Once again this year, the German Football League (DFL) and clubs in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 are supporting the 'Day of remembrance day in German football' on 27 January 2025, the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Birkenau concentration camp. That place is symbolic for the Holocaust, the genocide of European Jews perpetrated by the Nazis in the Second World War. German football is sending out a clear message: 'Nie wieder!' (Never again!). This ‘Never again’ is now. And forever!
With the aim of greater transparency, this matchday in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 marks the start of the pilot project on announcing refereeing decisions. At selected fixtures up to the end of the season referees will be able to announce their decisions via the PA system in certain situations on the pitch. One of the games selected is today's home clash for the Werkself against TSG Hoffenheim. Further information is available HERE.
The two teams have previously met 33 times in the Bundesliga. The Werkself have won 20 and TSG seven with six draws. Hoffenheim have only lost more matches in the Bundesliga against Bayern Munich they have against Bayer 04. The last four games against the Werkself ended in defeat.
This term, with 18 points from 19 games, TSG are having their worst Bundesliga season since 2015/16 at this stage of the campaign (back then 14 points).
Bayer 04 are unbeaten in the last 23 Bundesliga games on a Sunday. Leverkusen have proved to be prolific in front of goal on this day of the week: The last three Bundesliga Sunday games were won by the Werkself with four goals at least scored in each of those matches.
TSG Hoffenheim are currently fifteenth in the table on 18 points. After a disappointing Hinrunde complete with a change of coaches – Christian Ilzer has been in charge since November 2024 – there has recently been a slight change in fortune. TSG won 3-1 at newly promoted Holstein Kiel and drew 2-2 at home to third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt. Even though last Thursday's 4-3 win against Anderlecht in the Europa League was not enough to progress to the next stage: The win may give TSG plenty of confidence for today's game against Bayer 04. More information can be found in our lowdown on the next opponents.
As part of today's members matchday, there are plenty of events and offers for Bayer 04 Club members. Since 30 January, there has been a 30% discount offer on Castore articles as well as the ''Members recruit members' campaign where existing members receive exciting rewards for each newly signed up member and can take part in a prize competition.
Since yesterday, Saturday 1 February, new articles in the Club collection have been available to members. And today's matchday sees the purple 2024/25 goalkeeper's shirt go on sale. Further information on the members matchday can be found HERE.
Anyone wanting to discover the latest information ahead of kick-off can take a look at the new Werkself Live. The matchday magazine, which includes key facts and stats on the match, is available at the BayArena. Alternatively it is available free online. HERE is the e-paper.
The German Football Association (DFB) has put Dr Robin Braun in charge of today's game. For the 28-year-old referee this is his third Bundesliga match and the first involving the Werkself. His assistant referees today are Rafael Foltyn and Asmir Osmanagic on the touchlines with Robert Schröder in action as the VAR match official.
The match will be broadcast live on DAZN. As ever, supporters unable to be at the match can follow the game on Werkself Radio. The audio broadcast starts 30 minutes before kick-off with commentary provided by Niko Hartmann and Cedric Pick. In addition, the live text update service will keep fans up-to-date. Both Werkself Radio and the live text update service are available at bayer04.de and on the Bayer 04 app.
Eliminated ahead of the offline round: On Tuesday, 18 November, the Leverkusen console pros played the two remaining matches in the online preliminary round of showdown two. After picking up six points from the first four games last week, the #B04eSports team bagged another three in the two final duels - but it wasn't enough. The Leverkusen team missed out on a place in the offline knockout round, which will take place in this second showdown on 23 November in Frankfurt am Main.
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The VBL Club Championship by WOW 2025/26 continues today, Tuesday 18 November, with the last two of the six online preliminary round matches in the second showdown. Starting at 18:00 CET, Bayer 04 face Karlsruher SC, followed by Borussia Mönchengladbach at 19:00 CET. The games will be streamed live on the Bayer 04 app and on the club Twitch channel. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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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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