This game sees two teams in contrasting form face off. While the Werkself have won nine of their 10 Bundesliga games so far this season, Union have lost each of the last eight. The head-to-head record is also in favour of Leverkusen, having lost only one of 11 previous competitive encounters (six wins, four draws).
Bayer 04 are calling for food donations for the Leverkusener Tafel. We therefore ask our fans to get involved and contribute food. Prior to kick-off, the club will be accepting donations at the collection points in the East (B1/B2) and North-West (entrance area near the Stelzen motorway) areas of the stadium from 13:30. You can find more information and a detailed list of the food required HERE. If you have any further questions, you can contact us by e-mail (soziales@bayer04.de) or by phone ((+49) 0214 8660 273).
Due to construction work, the RE7 and RE48 lines are currently not running at Leverkusen Opladen station. There will be a rail replacement service for fans travelling via this station.
The Berlin club are currently 16th in the Bundesliga table with six points from 10 games. The Köpenickers have managed just one solidary draw from their last 13 competitive fixtures, also losing their last eight in a row in the league. It is Union’s worst start to a Bundesliga season since first reaching this level in 2019. During the week they claimed a surprise 1-1 draw away at Napoli in the UEFA Champions League. An end to their 12-game losing run will have given the team confidence to turn around their form. You can find out more about our opponents in lowdown.
In co-operation with RWTH Aachen University, Bayer 04 will conduct a survey on fan travel today. The survey is aimed at all stadium visitors and will take place on site at the BayArena as well as digitally via an online questionnaire. Traffic counts will also be carried out at various junctions. Participation in the survey would be of great importance for optimising climate-friendly mobility. Further information can be found HERE.
The second district matchday of the season will also take place today against Union. Over the past few days and weeks, everyone in Quettingen has been able to enjoy activities organised by and with the Werkself. The highlight was the penalty shootout tournament between Opladen and Quettingen, which was also attended by club representative Stefan Kießling, Bayer 04 men’s player Ayman Aourir and women’s player Sofia Cava Marin. All information about the district match days can be found HERE.
Anyone wanting to read key information before the game should take a look at the new Werkself Live. The matchday programme, offering the most important facts and stats on the game in compact form, is available at the BayArena. Alternatively it is available free online. Click HERE for the e-paper.
The German FA (DFB) has appointed Timo Gerach as today’s referee. The 36-year-old has previously overseen one competitive fixture involving Leverkusen, which was the 2-0 win at home to Bochum last season. Gerach’s assistants are Florian Heft and Dominik Schaal. The VAR is Bastian Dankert.
As usual, Werkself Radio is available for anybody unable to be at today's game. The audio broadcast begins 30 minutes before kick-off with commentary provided by Niko Hartmann and Cedric Pick. In addition, the live text update service will keep you up-to-date to ensure you don't miss any of the key match action. Both Werkself Radio and the live text update service are available at bayer04.de and on the Bayer 04 app.
The situation ahead of the showdown is clear - and promising. The Bayer 04 U19s host Newcastle United on the sixth and final matchday of the 2025/26 UEFA Youth League phase. A win at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium would see the Werkself go through to the knockout stages of the competition for the first time. Ahead of the clash on Wednesday, 10 December (kick-off: 14:00 CET/livestream on bayer04.de and in the Bayer 04 app), coach Kevin Brok spoke about the successful build-up, his assessment of the match and the danger of underestimating the already eliminated English side.
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The Werkself will host VfB Stuttgart at the BayArena on matchday 16 of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season. The game is on Saturday, 10 January, at 18:30 CET. Information on ticket sales.
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The Werkself will host Werder Bremen at the BayArena on matchday 19 of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season. The game is on Saturday, 24 January, at 15:30 CET. Information on ticket sales.
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In the sixth and final match of the league phase of the UEFA Youth League 2025/26, the Bayer 04 U19s have a great opportunity to advance to the knockout phase of Europe’s most prestigious youth competition for the first time. To achieve that under their own steam, they will need a win against Newcastle United at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium on Wednesday, 10 December (kick-off: 14:00 CET/ free admission). In an interview with bayer04.de, managing director sport Simon Rolfes analyses the team's performances so far and their special situation. And the 43-year-old reveals what he would be happy to do without on the day of the match.
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The next opponents in the 2025/26 DFB Pokal have been announced: Bayer 04 will host Bundesliga rivals FC St. Pauli in the quarter-finals. That was the outcome of the draw held this Sunday evening, 7 December, at the German Football Museum in Dortmund, where long-time Bundesliga player and coach Friedhelm Funkel made the draw. The Werkself will play their quarter-final tie on 3-4 or 10-11 February 2026. The exact dates have yet to be finalised.
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