The PreZero Arena has been a happy hunting ground for the Werkself to date. Leverkusen boast their highest win percentage away to TSG (65%) out all the teams who they've visited at least five times. Patrik Schick and Alejandro Grimaldo particularly enjoy playing against Hoffenheim - against no other team have the pair registered more goal involvements in the league (9 and 4 respectively). With the joint third-best attacks in the German top flight (both 34 goals) going head to head, it promises to be an attacking spectacle on Saturday afternoon. That was the case on the Werkself's last visit to the Kraichgau in September 2024, when the Black-and-Reds triumphed 4-1, with Martin Terrier's first goal for the club setting the course.
TSG carried their good form before the winter break into the new year with an impressive 5-1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach in midweek. Christian Ilzer's side have now lost just one of their last 10 league matches. A number of their summer signings have impressed, not least in defence with Albian Hajdari, Bernardo and Vladimir Coufal. In attack, too, newcomers Tim Lemperle and Fisnik Asllani have shone alongside stalwart Andrej Kramaric. Ilzer has done a fine job of integrating after a summer of upheaval in the squad, creating an impressive team spirit and high intensity. If there are weaknesses, then they're vulnerability to the counter-attack and problems defending set pieces. Bayer 04 could capitalise on that with their pace in attack and defenders who are strong in the air. There's more on TSG in our comprehensive opposition analysis.
The Werkself can count on the vocal support of over 2,300 Bayer 04 supporters at the PreZero Arena. Some tickets will be available on the gate when the stadium opens at 13:30.
The Matchday 18 clash will be overseen by Daniel Schlager. Leverkusen have won eight of the 12 games that the 36-year-old has officiated, including the aforementioned victory at Hoffenheim last season. Schlager will be assisted on the touchlines by Sven Waschitzki-Günther and Tobias Fritsch, with Arne Aarnink the VAR.
Bayer 04 host Borussia Mönchengladbach at the BayArena on matchday 12 of the 2026/27 Bundesliga season. The schedule for the game remains to be confirmed. The latest information on ticket sales.
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Bayer 04 host Eintracht Frankfurt at the BayArena on matchday 14 of the 2026/27 Bundesliga season. The schedule for the game remains to be confirmed. The latest information on ticket sales.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04 Women's 0-1 loss at Bayern Munich in the round of 16 of the women's DFB-Pokal 2026/27
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“As far as mentality and determination are concerned, we have nothing to reproach ourselves for,” Robert Andrich said up after the first home defeat for the Werkself this term. In terms of their play, too, the Black and Reds put in a respectable performance for long stretches of this intense and physical match, outperforming VfB Stuttgart in most areas. It was only in terms of efficiency in front of goal that the Swabians had the edge over the Werkself. Head coach Carles Martínez wants to learn from this so that, in future, they can “win this sort of match too”. The Werkself review.
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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 working 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 personal 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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