 19-year-old received his FIFA 22 Team of the Season card this morning. With absolute top numbers, the Werkself player was voted into the top team for the 2021/22 season alongside outstanding players such as Manuel Neuer, Robert Lewandowski, Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham.
Moussa Diaby and Jeremie Frimpong were also included in the extended squad by the fans. We say: Fully deserved. Congratulations.
There is no summer break yet for the Bayer 04 Women's team players Chiara Bücher, Clara Fröhlich and Sofie Zdebel as they are currently at a U19 course organised by the German Football Association (DFB). The Germany youth players are in Krefeld up to Friday 27 May to prepare for the forthcoming European Championships. The tournament will be held in the Czech Republic on 26 June to 9 July.
Former Werkself player Heung-Min Son has won the Golden Boot award as the top goalscorer in the Premier League in 2021/22. The lightning-fast forward scored 23 goals for Tottenham Hotspur in 35 league games, the same number as Liverpool striker Mo Salah. Son netted a brace on the final matchday in a 5-0 win against Norwich City. The South Korea international became the first Asian player to be top goalscorer in England.
The South Korea player with 98 caps played under the Bayer Cross for two years before heading to England in the summer of 2015. Son scored 22 goals and provided eleven assists in 87 games for the Black and Reds.
24 May evokes memories at the Werkself: On matchday 33 in the 1996/97 season, the Black and Reds were certain of finishing second in the Bundesliga, which meant the team under coach Christoph Daum finished runners-up for the first time. Beyond that, Bayer 04 thereby qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in the club's history.
It was a different situation six years later: The team from Leverkusen secured 15th place in the table on the final matchday in the 2002/03 season to ensure their top-flight status. Yildiray Bastürk scored the only goal of the game in the 1-0 win against FC Nürnberg preventing his team from being relegated to the second division.
The Black and Reds kick off the new Bundesliga campaign today, Saturday 29 August (kick-off 15:30 CEST), away to newly promoted SV 07 Elversberg – and the Werkself will come up against a familiar face who is currently causing a stir at ‘Elv’. For an affordable and easy journey to the Saarland, the 1,600 travelling fans can still use the WERKSELFgo car-share platform. Today’s matchday news..
Show more
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.
Show more
The Bundesliga is back. On Saturday 29 August (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself are away to SV 07 Elversberg on matchday 1 of the new season. Ahead of the clash at the URSAPHARM Arena on Kaiserlinde, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about the importance of a successful start and the motivation of the league newcomers from the Saarland.
Show more
On Friday afternoon, it will be decided which eight of the 36 participating teams Bayer 04 will face in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2026/27. At the draw in Monaco (live on UEFA.com), the Werkself will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, allocated according to the UEFA club coefficient. A match against an opponent from the same country is ruled out, as is facing more than two clubs from the same national association. Here’s a look at the pots and potential opponents.
Show more
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.
Show more
