Just three days after the first friendly against SV Roßbach/Verscheid, Heiko Herrlich will lead the Benders, Jonathan Tah, Dominik Kohr and Co. in the second warm-up game against Sportfreunde Siegen. The match at the fifth tier club is on Saturday 21 July at 15.00 CET at Siegen's Leimbach Stadium (Leimbachstraße 263, 57074 Siegen). Tickets for the friendly against the long-established club from South Westphalia, who the Werkself played four times in the Regional League 50 years ago (1963/64 and 1972/73), are available on Tuesday 26 June.
Match tickets are available as follows:
Standing tickets in category A1 cost 9 euros, concessionary tickets (category A2) cost 6 euros. Seated tickets are only available from Sportfreunde Siegen.
Concessions apply to young people under 17 years of age, school students, students, apprentices, federal volunteer service members, volunteer members of the armed services, disabled and pensioners. Valid ID or photo ID are to be carried on the matchday and shown on request.
Bayer 04 fans have up to 18 July to secure tickets in the fan shops. Ticket sales via the service centre end three days earlier on 15 July.
Standing on the pitch where the Werkself players perform - for many Bayer 04 club members, this wish became reality at this year's Members' kickabout. Around 400 active participants of all ages took the opportunity to experience the BayArena from a new and special perspective. And there was also plenty going on in the stands: The event attracted more than 1,000 visitors in total and provided an atmospheric end to the season.
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Lying third in the Bundesliga, the Werkself made a faltering start in 2026 after the winter break, but gradually rediscovered winning ways and, as in the previous campaign, were among the top 16 in Europe and the top four in the DFB Pokal. In the Bundesliga, the Werkself also remained in the race for Champions League qualification right to the end. However, because setbacks repeatedly crept into the Werkself's performances between good displays and crucial games, it was not quite enough to secure a UCL spot in the end. A season with many ups and downs brought sixth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Part II of the review of the 2025/26 season.
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Rogier Meijer is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and returning to his native Netherlands: The 44-year-old will take over at Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on 1 July. Meijer has been part of the Werkself coaching set-up since the start of the 2025/26 season - first as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag, then on Kasper Hjulmand's staff.
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Following the final match of the 2025/26 season, the prevailing feeling was naturally one of disappointment after missing out on qualification for the Champions League. The Werkself finished the Bundesliga in sixth place, meaning they'll start the 2026/27 campaign in the Europa League. "But to talk negatively about everything now because of that would be wrong," stressed captain Robert Andrich following the final game, knowing that the past year at Bayer 04 was marked, more than almost any other, by the start of a new era and the courage to change – and in particular, the belief in a positive direction. Everyone was aware this process would need time. The first part of the 2025/26 season review.
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