The top match against the record champions has attracted great interest and not just in Germany. Bundesliga fixture number 91 between the two clubs is set to be broadcast to over 200 countries.
The Werkself have not been beaten in the last three Bundesliga games against Bayern Munich (two wins, one draw). That is the longest successful run for the Black and Reds against FC Bayern in the top-flight. Bayer 04 have not lost on the road in the last 19 league matches.
FC Bayern have made the equal best start to a league campaign this term with four wins in the four Bundesliga games so far and a goal difference of +13 (16-3).
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany does not have a full squad to choose from today. New signing Hiroki Ito (metatarsal) plus the formerly on loan at Leverkusen Josip Stanisic (knee) and fellow defender Sacha Boey (knee) are sidelined through injury. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, recently out of action for one game due to a knock, could be back in goal. A late decision will be made.
FC Bayern have clocked up an impressive 20 goals in their last three matches. A 6-1 win away to newly promoted Holstein Kiel was followed by a 9-2 victory over Dynamo Zagreb at home in the Champions League and last weekend saw a 5-0 win away to Werder Bremen. In addition to new signing Michael Olise, who has proved to be a big hit on the right wing, striker Harry Kane has been most impressive again. The England international said before today's top match: "We have to go into the game against Leverkusen with the same mentality, the same hunger as we did in previous matches. Last season they showed how strong they are. It will be a tough game.” Further information on today's opposition can be found in our lowdown on the next oppnents.
Alonso and his team can look forward to great support: 7500 Leverkusen supporters will be at the game at the Allianz Arena. The demand for tickets was very high and the whole away allocation was sold out in a day.
The Bayer 04 Fan Liaison team have put together information for Werkself fans travelling to the away game at the Allianz Arena. HERE is the fan information.
The German Football Association (DFB) has put Felix Zwayer in charge of the top match at FC Bayern. The 43-year-old referee has previously officiated 32 games involving the Werkself. Zwayer's assistants are Robert Kempter and Christian Dietz, Bastian Dankert is the VAR.
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. 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.
After being nominated for the Bundesliga Goal of the Year 2025, Martin Terrier's wonderful strike for the opener against FC Köln is now also up for selection for the ARD Sportschau Goal of the Month award for December 2025. Bayer 04 fans have until 19:00 CET on 10 January to vote for the French forward.
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Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
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"In every ending lies a new beginning" is a well-known saying. This phrase has probably never been more apt at Bayer 04. After winning the Bundesliga in 2023/24 and finishing as runners-up in 2024/25, the summer was the most eventful ever in terms of transfers. Over ten players and the coach, including the coaching staff, left the club. A lot of the heroes of the double-winning side began a new chapter. It was the end of an era. And at the same time the beginning of a new, very exciting and promising chapter for Leverkusen. The Werkself welcomed more than a dozen new arrivals, including experienced title-winners and young talents, to build a new "foundation for a successful team capable of winning titles" under the Bayer Cross, as managing director sport Simon Rolfes put it. A new spirit, a new hunger, a new story was to be created. Bayer04.de looks back at the first few months of this story and the final act of the preseason.
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43 points at the end of the last Bundesliga season were not only more than ever before for the Bayer 04 Women, but also led to a record fourth-place finish. That was followed by a Hinrunde with many more victories, but also some setbacks. In an interview with bayer04.de, sporting director Achim Feifel takes stock at the end of the year.
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With their wonderful goals, Martin Terrier and Florian Wirtz are up for the Bundesliga Goal of the Year 2025. Voting for fans will run exclusively via the official Bundesliga app until Sunday, 4 January.
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