What’s the latest news ahead of the home game against Mainz? What have the coaches said? And what’s new with the other Bayer 04 teams? The BayArena Aktuell match magazine (in German) is now online for the all the key information on the clash with Mainz 05.
Click HERE for the online edition.
Benjamin Cortus is in charge of today’s match at the BayArena. The Nuremberg-born referee has officiated in Germany’s top flight since 2016. Today’s game is his fourth involving the Black and Reds - the Werkself have won three and drawn one. His assistants are Florian Heft and Thomas Gorniak, the fourth official is Sven Waschitzki.
The secret has been out for a few hours now, Werkself fans finally know what the new home kit for next season looks like. “All in black” is the motto. Before Kai Havertz and Co. run out in their new kit today, you can get hold of the shirt from the online shop. Further information on the new kit is available HERE.
Ahead of the meeting with Mainz, Bayer 04 are again broadcasting ‘Spieltag – Die Show’. Joining in this time are André Ramalho (RB Salzburg) and Dario Kresic, who ended his playing career in the summer of 2017. The two guests are ideal candidates to analyse this match: The duo played for the Werkself and Mainz in the past – they were both in the Leverkusen squad in 2015/16. The broadcast starts at 15.00 CET and the show will be presented live by Mara on the Bayer 04 YouTube channel.
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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Kasper Hjulmand has led the Werkself back to winning ways and is back in the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League with Bayer 04 after the 3-0 win against Villarreal on Wednesday evening. In an interview with the Werkself magazine at the BayArena in the team meeting room, directly opposite the dressing room, he provided some special insights for the current issue, which was published in January. A conversation with the 53-year-old coach about values, attitudes and personal experiences as well as interests outside of football.
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The thrilling 3-1 win for Bayer 04 against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Hinrunde is a fond memory for Alejandro Grimaldo, with his brace from free kicks, and coach Kasper Hjulmand, who was in the dugout under the Cross for the first time. Now comes the return fixture in the metropolis on the River Main and after going out of the DFB Pokal and the Champions League, the full focus at Eintracht, currently managed by two interim coaches, is now on the Bundesliga. For their part, the Werkself will do everything in their power to continue the longest winning run against a Bundesliga club. The matchday news.
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Bayer 04 have ended Artem Stepanov’s loan deal at Nürnberg and agreed a new loan to Utrecht in the Netherlands. The Ukrainian striker did not play as much as hoped for at the Bundesliga 2 club and will now continue his development in the Eredivisie for the rest of 2025/26.
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The draw for the knockout play-offs of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League was made on Friday, 30 January and saw Bayer 04 paired with Olympiacos. It’s a reunion with the Greek side following the Werkself’s 2-0 loss in Athens on Matchday 7 of the league phase.
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