The second half of the season starts after a training camp in La Manga in Spain that saw the arrival of new signing Exequiel Palacios. The Werkself win 4-1 at Paderborn – and, above all for Kai Havertz, an average first half of the season is followed by a revival and acts as the starting gun for an outstanding second half of the campaign. The Germany international scored ten goals and provided two assists in the second half of the season.
Probably the most emotional moment of the year: Lars Bender makes it 4-3 against Borussia Dortmund – the BayArena erupts. However, one man keeps calm: New signing Edmond Tapsoba, who made his debut for the Werkself against BVB and goes on to become a regular first choice within record time. Not a matter of course under head coach Peter Bosz.
There can be no greater contrast. First, the Werkself beat Rangers 3-1 at the legendary Ibrox in front of nearly 50,000 singing Scots and then, a few hours later, football and all life in society grinds to a halt on Friday 13 March. Lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Training at home instead of full stadiums, measuring temperatures instead of football fests: Bayer 04 face the challenges of the pandemic and the Werkself prepare for the restart
Real heroes wear masks. The restart is a success. The Werkself win 4-1 at Werder Bremen – and Florian Wirtz is in the starting eleven. Born in Pulheim, at the age of 17 years and 15 days he becomes the youngest Bundesliga debutant for the Werkself and the third youngest overall.
Mixed bag in June: First, Bayer 04 – led by the outstanding Kerem Demirbay – win 3-0 at FC Saarbrücken to reach the DFB Cup final for the fourth time in the club's history but then miss out on qualification for the Champions League at the Olympic Stadium of all places in a 2-0 defeat at Hertha Berlin.
Sensational farewell from the BayArena from the fans and Bayer 04 staff that backs the team ahead of a difficult mission. There are no surprises at the Olympic Stadium. On their way to the treble, Bayern Munich refuse to be derailed by the Werkself in the DFB Cup final. The long and short of a bitter evening in Berlin: We'll be back!
Lu – ka – ku: The striker from Belgium makes the difference in the quarter-finals of the Europa League, which is held as a finals tournament in North Rhine Westphalia from the last eight. The Inter Milan forward is involved in setting up the first goal and scores the second himself with the goal from Kai Havertz making it 2-1 proving to be a consolation. Just 21 days after the exit from the European competition it all gets going again: Training restarts with new assistant coach Rob Maas.
Bye-bye Bayer: Kai Havertz leaves the club he started at after ten years, and Kevin Volland signs for AS Monaco after four years at Leverkusen. New player under the Bayer Cross: Patrik Schick. The Czech Republic international is on the pitch for the first time five days after signing and scores straightaway: on 77 minutes to make it 7-0 in the DFB Cup against Eintracht Norderstedt. The cup tie starts with a first: Lars Bender is in the starting eleven without the captain's armband for the first time since 2015. The proto Bayer and Leverkusener by choice since 2009 resigns as captain and is replaced by Charles Aránguiz.
Promising debut for Santiago Arias: The loanee from Atletico Madrid impresses at right-back in a 1-1 draw at VfB Stuttgart. A few days later the shock: He suffers a fibula fracture on international duty and is ruled out for the Werkself until spring. As Charles Aránguiz picks up an Achilles injury in the international break, Exequiel Palacios has a lumbar fracture in November as a result of a vicious foul and Paulinho tears a cruciate in the week before the cup game 2020 ends with 04 South Americans sidelined. Meanwhile, another player starts a successful run: Lucas Alario scores the only goal of the game in the 1-0 win at Mainz – the Argentinian scores ten goals in twelve games in the autumn; the Werkself go through to the knockout rounds of the Europa League and move up the table in the Bundesliga.
The highlight of the winning run for the Werkself is the 4-3 against Borussia Mönchengladbach at the BayArena. The game swings one way and then the next. Lukas Hradecky denies Lars Stindl, Hannes Wolf hits the rebound over the bar from close range; less than 60 seconds later, Florian Wirtz picks out Moussa Diaby in midfield, he feeds Leon Bailey and the Jamaican races clear to score from a tight angle to make it 3-2. The moral strength of the group is clear in Bielefeld. Lukas Hradecky misses the ball and produces the equaliser at 1-1 with an own goal off his standing leg; Aleksandar Dragovic makes amends for the keepers mistake with the second goal from an assist by Mitchell Weiser – the celebration and relief is unbounded.
Cool Runnings: The Jamaican express keeps on rolling. Leon Bailey scored nine goals and provided seven assists in 18 games in the second half of 2020. His brace against Hoffenheim and the 4-1 win puts Bayer 04 on the top of the table for the first time in over six years. Even though FC Bayern won in Leverkusen just before Christmas thanks to two gifts from the Werkself and thereby go into the New Year as league leaders, the record in 2020 remains impressive. Only the treble winners have picked up more points in the Bundesliga in 2020 than the team under head coach Peter Bosz. And around the time of the top match in the Bundesliga, there is the start of a generational change at Leverkusen with Diaby, Tapsoba and Wirtz extending their contracts while Lars and Sven Bender announce their forthcoming retirement from the game in the summer of 2021. Before then, they want to write a "successful final chapter”.
The Colombian midfielder Gustavo Puerta is set to join Hull City on permanent terms from 1 July. Bayer 04 Leverkusen and the Championship club originally agreed a season-long loan in the summer with an option to buy included in the contract. A permanent move to Hull City has been triggered by the number of league appearances Puerta has made this term.
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The Werkself are away to FC St. Pauli on Bundesliga Matchday 30. The game is on Sunday, 20 April (kick-off: 19:30 CEST). The Bayer 04 Fan Liaison team brings you the latest information on the fixture at the Millerntor Stadium…
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The Easter holidays enticed a large number of Bayer 04 fans to come to the training ground at the BayArena, today Wednesday 16 April, to watch the Werkself at an open training session in the afternoon. Afterwards, the players and head coach Xabi Alonso took time out to sign autographs and pose for photographs. And there was a lot going on besides: While midfield maestro Granit Xhaka fielded questions at an entertaining children's press conference, including the story behind his squad number 34, Nathan Tella faced the media.
Show moreAway fans take note: Tickets for the forthcoming away game for the Werkself against FC St Pauli at the Millerntor Stadium on Sunday, 20 April (kick-off: 19:30 CEST) are exclusively available on the Bayer 04 app. The tickets are available at once and as usual under the 'Profil' tab by clicking on the 'Meine Tickets' button.
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Flap up, screen on: With the help of the new Bayer 04 tactics truck, training content and match action for the Werkself as well as tactical graphics can now be shown and discussed on the training ground.
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