Compared with the side in the win on penalties against VfB Stuttgart in the Supercup, head coach Xabi Alonso made five changes to his starting line-up. Jonathan Tah, Jeremie Frimpong, Alejandro Grimaldo, Florian Wirtz and Jonas Hofmann came into the side. In front of a full house at Borussia Park, the champions of Germany started with a high press and lots of possession – and they were rewarded with a fantastic finish on twelve minutes.
A cross from Frimpong was deflected by a Mönchengladbach player out of the penalty area where Granit Xhaka was ready to fire the ball into the top left corner from 20 metres out – the lead and the first league goal for the Werkself. Shortly after that, Victor Boniface went close with a shot that hit the bar (18'). Two minutes later, the Gladbach keeper Jonas Omlin saved a Tah header on the line and then Lukas Hradecky was forced to make a save from a powerful shot from Tim Kleindienst (21').
And the big chances kept coming: Edmond Tapsoba hit a long-range effort against the top corner of the goal post – the second time Bayer 04 hit the woodwork on the night. A period of pressure followed from the hosts and they created a number of chances but the next goal came at the other end: Wirtz provided a clinical finish from close range to make it 2-0 (38'). New signing Tim Kleindienst appeared to have scored for the Foals but referee Robert Schröder ruled it out after the intervention of VAR for a foul on Piero Hincapie. The Werkself took a 2-0 lead into half-time.
There were no changes at the break with little action in either penalty area several minutes in to the second 45 but then Borussia’s Niko Elvedi scored from close range on the hour mark to make it 2-1. Shortly after that, Xabi Alonso brought on fresh legs up front in the shape of Bundesliga debutant Martin Terrier. Aleix Garcia and Amine Adli also came off the bench in the final stages with Garcia on the pitch for his first Bundesliga match. For a long time it looked like a 2-1 away win for the Werkself but Kleindienst equalised for Gladbach at 2-2 on 85 minutes. But it wasn't all over.
Ten minutes of added time at Borussia Park began with an effort from Grimaldo with a shot to the top corner (90+1') – and ended with the winner for Bayer 04. Eleven minutes into added time referee Schröder awarded a penalty after consulting the video screen. Wirtz stepped up and the Gladbach keeper Omlin saved his spot kick but he was able to put the rebound into the back of the net to give the Black and Reds the first three points in the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign.
The Werkself are next in action in the DFB Pokal: The German double winners are away to Regional League FC Carl Zeiss Jena in the first round. The tie at the Ernst Abbe Sportfeld on Wednesday, 28 August kicks off at 18.30 CEST. Three days later there is a top match at the BayArena on the Saturday night. The opponents are RB Leipzig with the kick-off at 18.30 CEST.
Match stats:
Borussia Mönchengladbach: Omlin - Scally, Itakura, Elvedi, Netz (Chiarodia 90+4’) - Weigl, Reitz (Sander 71’) - Honorat (Lainer 90+4’), Stöger, Plea (Cvancara 71’) - Kleindienst (N'Goumou 90+4’)
Bayer 04: Hradecky - Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie - Frimpong, Xhaka, Andrich (Garcia 81’) - Grimaldo - Hofmann (Terrier 65’), Wirtz - Boniface (Adli 81’)
Goals: 0-1 Xhaka (12’), 0-2 Wirtz (38’), 1-2 Elvedi (60’), 2-2 Kleindienst (85’), 2-3 Wirtz (90+11’)
Booked: Lainer
Referee: Robert Schröder (Hannover)
Attendance: 54,042 (sold out) at Borussia Park
A fresh look for the BayArena: The Bayer 04 stadium will have new seating in the form of folding seats for the 2026/27 campaign that will ensure significantly improved seating comfort and simplified movement within the rows of seats. As part of routine replacement after 17 years, fans of the Werkself were able to purchase the existing seats, used to witness the first German league title in the club's history. In addition, a large proportion of the seats will be donated to charitable projects, primarily in the local region. Bayer 04 fans can look forward to new, functional folding seats for the season opener at the beginning of August - still in the club colours of black and red, of course. A glimpse at the BayArena during the refurbishment.
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On Monday evening, 8 June, around 250 people came to the Bürgerhaus Baumberg at the invitation of Bayer 04 to find out details of the new plans for the campus on Alfred-Nobel-Straße at an information event. More compact, greener and with many advantages for Monheim am Rhein - those are the aims. There were lively discussions for around three hours and some misunderstandings were cleared up.
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Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and Bayer 04 loanee Francis Onyeka are part of Germany's final squad for the U19 European Championships this summer. The tournament is in Wales from 24 June to 12 July.
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When Malik Tillman arrived at Bayer 04 Leverkusen from PSV Eindhoven last summer, he did more than just add attacking midfield strength to the team — he reconnected the club with a unique and understated American lineage that stretches back more than three decades.
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Bayer 04 are away to third-division club SV Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal. That was the outcome of the draw on Saturday night, 6 June, at the German Football Museum in Dortmund. The Werkself first round tie will be played between 21 and 24 August. The exact date has yet to be finalised.
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