Today's match brings together the team with the best home record against the side with the current best away record. While BVB are unbeaten at home in the league for the last eleven games and are top of the home form table, the Werkself are on a run of 24 Bundesliga away games unbeaten having completed 2024 without a single league defeat on the road.
BVB are on another long run. Since 2004, Borussia Dortmund are unbeaten both in the first Bundesliga match of a new year (15 wins, five draws) as well as in Friday home games (30 wins, nine draws). Both are current records in the history of the Bundesliga.
With a 3-1 victory away to VfL Wolfsburg in the final game of last year, the team under head coach Nuri Sahin picked up another three important points before the winter break as they moved up to sixth in the table to keep in touching distance with the Champions League spots. It was the first away win of the season. With room for improvement away from home contrasting with strength on their own turf there is a lack of consistency overall in the BVB performances. Nuri Sahin said: "We've had too many ups and downs. I expect me and my team to be more consistent." Further information on Borussia Dortmund can be found in our lowdown on the next opponents.
The Black and Reds can look forward to strong support in the first competitive match in the new calendar year. 8,000 supporters will fill the away section at the clash with BVB. The Bayer 04 Fan Liaison team have compiled key information for the away game in Dortmund for the travelling Leverkusen support. HERE is the fan information.
There will be a minute's silence before the kick-off at tonight’s top match for the long-standing BVB keeper and former goalkeeping coach Wolfgang 'Teddy' de Beer. The former football player passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 60 on 30 December. The club legend won nine trophies with BVB – as a goalkeeper, reserve keeper and goalkeeping coach.
The German Football Association (DFB) has appointed Tobias Stieler as the referee for the opening fixture on Bundesliga Matchday 16. The 43-year-old referee has previously been in charge of 30 games involving the Werkself (24 wins, three draws, three defeats). Stieler's assistant referees are Christof Günsch and Frederick Assmuth with Robert Schröder in action as the VAR official.
The match will be broadcast live on free TV by Sat. 1 as well as by Sky on pay TV. 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.
The Germany U19 team were beaten 2-0 by record champions Spain in the final of the U19 European Championship in Wales. Bayer 04 players Montrell Culbreath and Francis Onyeka (on loan at SV 07 Elversberg) were in the starting line-up and played the full 90 minutes.
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have signed France U17 international Kenan Doganay. The 1.90-metre-tall defensive midfielder, who has Turkish roots, joins Leverkusen from the U19s at French top-flight club Olympique Lyon. He will initially train with and play for the U19 team.
Show more
The Sports Tribunal of the German Football Association (DFB) has fined Bayer 04 Leverkusen €185,000 for spectators setting off pyrotechnic devices during a total of five competitive matches. This relates to four Bundesliga matches and the DFB Pokal semi-final against Bayern Munich. The highest individual fine relates to the away match at FC Köln at the end of April.
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended the contract with U19 goalkeeper Simeon Rapsch. The Germany youth international goalkeeper has signed a long-term contract with the Werkself running to 30 June 2029. The 18-year-old joined Leverkusen from FC Viktoria Köln in the summer of 2024.
Show more
