
Borussia Mönchengladbach have not beaten Bayer 04 in the last nine Bundesliga meetings (two draws, seven defeats). The last league win for the Foals against the Werkself was on 2 November 2019 with the Black and Reds losing the game 2-1.
Today's game brings a reunion with some familiar faces. While the Foals head coach and Alonso predecessor Gerardo Seoane was in the Werkself dugout from the summer of 2021 to the autumn of 2022, the two Bayer 04 players Granit Xhaka and Jonas Hofmann used to play for Borussia Mönchengladbach. Xhaka was with the Foals from 2012 to 2016 and Hofmann from 2016 to 2023.
Bayer 04 open a new Bundesliga season the first time as champions of Germany. The last time the Werkself played in an opening fixture was against Bayern Munich in 2017/18.
The reigning champions of Germany have been unbeaten on Bundesliga matchday one for the past 22 seasons (17 wins, five draws). The last team to beat the champions of Germany on the first matchday was Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2001 with a 1-0 home win against Bayern Munich.
Three new leaders for the turnaround: After a difficult season, Borussia Mönchengladbach are looking to get back in the top half of the table at the start of the 2024/25 campaign. Help should come from three new signings, Tim Kleindienst (FC Heidenheim), Kevin Stöger (VfL Bochum) and Philipp Sander (Holstein Kiel). The trio have a lot of experience – and they will be looking to contribute to a successful start for Borussia in the Bundesliga opener against the champions of Germany Bayer 04. Further information on the team from the Lower Rhine is in the profile of our next opponents.
Directions, catering, contacts and more: The Bayer 04 fan liaison team have put together information on the away game at Borussia Park for the 5,000 travelling Werkself fans. You can find the fan information HERE.
The German Football Association (DFB) has put Robert Schröder in charge of the game in Mönchengladbach. The 38-year-old referee has previously officiated four games involving the Werkself with three wins and one defeat from a Black and Red perspective. Schröder's assistant referees today are Robert Wessel and Jan Clemens Neitzel-Petersen and Benjamin Cortus is the VAR.
The match will be shown live on Sat1 and the streaming service DAZN. As ever, supporters unable to be at the match can follow the game on Werkself Radio. The 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.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended Abdoulaye Faye’s contract by a further year to 30 June 2031. During the 2026/27 season, the talented defender will play for Celta Vigo on loan without an option to buy. The 21-year-old Senegalese is set to feature in La Liga and the UEFA Europa League with last season’s sixth-placed side in Spain.
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The Werkself's training camp in Weimarer Land all in one place: in our daily blog you'll find all the insights and updates from the day. The programme on day one (Sunday 2 August) includes a media round with managing director sport Simon Rolfes, free time for the team after the friendly against Rot-Weiss Essen and before an intensive week of training begins, as well as a coffee get-together where CEO Fernando Carro and Rolfes met around 100 fans in the afternoon.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have agreed Kerim Alajbegovic’s transfer to Italian record champions Juventus. The club brought the 18-year-old attacking player back to Leverkusen this summer via a buy-back option, following a season at Red Bull Salzburg. Until his move to Austria, the Bosnia international had been playing for Bayer 04’s Under-19s.
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A warm welcome to the Weimarer Land, Bayer 04! The Werkself moved into their accommodation for this year’s training camp on Saturday evening. In Blankenhain, Thuringia, head coach Carles Martínez’s team have a programme of gruelling training sessions – several of which will be open to fans – and team-building activities lined up for the next six days. We’ll be following the Werkself up close and providing you with exclusive insights, quotes, photos and videos from the training camp.
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With 22 days to go until the start of the Bundesliga campaign, the Bayer 04 Women’s team have gained a fresh boost of confidence. In a friendly against Belgian top-flight side KRC Genk on Saturday afternoon, coach Roberto Pätzold’s team secured a 1–0 win. Lobke Loonen (20’) scored the winner for the Black and Reds at the Kurtekotten training centre.
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