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.
The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
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On Friday afternoon, it will be decided which eight of the 36 participating teams Bayer 04 will face in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2026/27. At the draw in Monaco (live on UEFA.com), the Werkself will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, allocated according to the UEFA club coefficient. A match against an opponent from the same country is ruled out, as is facing more than two clubs from the same national association. Here’s a look at the pots and potential opponents.
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After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
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When Exequiel Palacios moved from the Argentinian club River Plate to Bayer Leverkusen on 1 January 2020, the then 21-year-old could not have imagined just how successful the next six and a half years would be for him. Pala, as he is known, had already won the Copa Libertadores – the most prestigious competition in South American club football – with River Plate. But there were still so many more trophies to come.
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