Bayer 04 and Darmstadt 98 have previously faced each other seven times. The Werkself came out on top in five matches with the Lilies winning twice. The last fixtures in the Bundesliga were in 2016/17 with Bayer 04 winning both games (3-2, 2-0).
A win against Darmstadt would continue the successful start to the season: The first two Bundesliga games have been one for the first time in four years. There have twice been three victories at the start of a campaign: In 2013/14 and 2003/04.
The visitors from Darmstadt have had a disappointing start of the season with two defeats – that did not happen in their first four seasons in the Bundesliga. Over seasons, the Lilies have lost their last four games – the longest run of defeats since January 2021.
Bayer 04 staging the Bayer Sports Family matchday for the first time at the home game against Darmstadt 98. With this event and many others, the historic connection linking Bayer 04, TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Bayer AG is being revived under the Cross. The programme of the matchday starts with the stadium opening at 13.30 CEST and there will be a wide variety of highlights on the concourse at the BayArena.
A special experience awaits for a large number of TSV young athletes. The Bayer sports clubs will provide all the player escorts, banner and flagbearers on the home matchday against Darmstadt. They will all wear their own club kits as they come into the stadium thereby representing a large number of different sports including boxing, fencing, judo and athletics. The main and shirt sponsor Barmenia is foregoing the addition of the Barmenia name. Many thanks for this generous gesture. Further information on the Bayer Sports Family matchday programme is available HERE.
The new season also brings changes in the catering offer at the BayArena. A Veggie Corner is a new food option in the north-east side of the stadium. Here you can buy vegan Bratwurst, vegan Currywurst and ‘No chicken nuggets’. There is also the Kids menu for the youngest Bayer 04 fans. Drop by! Further information and prices are available HERE.
With rail cancellations at Leverkusen Mitte station there will again be challenges with travel to and from the game. Information on replacement buses is published and constantly updated on the Deutsche Bahn website.
Anyone wanting to read key information before the game should take a look at the new Werkself Live. The matchday programme, offering in compact form the most important facts and stats on the game, is available at the BayArena. Alternatively it is available free online. Click HERE for the e-paper.
SV Darmstadt 98 have lost all three of their first games in the new season. The unexpected 3-0 defeat in the first round of the DFB-Pokal away to fourth tier FC Homburg was particularly painful. "For the first time in my two years at the Lilies I have to say: We can only apologise to our fans for this performance and going out of the cup," declared coach Torsten Lieberknecht. His team did lose the first two Bundesliga matches away to Eintracht Frankfurt (0-1) and at home to Union Berlin (1-4) but Darmstadt looked completely different in those games. Further information on the newly promoted club is available in our lowdown on the next opponents.
The German Football Association (DFB) has appointed Sven Jablonski as the referee for today's game. For the 33-year-old match official this will be his twelfth game involving the Werkself (seven wins, one draw, three defeats). Jablonski's assistant referees are Sascha Thielert and Marcel Unger with Harm Osmers in action as the VAR.
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 Cedric Pick and Niko Hartmann. 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 – just log on.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
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Welcome to Leverkusen, Carles Martínez Novell. Bayer 04 have appointed the 42-year-old Spaniard as the new head coach on a contract to 2028. Martínez most recently worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. He previously spent four years at Barcelona's legendary academy La Masia in his home city. Bayer04.de introduces Martínez in more detail.
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Bayer 04 plans for the 2026/27 pre-season continue to take shape. The Werkself will kick off the new season in mid-July with the return to the training ground. The highlight will be the official season opener on 8 August at the BayArena, including a friendly against La Liga club Sevilla. Friendlies in Germany will take the team to neighbouring Monheim, Offenbach and Jena.
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Strengthening the Bayer 04 Leverkusen youth teams: Konstantinos Kotsifakis will join the Werkself from Bundesliga 2 club Hertha Berlin for the 2026/27 season, where he will be a permanent member of the Leverkusen U19 coaching set-up. The German-Greek will also take on an operational role in coaching the Bayer 04 Future Team. The 29-year-old was most recently head coach of the U17s at Hertha Berlin.
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Another award for the Bayer 04 head groundsman and staff: After coming top in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons, the BayArena pitch came second in the Bundesliga Pitch of the Year ranking for the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg secured the top spot this year, with TSG Hoffenheim in third place.
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