There is good news from the Copa América: Argentina with Werkself player Exequiel Palacios were able to celebrate progress to the quarter-finals of the South American competition early this morning. A goal from Papu Gómez, a brace from Lionel Messi and a fourth strike from Lautaro Martínez secured a comfortable 4-1 win for the ‘Albiceleste’ against Bolivia and put them top of Group A at the end of the group stage with ten points from four games. Palacios, who was on the pitch for 70 minutes, and his teammates will face Ecuador in the quarter-finals of the Copa on Sunday, 4 July (kick-off: 03.00 CEST). Werkself skipper Charles Aránguiz and the Chile team, who were not in action on the final matchday in the group stage, have also qualified for the last eight with a match against title holders Brazil the day before (kick-off: 02.00 CEST). Good luck, lads!
The setting for the first competitive match for the new Bayer 04 head coach Gerardo Seoane is taking shape. On Sunday, 4 July, the draw for the first round of the DFB Cup will be held on the ARD Sportschau (18.30 CEST). Who the Werkself will meet in the first round of the domestic cup competition is in the hands of former Bundesliga player and ARD pundit Thomas Broich who will draw the balls out of the two pots in the Sportschau studio on Sunday. The first round of the DFB Cup will be played on the first weekend in August (6-9 August).
From the national to the international cup competition: When the Black and Reds start the Europa League campaign for 2021/22, Leverkusen and the other 31 teams will see a rule that has been in effect for 56 years disappear from the UEFA rule book.
As announced by UEFA, away goals will no longer count in matches in the UEFA club competitions of the Champions League, Europa League and the Europa Conference League in determining who progresses to the next round. If scores are level after the two legs then extra time and, if necessary, penalties will decide whether Bayer 04 progress the next round of the European competition – regardless of how many goals are scored away from home.
The fact changes have been made to the rules, which were applied for over half a century, was explained by the UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin in a statement: "Although there was no unanimity of opinion, a lot of coaches, fans and others involved in football questioned its fairness (the away goals rule, ed) and advocated the abolition of rule."
Bayer 04 head coach Gerardo Seoane has received the thumbs up from a former colleague. Stéphane Chapuisat, a long-standing Bundesliga player and head scout at Seoane's former club Young Boys Bern, says the 42 year-old has outstanding qualities – particularly regarding the future attacking requirements of the Werkself: "He has a good, attacking playing philosophy and I think he has the players at Leverkusen to put into action," said Chapuisat about the Werkself head coach in an interview with dpa.
A cracker of a semi-final at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The Bayer 04 U19 team entertain Bayern Munich on Saturday, 10 May (kick-off: 11:00 CEST/stadium opens: 10:00 CEST). In front of a home crowd, the team led by head coach Sergi Runge, who welcomes back an attacking player, is looking to build on the battling performances from the previous knockout games and "perform at the right moment." Tickets are available from the Bayer 04 online shop and the game will also be broadcast live on Sky.
Show moreBayer 04 have now gone 33 Bundesliga away games in succession without defeat and thereby equalled the record set by Bayern Munich: Jonathan Tah netted the equaliser at 2-2 in added time away to SC Freiburg on his 400th appearance for the Werkself. SCF took a 2-0 lead with a strike from Maximilian Eggestein (44') and a Piero Hincapie own goal (48') before Florian Wirtz pulled a goal back on 82 minutes.
Show moreWerkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 2-2 draw at SC Freiburg on the 32nd matchday of the Bundesliga 2024/25...
Show moreThe Werkself are away to SC Freiburg on Bundesliga Matchday 32. The penultimate away game of the season is today Sunday, 4 May with a 17:30 CEST kick-off at the Europa Park Stadion. Read on for the latest information in today's matchday news.
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