The wins in the big matches against Bayern Munich and Schalke 04 were followed by a 2-0 defeat against Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday 11 December. The Bayer 04 head coach Peter Bosz does not see that match as a setback. "We played very well and were compact. That must give us confidence for the rest of the games before the winter break – including against FC Köln," said the Dutchman at the pre-match press conference ahead of the derby.
The 56-year-old is well aware this clash is very special for the Werkself fans. Bosz continued ahead of his first Rhine derby against FC Köln: "Of course, I get it that this match is about much more than just three points – you can feel it. Everybody will be talking about it at work in the next few days."
Against Köln, currently bottom the table on eight points, it will be necessary to show a certain aggression on and off the ball. "And we have a team that can play very good football. That's the way we want to achieve victory," said Bosz who said he is able to call on a fit squad immediately before the winter break: "The players remain very focused. We have an experienced group used to playing twice or three times a week."
In the game on the other side of the Rhine, with over 4,000 fans travelling to support the Werkself, the head coach of the sixth-placed team has all players available with the exception of the suspended Jonathan Tah and injured players Mitchell Weiser and Joel Pohjanpalo. Bosz added: "We know we still have three very important games and I feel that we're ready!"
The Werkself conceded a goal at home for the first time since the beginning of January 67 minutes into the game against FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday. Jarell Quansah levelled late on for the final score of 1-1 to secure a point and avoid a first home defeat in six games. Bayer 04 were very critical of their performance after the game. The Werkself review.
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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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From special edition jerseys to fan banners, the home game against Mainz 05 was all about the many Bayer 04 fan clubs. Accordingly, a fitting tribute to the long-standing Werkself supporters was not to be missed during half-time in the Bundesliga match. Fernando Carro, CEO, honoured the up to 50-year anniversaries of six fan clubs in front of the coaches' benches at the BayArena.
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Werkself TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 1-1 draw against Mainz 05 on Matchday 24 of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season...
A late goal secured a point for Bayer 04 at home to FSV Mainz 05 in a match that saw the Black and Reds dominant in the second half. Despite lots of possession, the Werkself initially found few gaps and fell behind after 67 minutes when Sheraldo Becker scored in a Mainz counter-attack. In the closing stages, Leverkusen threw everything forward once again and equalised through Jarell Quansah (88').
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