The Werkself start matchday 12 top of the table with 31 out of a possible 33 points and Werder Bremen are currently twelfth. Werder have picked up ten of their eleven points this term at the Weserstadion. That puts them seventh in the home form table while they are seventeenth in the away table. The Werkself have won all away games this season with the exception of the 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich.
The record for Bayer 04 in Bremen over recent years is positive from a Black and Red perspective: The Werkself have earned three wins and two draws in the last five visits to the Weserstadion. The last away defeat was in October 2016 (1-2).
After three games without defeat, with Werder Bremen picking up five points, the team have made up ground in the table. The Green and Whites were fourteenth on matchday eight just two points above the relegation spots. The team led by coach Ole Werner are now in eleventh place after the 2-0 win against Union Berlin and the two 2-2 draws away to VfL Wolfsburg and at home to Eintracht Frankfurt. The gap to seventeenth place is now five points. Not yet comfortable but nevertheless a small cushion. Further information on today's opponents can be found in our lowdown on the next opponents.
Ahead of today's game in the Hanseatic city, Bayer 04 have taken up the full allocation of away tickets. A total of 4,000 Bayer 04 fans are expected to get behind the Werkself in Bremen. Away tickets will not be on sale at the Weserstadion.
The German Football Association (DFB) has appointed Martin Petersen as today's match referee. The 38-year-old referee has previously been in charge of six games involving the Werkself with an outcome of three wins, one draw and two defeats. Petersen will be assisted by Alexander Sather and Robert Wessel with Daniel Schlager in action as the VAR.
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.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
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Welcome to Leverkusen, Carles Martínez Novell. Bayer 04 have appointed the 42-year-old Spaniard as the new head coach on a contract to 2028. Martínez most recently worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. He previously spent four years at Barcelona's legendary academy La Masia in his home city. Bayer04.de introduces Martínez in more detail.
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Bayer 04 plans for the 2026/27 pre-season continue to take shape. The Werkself will kick off the new season in mid-July with the return to the training ground. The highlight will be the official season opener on 8 August at the BayArena, including a friendly against La Liga club Sevilla. Friendlies in Germany will take the team to neighbouring Monheim, Offenbach and Jena.
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Strengthening the Bayer 04 Leverkusen youth teams: Konstantinos Kotsifakis will join the Werkself from Bundesliga 2 club Hertha Berlin for the 2026/27 season, where he will be a permanent member of the Leverkusen U19 coaching set-up. The German-Greek will also take on an operational role in coaching the Bayer 04 Future Team. The 29-year-old was most recently head coach of the U17s at Hertha Berlin.
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Another award for the Bayer 04 head groundsman and staff: After coming top in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons, the BayArena pitch came second in the Bundesliga Pitch of the Year ranking for the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg secured the top spot this year, with TSG Hoffenheim in third place.
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