Leipzig are currently on a longer losing run against Bayer 04 than against any other Bundesliga team, with the Werkself winning the last three league encounters. After a 2-0 victory in the second half of the 2022/23 season, there were two hard-fought 3-2 successes last term.
The spectators can expect another exciting contest today, where a number of players will also be facing their ex-club. Bayer 04 striker Patrik Schick, for example, spent the 2019/20 season with the Saxony club, while Nordi Mukiele, in Leipzig from 2018 to 2022, has just joined the Werkelf. Leipzig duo Kevin Kampl and Benjamin Henrichs, meanwhile, spent a number of years in the Bayer 04 youth teams and later also played at professional level for the Black-and-Reds.
Leipzig boast an impressive squad once again this season. Not only is the starting line-up packed with quality, but there's plenty of danger on the bench too. Take new signing Antonio Nusa, who is proving to be something of a super-sub so far. The Norwegian scored the winning goal four minutes after his introduction against VfL Bochum on Matchday 1, having taken just 74 seconds for his first goal in the cup against Rot-Weiss Essen a week earlier. Nusa adds to an already potent Leipzig attack containing Lois Openda, Benjamin Sesko and Xavi Simons. Marco Rose's side will be without captain Willi Orban today, however, as the centre-back was sent off against Bochum. There's more on our opponents in our in-depth analysis.
As part of today's Bundesliga match, the works club will appoint its former captain Jens Nowotny as honorary captain. The former Werkself defender thus joins the prestigious circle of seven club legends to date who are officially authorised to represent Bayer 04 in this special role.
The Bayer 04 honorary captains are: Rüdiger Vollborn, Bernd Schneider, Ulf Kirsten, Carsten Ramelow, Simon Rolfes, Stefan Kießling, Lars Bender, Jens Nowotny.
The Bayer 04 legends team have emulated Xabi Alonso's first team and claimed the German over-40 championship last weekend. Stefan Kießling, Patrick Helmes and Co won the DFB-Ü40-Cup in dramatic style in the last second i nBerlin.
The legends team will be honoured for this great achievement during the half-time break today.
Like they did in the cup match at Jena, the Werkself will wear black armbands for today's meeting in memory of Christoph Daum, the former Werkself coach who passed away at the age of 70 last Saturday. There will also be a minute's silence before kick-off.
The German Football Association (DFB) has appointed Dr. Matthias Jöllenbeck as the referee for the match against RB Leipzig. The 37-year-old has taken charge of five competitive games involving the Werkself to date, with a record of three wins and two defeats. Assisting Jöllenbeck today are Mark Borsch and Marcel Pelgrim on the lines and Tobias Welz as VAR.
Tonight's match is being broadcast live on Sky. As ever, there's also live text and radio commentary via bayer04.de and the Bayer 04 app (in German).
Just 11 days after their last encounter in the Bundesliga, Bayer 04 Women meet Hamburger SV again. On Sunday (15:00 CET), the two teams will be battling it out at the Volksparkstadion for a place in the DFB Cup quarter-finals. Coach Roberto Pätzold is aware of his team's status as favourites against the promoted outfit - and knows what it will come down to against the awkward opponents.
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Bayer 04 Women goalkeeper Charlotte Voll has been hit by injury again. The 26-year-old suffered an acromioclavicular joint separation in her left shoulder in the latter stages of the Bundesliga match at SC Freiburg on Monday and is set to be sidelined for a number of months. She underwent successful surgery in Düsseldorf on Friday.
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Like they did in the first showdown of the VBL Club Championship by WOW, which the Leverkusen gamers won in spectacular style, Marc and Sean Landwehr also started the second showdown with six points by beating TSG Hoffenheim and VfL Bochum 1848, last-16 participants of the first showdown. The #B04eSports team suffered defeat to SV Darmstadt 98 and Hertha BSC. Meanwhile, Keanu Senkbeil made his VBL CC debut in the clash with the capital club.
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The Bayer 04 Women will end 2025 with the Bundesliga top match against Bayern Munich on Monday night, 22 December. The schedule for matchdays 12 to 15 has been announced by the German Football Association (DFB). In addition to two away games on Fridays, Leverkusen also have a home game on a Saturday lunchtime.
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The next showdown in the VBL Club Championship 2025/26 is here. On their way to the offline round, to be held at the second showdown in Frankfurt am Main on 23 November, six opponents await in the online preliminary round. The #B04eSports team will face the first four this Thursday, 13 November, from 18:00 CET (live on the Bayer 04 app and on Twitch). The lowdown on our opponents.
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