Today’s training session at the BayArena involved four goalkeepers plus all the players who did not start at Paderborn on Sunday. The players from the starting line-up – except for keeper Lukas Hradecky and Daley Sinkgraven – completed a separate session. The left-back picked up a knock at Paderborn and was therefore given a lighter workload today. In addition to the Dutchman, Charles Aránguiz remains sidelined due to a muscle injury.
The scorers in East Westphalia were Kevin Volland with a brace and Kai Havertz plus another Werkself player not usually associated with scoring goals: Julian Baumgartlinger. The Austrian enforcer has scored 04 goals in 203 Bundesliga games. “Over the course of my career, scoring goals has happened less and less with me playing in more defensive positions,” said the 32-year-old. “But I do get into the box from time to time for set-pieces.”
Perhaps Baumi will carry on where he left off at the Benteler Arena this Sunday night. Fortuna Düsseldorf visit the BayArena (kick-off: 18.00 CET). Leverkusen’s number 15: “The first home game after the winter break is very important to us! We’re expecting to face a very well-organised team. It’s important we continue to do the things we got right at Paderborn.”
Lothar Matthäus believes the second half of the season will see Bayern Munich win the league - and Bayer 04 will not lose a game! The 1990 World Cup winner has predicted the results of all the games in the second half of the season for the top six in the Bundesliga for the Bild Zeitung. The 58-year-old has predicted two draws for the Black and Reds against RB Leipzig and FC Bayern and a 4-2 win against Borussia Dortmund. However, according to the Matthäus rankings, the Werkself will ‘only’ finish fifth on 65 points – two points behind Borussia Mönchengladbach, the first professional club for Lothar Matthäus.
Moreover: An unbeaten run like that, which the TV pundit predicts for the Peter Bosz team, has only been achieved by four clubs in Germany’s top flight. Eintracht Frankfurt (1976/77), Hamburg SV (1982/83) and Borussia Dortmund (2011/12) have managed that feat once. FC Bayern have been unbeaten in three seasons: 1986/87, 2012/13 and 2013/14.
Do you want to support the Werkself in the second leg of the Europa League Round of 32 tie in Porto? Then visit the ticket shop! The exclusive advance sale for Bayer 04 Club members started this morning. Bayer 04 fans who have previously bought tickets can buy tickets for this game from Thursday 23 February. The Werkself are away for the second leg in Portugal on Thursday 27 February (kick-off: 18.55 CET). The first leg at the BayArena is a week earlier on Thursday 20 February at 21.00 CET.
The Werkself are away to Premier League club Chelsea in the final pre-season friendly. The game against the current holders of the UEFA Conference League is on Friday, 8 August at Stamford Bridge with the kick-off at 20:00 CEST. Read on for information on ticket sales.
Show moreThe Werkself are away to Dutch top-flight club Fortuna Sittard in the third pre-season friendly. The match is on Friday, 1 August at the Fortuna Sittard stadium with the kick-off at 19:00 CEST. Read on for information on ticket sales.
Show moreThe Werkself are away to VfL Bochum in the second pre-season friendly. The match is on Sunday, 27 July at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion with the kick-off at 18:00 CEST. Read on for the latest information on ticket sales.
Show moreBayer 04 Leverkusen have signed the England U21 international and European champion Jarell Quansah. The central defender joins Leverkusen from Premier League champions Liverpool on a contract to 30 June 2030.
Show moreA striking look and innovative design as an expression of a forward-looking partnership: With the official presentation of the current home jersey, Bayer 04 Leverkusen and sports equipment manufacturer New Balance start a new era in tandem. For the first partnership with a professional German club, the American company from Boston, Massachusetts has developed a creative new interpretation of the Leverkusen club colours. A row of red lines, made up of slender crosses, merges into a black background. Inspired by the world famous Bayer Cross, the jersey is a symbol of a new beginning without forgetting historical roots.
Show more