Mainz 05 triumphed in this fixture last season with a 3-2 win at the BayArena. For the Black-and-Reds it was one of only three home league defeats in total under Xabi Alonso, while for Mainz it's one of just two away wins in the league since October 2022. Bayer 04 came out on top in the last encounter though, winning 3-0 earlier this season.
The two sides have met competitively 36 times in total, with a slight advantage for the Werkself, who have won 19 games. Twelve have gone the way of Mainz, while just five have ended in a draw.
New boss Bo Henriksen, Mainz's third head coach of this season after Bo Svensson and Jan Siewert, got off to a perfect start with a 1-0 win against FC Augsburg last weekend. It ended a run of 11 games without a win and was only their second success of the current campaign. The Rhineland-Palatinate club, who signed Nadiem Amiri from Leverkusen in January, are particularly physical in their play. No side have contested more tackles per game than the 05ers this season (118). Two other stats underline this point: Mainz have registered the most fouls (298) and second-most cards (61). Read a more thorough analysis of the opponents HERE.
Bayer 04 is using the home game against Mainz as an opportunity to organise the second Bayer Sports Family Match Day of the season. With this event and many others, the historic connection between Bayer 04, TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Bayer AG is being passionately revived under the Cross. Numerous activities centred around the Bayer sports clubs and Bayer AG will provide a special setting today. The programme for the themed match day starts with the stadium opening at 18:30 CET in the area around the BayArena and offers a wide range of highlights. More information can be found HERE.
The German Football Association (DFB) has appointed Timo Gerach as the referee for tonight's fixture. The 37-year-old has officiated two matches involving the Werkself to date, with the Black-and-Reds winning both. Gerard will be assisted on the touchlines by Florian Heft and Robert Wessel, with Felix Zwayer as the VAR.
There’s lots going on at the BayArena today. The home game against FSV Mainz 05 is all about the numerous Bayer 04 fan clubs, whose birth - the founding of the "1. Fanclub 1976 Leverkusen" - dates back 50 years. A number of fan club representatives will be involved in awards, a banner display and a half-time matchday chat, and the Werkself are set to play in a special white fan club jersey. During half-time, Leverkusen mayor Stefan Hebbel and javelin world champion Steffi Nerius will also talk about the Olympic bid involving Leverkusen. Black and Red fans are advised to get to the stadium in good time today. Matchday news.
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The Werkself host Premier League club Arsenal in the Round of 16 first leg in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League campaign. The match at the BayArena is on 10/11 March. Read on for information on ticket sales for this fixture.
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The draw for the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 was made today, Friday 27 February: Bayer 04 face Premier League leaders Arsenal. Managing director sport Simon Rolfes sees the English team as a "top opponent" and is looking forward to meeting former Werkself players Kai Havertz and Piero Hincapie again.
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After three consecutive victories, FSV Mainz 05 recently suffered setbacks against Borussia Dortmund (0-4) and Hamburger SV (1-1) in the battle to stay up. Nevertheless, the Mainz 05 performance curve has shown a clear upward trend in recent weeks. Their coach and a former Leverkusen player in particular have played a decisive role in this. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without Spanish player Lucas Vázquez for the time being. The experienced full-back and winger suffered an injury to his right calf during the Werkself's Champions League match against Olympiacos (0-0) on Tuesday.
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