Back
8.11.2017Bayer 04

Our next opponents: MSV Duisburg

While Bernd Leno, Julian Brandt, Panos Retsos, Admir Mehmedi, Julian Baumgartlinger and Joel Pohjanpalo are away on international duty, The rest of the Bayer 04 squad preparing for the final run-in in the first half of the season in the Bundesliga. The Werkself face the real test in Thursday's friendly against second division MSV Duisburg (9 November, 15.00 CET at the Haberland Stadium). The game will be streamed live on bayer04.de and facebook.com/bayer04fussball from 15.00 CET. The lowdown on the Zebras.
MSV_Duisburg_imago30894281h.jpg

POSITION

Promoted to the second division in 2015, relegated to the third division in 2016 and last summer a runaway promotion to Germany's second-tier – MSV Duisburg have become a true yo-yo team over the past few years. It's clear the founding member of the Bundesliga are looking to stay up at any price this season to establish themselves in the second division again. They had a boost last Friday with a surprise 1-0 victory at SV Sandhausen: The team from Duisburg are now twelfth in the table on 16 points and they have gone four games without defeat in the second division.

Personnel

The Zebras have been managed for the past two years by coach Ilia Gruev. Since relegation in 2016, the club management have kept faith in the former Bulgaria international. The 48-year-old repaid that confidence with promotion as champions of the third division and a decent second division campaign to date. Key players in his 4-4-2 system include midfield dynamo Fabian Schnelhardt, who was voted the best player in the third division last season, and new signing Morritz Stoppelkamp. The winger set a Bundesliga record for a goal scored from the longest distance (82.3 metres) when he was at SC Paderborn and since the summer he has been back at his hometown club where he played in the youth teams. Stoppelkamp is currently MSV's top goalscorer with six goals so far this term. Gruev has a former Leverkusen player in central defence: In 2009 Gerrit Nauber won the U17 European Championships as a Bayer 04 player and he went on to be captain of the Leverkusen U19 team and until 2012 he played for the Werkself reserves.

PROBLEMS

One thing stands out if you take a closer look at the second division table: MSV are by far the weakest team at home with no wins on their own turf in the league. However, 13 points from seven away fixtures puts them in a decent position at the moment. Nevertheless, wins on their own ground are essential if Duisburg want to avoid a relegation battle.

POTENTIAL

A founder member of the Bundesliga, then ever-present in the top division until 1982 with a total of 28 seasons in Germany's top flight: MSV Duisburg are currently far away from their previous exploits. The last time they were in the first division was in 2007/8. After a financial meltdown and the resulting force relegation to the third division in 2013, the club is now still endeavouring to consolidate their position. It is unlikely in the near future that they will make any great steps forward but MSV our first looking to re-establish themselves in the second tier to get away from the yo-yo image of recent years.

Prediction

It is difficult to make accurate predictions this season where the second division appears to be very tight. Gruev's team have shown in the past few weeks they have the quality on and off the pitch to be able to stay up. Whether they succeed in the end will depend on MSV getting back to winning ways at home, particularly in matches against direct rivals.

Thursday's match against MSV will be streamed live on bayer04.de and facebook.com/bayer04fussball from 15.00 CET.

Related News

Wildcard-Cup
eSports - 06.02.2026

#B04eSports: Register now for the Werkself Wildcard Cup and secure your place in the VBL Open Play-offs

Calling all eSports fans: On Saturday, 21 February (from 16:00 CET), the Werkself Wildcard Cup will take place at XPERION Köln (Hansaring 97, 50670 Cologne). Interested EA FC 26 amateur players will have the opportunity to win attractive prizes and a place in the VBL Open Play-offs by WOW. The play-offs are the final preliminary stage of the VBL Grand Final by WOW, the tournament for the German individual championship and, alongside the club championship (VBL CC), the most important sub-competition in the German eSports scene. Read on for information on registration.

Show more
crop_20251222_JS_14_B04FCB_Frauen_0280.jpg
Women - 05.02.2026

Women’s Bundesliga sets course for next steps

At its first general meeting on 5 February 2026 in Frankfurt am Main, the Frauen Bundesliga FBL e.V. made key decisions regarding the future direction of the Women’s Bundesliga. The meeting was based on the results of the negotiations with the German Football Association (DFB) over the past few weeks.

Show more
Montrell Culbreath lässt seinen Gegenmann stehen
U19 - 04.02.2026

3-2 at Villarreal - U19s lose in the last 32 of the Youth League

The Bayer 04 U19s have bowed out of the UEFA Youth League following a thrilling knockout game. In the round of 32 at Villarreal, Emmanuel Chigozie Owen (11) and Ivan Massek (18) turned an early deficit into a 2-1 half-time lead. However, the Spaniards struck back in the second half to make the final score 3-2, which earned them a place in the round of 16 and brought the Werkself's European campaign to an end.

Show more
Spieltage 25-27
Bundesliga - 04.02.2026

DFL schedules Matchdays 25 - 27 - three Saturday afternoon games

The German Football League (DFL) has scheduled Matchdays 25 - 27 of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season. The fixtures at a glance.

Show more