Leverkusen play FC Köln for the 90th time. The record is slightly in favour of Bayer 04 (34 wins, 30 drawers, 25 defeats).
Moreover: While the Werkself have made the best start to the league in the club's history with 16 points from six games, the team from Cologne are having their worst ever campaign so far in the Bundesliga with just one point from six league games (one draw, five defeats). In addition, the Werkself have the equal best attack in the league with 20 goals scored (Bayern Munich also have 20) while FC Köln along with Mainz and Eintracht Frankfurt have the least effective attack with four goals so far.
Good news for all passengers on the ÖPNV network: Leverkusen Mitte station is back in action after a long period reconstruction. That will again make it easier for Bayer 04 fans to get to and from the stadium. Albeit the station is not accessible for everybody. Alternatively you can travel on S-Bahn 6 from Cologne/Düsseldorf to Chempark and then take a shuttle bus to the BayArena. All buses on this route take wheelchairs.
A survey on fan match travel is being carried out by Bayer 04 in cooperation with RWTH Aachen on Bundesliga matchday seven against FC Köln. The questionnaire is aimed at all spectators at the derby and is being carried out via an online questionnaire in and around the BayArena by students from RWTH. There will also be traffic censuses at different points. The travel survey is aimed at developing measures to make the matchday experience more sustainable. Participation on Sunday would therefore be of great significance for the maximisation of climate friendly travel. The questions are in part aimed at finding out which methods of transport Bayer 04 fans use to watch Werkself games.
A false start for the team from Cologne: FC Köln are currently bottom of the table with one point right at the other end of the Bundesliga than the Black and Reds. However, the current FC Köln form will not necessarily determine the outcome of matchday seven as derby games often prove to have their own rules. The Werkself with captain Lukas Hradecky will have to be ready for a tight match against a tough opponent who would definitely like to take their first three league points this term against Leverkusen. Further information on FC Köln can be found in our lowdown on the next opponents.
Anyone wanting to read key information before the game should take a look at the new Werkself Live. The matchday programme, offering the most important facts and stats on the game in compact form, is available at the BayArena. Alternatively it is available free online. Click HERE for the e-paper.
The German Football Association (DFB) has appointed Felix Zwayer as the referee for the clash at the BayArena. The 42-year-old match official has previously been in charge of 30 games involving the Werkself. His assistants are Stefan Lupp and Christian Dietz with Sören Storks in action as the VAR. Have a good game!
As usual, Werkself Radio is available for anybody unable to be at today's game. The audio broadcast begins 30 minutes before kick-off with commentary provided by Niko Hartmann and Cedric Pick. In addition, the live text update service will keep you up-to-date to ensure you don't miss any of the key match action. 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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