#finallyRED
The club and fans are reviving a tradition to make it happen: ‘Finally Red’ – originally launched by the NK12 Fan Club. Since the Cup Final in 2009 the home end has regularly been turned into a sea of deep red. Eight years later, the intention is for every home supporters area at the BayArena to be in that colour. That’s why the fan organisations and the club are calling on everyone to wear red for Saturday’s derby at home to FC Köln. Replica shirts, pullovers, T-shirts, shirts or jackets – everybody will recognise support for the team straight away: For Bayer 04! For our SVB!
Bayer 04 lead in derby stats
Bayer 04 and FC Köln meet for Rhine derby number 60 in the Bundesliga. The previous 59 games have seen Bayer 04 win significantly more often than Köln: The Werkself have won 22 and the neighbours from Cologne 14 with 23 matches ending all square. The Werkself can extend that positive stat on Saturday basede on a particularly good record at home. Leverkusen have won 17 of the 32 matches with ten ending in draws.
Latest derby since 1988
It's a long time since the Werkself have played the team from Cologne so late in the season. To be exact, the last time was in May 1988 with the 2-2 draw ensuring the relegation of FC Köln.
Unique in the league
This fixture is unique in the whole of the Bundesliga. The BayArena and the Rhein Energie Stadium are just 14.6 km apart as the crow flies. No other two grounds are as close together.
Ever-present Bernd Leno
Bernd Leno has played every minute in the previous 32 matches this season. He shares the most time on the pitch with seven other ever-presents in the league and they are all goalkeepers. In addition to Bernd Leno, only Yann Sommer (Gladbach), Ralf Fährmann (Schalke), Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Marwin Hitz (Augsburg), Rune Jarstein (Hertha) and Alexander Schwolow (Freiburg) have played every minute between the posts
Höger and Risse return to Leverkusen
The current FC Köln players Marco Höger and Marcel Risse started their careers at Leverkusen. Marco Höger played for Werkself youth teams from 2001 to 2005. His team-mate Marcel Risse also played for Bayer 04 youth sides winning the U19 German title in 2007 and the youth cup a year later in 2008. Höger could play against the Werkself on Saturday but Risse is unlikely to be in the squad as he is still recovering from a torn cruciate.
Bus stops changed
The stops for buses to Bergisch Gladbach and Mathildenhof after the game have been changed. Click here for new arrangements >> (PDF).
Live action on the Live app
The Bayer 04 live app, voted as one of the most innovative apps by a large app blog, will be full of derby information on Saturday. You can download the app to follow the Werkself home game wherever you are at bit.ly/b04live.
In mid-August, the Werkself will set off on a four-day trip to England to play their final two friendly matches of the 2026/27 pre-season against Premier League clubs Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United. The match in Nottingham against the Tricky Trees is on Wednesday 12 August at 20:45 CEST (19:45 BST) at the City Ground. The game against the Magpies in Newcastle is on Saturday 15 August at 16:00 CEST (15:00 BST) at the atmospheric St James’ Park. Details on ticket sales for both matches.
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Black and Red talent development at the highest level – even off the pitch: Apprentices Jule Suermann, Leandra Bellia and Julia Niederheide have successfully completed their two- or three-year apprenticeships at the club. Bayer 04 honoured the trio at the BayArena on Tuesday.
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Rieden reloaded: Just like last year, the Bayer 04 Women’s team are spending their summer training camp in this idyllic corner of Bavaria. From this Sunday, coach Roberto Pätzold’s team will be based in Rieden in the Upper Palatinate for a week.
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Following the summer break, most of the players are back in Leverkusen. While two Bayer 04 first-team players are still in action at the World Cup, the players present officially kicked off the new season with fitness assessments. At the Werkstatt, the Bayer 04 rehabilitation and training centre, Robert Andrich, Edmond Tapsoba and the rest of the squad worked up quite a sweat in the sweltering summer heat. New signings Afonso Moreira and Kennet Eichhorn also successfully completed the day’s sessions alongside their new team-mates.
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