The capacity of the BayArena is currently 15,105 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The sale of tickets is exclusively online and a large number had already been sold by Friday night. That leaves a few spare tickets for today (Saturday) on sale online until 15.00 CEST. The matchday ticket offices will not be open and away fans are not allowed to attend the game.
A new season, a new matchday magazine. The BayArena Aktuell has provided Werkself fans with information on matchdays for over five years; the magazine has only appeared online since games were played behind closed doors. For the new season there is 'Werkself Live'. The pamphlet reflects the changed media use by fans. Here spectators can get the lowdown on the Werkself – in a short, compact and manageable journal. In addition, there is a big poster on the back page – in short: the ideal memento of a matchday at the BayArena.
Anybody requiring further information can follow the Bayer 04 social media channels or the website.
Also out this week: the Werkself Yearbook. Members will receive it via the post and there will be copies available for the first home match at the BayArena.
The early bird catches the wristband. Anybody wanting to enter the BayArena on matchday not only needs a valid ticket but also a wristband. The wristband shows stewards that visitors are vaccinated or recovered. A large number of supporters came to the Service West at the BayArena or the Bayer 04 shop in Leverkusen-Wiesdorf the day before the game to avoid having to check their status on matchday. They produced proof of their their vaccination or recovery status and received a wristband.
Don't worry, that is still possible on matchday. Service OST (Bismarckstraße) is open from 10.00 CEST and there will be additional Bayer 04 staff (volunteers) on duty two hours before kick-off around the arena and at the shuttle bus car park to make the necessary checks and issue wristbands.
For Rudi Völler, sporting managing director at Bayer 04, Gerd Müller was "one of the greatest strikers of all time, not just in Germany but worldwide too. Of course, he was also a role model for me as a striker. Gerd’s achievements will never be forgotten." The most successful Bundesliga striker (365 goals) passed away last weekend at the age of 75. There will be one minute's silence before kick-off at the Bundesliga match against Borussia Mönchengladbach in memory of the 1974 World Cup winner. In addition both teams will wear black arm bands.
The first home game of the season also provides an opportunity to celebrate the achievements in the summer tournaments. 2021 was a great success for Bayer 04 in this respect. Florian Wirtz won the European Championship with the Germany U21 side, then Exequiel Palacios won the Copa America with Argentina and, last but not least, Paulinho was in the Brazil team at the Tokyo Olympic Games that won the football tournament. The trio will be presented with awards by the two managing directors Fernando Carro and Rudi Völler.
Experienced referee Deniz Aytekin will be in charge of #B04BMG. The 43-year-old management consultant from Oberasbach was only able to referee a few matches last season due to an operation on his Achilles. The last time he was involved with the Werkself games was in 2019/20. He refereed a 1-1 draw at home to SC Freiburg and the 2-1 defeat at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. Today he will be supported by assistant referees Markus Sinn and Christian Dietz plus Dr. Robert Kampka as the fourth official.
Even though our head coach stressed the clash on Saturday is primarily between Leverkusen and Mönchengladbach, it is obviously also one between successor and predecessor. Gerardo Seoane took over when Adi Hütter left Young Boys Bern in 2018. "He was very successful in carrying on my work and was champion of Switzerland three times in succession and even won the double once," praised the Gladbach coach Hütter at the pre-match press conference: "Therefore, he has earned the right to work in the Bundesliga."
Seoane reciprocated the praise a day before the match: "Adi did a fantastic job in Bern and the same in Frankfurt. His career shows what an outstanding expert he is," said the Bayer 04 head coach. Hütter succeeds in "again and again bringing teams up to the top level." There is great anticipation ahead of the reunion. Seoane: "I followed his work in Frankfurt and he followed my work in Bern. We exchanged text messages and congratulations. I'm looking forward to meeting him."
A simple approach to sport with games, fun and a highlight at the end: Bayer 04 organised a very special training session for 40 participants aged between six and 27 in cooperation with the Football Association of the Middle Rhine (FVM). At the day of action for women and girls with disabilities at the Kurtekotten Performance Centre, many of the participants gained their first experience of football.
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On Saturday, 28 March, the lights will go out again at the BayArena from 20:30 pm to 21:30. As in previous years, Bayer 04 once again take part in the WWF Earth Hour campaign under the motto "We're switching off" as the club wants to set a collective example for more climate and environmental protection together with people, cities and companies around the world.
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Less than a year ago, Kerim Alajbegovic moved from the Bayer 04 U19s to Austrian top-flight club FC Red Bull Salzburg. The forward’s development since then has been impressive. In 36 matches, including in the UEFA Europa League, the 18-year-old has scored 14 goals. In the summer, Alajbegovic, now a Bosnia international, will return to Leverkusen - and thus not only achieve the next milestone still early in his career, but also enrich the Werkself squad with his footballing versatility and determination.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended the contract with forward Nathan Tella ahead of schedule. The versatile 26-year-old, who can be deployed as a right winger, false nine or left winger, has penned a new contract to 30 June 2031. Tella joined the Werkself from Championship club Southampton in 2023. His previous contract ran to the summer of 2028.
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Nathan Tella has extended his contract with Bayer 04 to 2031. In an interview with Werkself TV, the 26-year-old talks about fulfilling his dreams, his positive outlook on life and his goals for the future. He answers the questions in English - all except the last one, which he addresses directly to the fans...
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