As a result of construction work on the roads and rail, delays are expected in the Cologne metropolitan area this weekend . The main reasons are the closure of the A1 motorway in both directions at the Cologne North intersection on Friday night as well as track maintenance work affecting the RE5, RB26 and RB48 train services. Fans are advised to allow more time for their journey. And waterproof clothing may also be advisable as rain is forecast.
Back to football. Since the 5-1 win at Gladbach,, the Werkself are finally back in the top half of the table in ninth place on 12 points. In contrast, FC Köln have made one of the worst starts in the history of the Bundesliga and are currently bottom of the top-flight table on just two points. The situation looks clear on paper. And the record books are also positive in one direction: The neighbouring cities have met 60 times in the Bundesliga. Bayer 04 have won 22 times and suffered 14 defeats with the other 24 encounters ending all square.
The last nine Bundesliga games show the Werkself feel more secure at the BayArena than they do on the road: Heiko Herrlich's team have collected eight out of their 12 points at home. Only TSG Hoffenheim (2-2) and VfL Wolfsburg (2-2) have taken points in Leverkusen this season with SC Freiburg (0-4) and Hamburg SV (0-3) leaving empty-handed – and second division Union Berlin were also sent packing in a 4-1 defeat in the DFB Cup on Tuesday. It remains to be seen whether the same fate will meet FC Köln on Saturday. The Rhine rivals have not won any of their last 12 away games (four draws and eight defeats). And: The Black and Reds have won 14 of their 22 wins against the team from Cologne in front of their own fans.
The Werkself fans have seen 20 goals this season – an average of two every game. By comparison: FC fans have only witnessed three goals. After nine games in the Bundesliga, only the two teams on top of the league on equal points, Borussia Dortmund (25) and Bayern Munich (22), have scored more goals than the Herrlich team. One notable fact is that the 20 goals have been scored by 12 players – best in the league made in Leverkusen. Another impressive run is also the best in the league: The Werkself have scored in all of their last 14 Bundesliga fixtures.
The 5-1 win at Gladbach was a real treat. Leverkusen have only scored five goals in a half once before and that was the 9-1 win against Ulm on 18 March 2000. With the exception of Wendell's shot against the bar, all the shots on the Foals' goal in the second half ended in the back of the net. Kai Havertz played a key role in the victory. The youngster was on fire in the second half with three assists. The 18-year-old is the youngest player in the Bundesliga to set up three goals in a league match. That could only be more sensational if he manages to do the same against FC Köln.
Playing in blue shirts away to FC Bayern and at Mainz did not bring any luck as the games ended in defeat both times. The Werkself played in their red shirts in the last two away games – picking up four points. Herrlich's team also played in red in the DFB Cup game at the BayArena on Tuesday. And they got through to the Round of 16. Bayer 04 will again wear red shirts, red shorts and red socks against FC Köln. According to the motto: Show your colours and fly the flag.
The pros game kicks off at 15.30 CET. When the stadium opens at 13.30 CET, the Bayer 04 and FC Köln veterans teams will face each other in the shadow of the BayArena. The veterans teams of the two Rhine neighbours will play a game of 30 minutes each way. The Bayer 04 side will include former stars Erik Meijer, Marko Babic and Falko Götz and Stephan Engels and Matthias Hönerbach will be in the ranks of the FC Köln old boys. Anybody unable to be there can watch the match live on the Bayer 04 Facebook site.
Falko Götz, former Bundesliga coach and 1988 UEFA Cup winner with Bayer 04, and Matthias Hönerbach, former Bayer 04 youth player and FC pro will not face each other in the Veterans game. They will watch the match between the Black and Reds and the Red and Whites at the BayArena before moving on to the Schwadbud at around 17.45 CET as guests at the popular #W11Fantalk to discuss the big match. If you have any questions for the pair you are welcome to send them via Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #W11Fantalk.
Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...
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After being nominated for the Bundesliga Goal of the Year 2025, Martin Terrier's wonderful strike for the opener against FC Köln is now also up for selection for the ARD Sportschau Goal of the Month award for December 2025. Bayer 04 fans have until 19:00 CET on 10 January to vote for the French forward.
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After a break of almost two weeks, the Bayer 04 Women begin preparing for games in 2026 on Sunday. Bayer04.de provides an overview of the dates at the start of the second half of the season.
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Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
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