#B04FCB: Match facts
The Werkself have won two of the last three home league meetings with Bayern (2-1 and 3-0), with the most recent being a goalless draw last season. It’s the Bavarians’ longest winless and goalless run away from home in the Bundesliga right now. Their last two visits to the BayArena are also the only games in their last 59 on the road in the Bundesliga where they have failed to score. They now come to Leverkusen, who have the joint-best home defensive record in the Bundesliga alongside Borussia Dortmund (11 goals conceded each).
Defensive efforts are only part of the package provided by both teams, though. Both Bayer 04 and Bayern look to control games and are the top two sides for passes played. Aleix Garcia (2,411 passes) and Joshua Kimmich (1,874) are the two leaders in the division in that regard. The Werkself also boast an in-form striker of their own with 19-year-old Christian Kofane, who has two goals and two assists in his last three Bundesliga outings – the same total he managed in his first 19 appearances in Germany’s top flight.
Focus on Bayern
Bayern’s attacking prowess is well documented this season. Harry Kane leads the scoring chart with 30 goals, while Michael Olise tops the standings for assists with 16. Third and second respectively in those lists is Luis Diaz, with 14 goals and 11 assists in his maiden Bundesliga campaign. Even without Kane in their last two fixtures, Vincent Kompany’s team have seen off Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-1 and won 6-1 away at Atalanta. They are 11 points clear at the Bundesliga summit, but the Werkself can still have a big say in how their season unfolds, with another meeting at the BayArena on 22 April in the DFB Pokal semi-finals. To do that, Kasper Hjulmand’s men will likely need to take advantage of possibly Bayern’s only major weakness, as they did already in Wednesday’s draw with Arsenal. Get more on Bayern in our in-depth opposition profile.
Dingert in charge
The German FA (DFB) have appointed Christian Dingert to oversee this game. It’s his 23rd involving the Werkself, producing 13 previous wins, including a 2-0 victory at home to Bayern in May 2015, thanks to goals from Hakan Calhanoglu and Julian Brandt. Benedikt Kempkes and Marco Achmüller are the assistants. Pascal Müller is the VAR.
Olympics half-time talk with mayors
As was the case during the home match against Mainz, stadium announcers Pitti Dahl and Tobi Ufer will once again welcome guests from the world of politics for a half-time talk: Bernhard Schwank, head of sport and volunteering at the state chancellery, along with Mayors Stefan Hebbel (Leverkusen) and Torsten Burmester (Cologne), will discuss the Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr region’s bid for the 2036, 2040 and 2044 Olympic Games. Special corner flags and a banner on the pitch will also draw attention to the topic. Whilst matches in the football tournament are to be held in Leverkusen, Cologne would host a total of 17 sports and parasports. A referendum on the bid is taking place via postal vote in all participating municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia up to 19 April.
Food collection outside the BayArena
In the run-up to the match, Bayer 04 is also continuing its successful partnership with the Tafel Leverkusen e.V. foodbank and setting up food collection points outside the BayArena. Fans of the Werkself can donate food and hygiene items in front of Block A (south-east) and Blocks E and F (north-west) from when the stadium opens at 13:30 until kick-off at 15:30, thereby supporting the important work of the food bank in Leverkusen. Bayer 04 would like to thank everyone in advance for their help.
