
Bastian, what's your assessment of the season so far?
We're very happy overall up to now. We've been able to develop a new DNA. Particularly after a poor season last term, we owed our fans a lot.
You're playing for Schalke against your former club Bayer 04 on Saturday on matchday 14. Is this game special for you?
Of course, Bayer 04 are my hometown club. I went there when I was ten so it's always special to play against them – above all at the BayArena. I will often went there as a kid and I'll definitely see one or two familiar faces again on Saturday.
What sort of game are you expecting?
Leverkusen are a very strong side as they've very often shown this season. We are definitely up against one of the best teams in the league on Saturday. We'll have to be on top of our game to get a result.
You were born in Bergisch Gladbach and grew up in the region. How much support will you have in the stands at the weekend?
My family still lives in Bergisch Gladbach. Everybody goes to the game when we play at Leverkusen. So I'll have to organise some tickets again for Saturday.
You were in nearly all the youth teams at Bayer 04. Is there one particular highlight that stands out from that time?
I'll never forget the U19 Bundesliga final against Bayern Munich (2006/07, ed.). We played in front of 22,000 crowd at the BayArena and won 2-1 after extra time. That was particularly special – above all at such a young age.
Finally, the obligatory question: What's your prediction for the game against your former club?
I obviously hope we win and I think we can do it by a one-goal margin.

Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 4-0 win at SGS Essen on the 24th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga 2025/26.
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In the previous game against RB Leipzig in December last year, the Werkself turned came from behind to win 3-1 and further improved Leverkusen's already strong record against the Red Bulls. Montrell Culbreath stood out with his first goal on his debut for the Black and Reds. While the 18-year-old would certainly like to score a second goal against Leipzig on Saturday night, the attack-minded visitors come to the BayArena in confident mood after five Bundesliga victories in a row. The Nordkurve12 supporters group knows the Werkself will therefore once again be reliant on the vociferous support of the fans, and has once again called for the ‘Finally Red’ campaign in the run-in. Today’s matchday news.
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Video games manufacturer Electronic Arts (EA), together with the German Football League (DFL), announced the top male and female selections for the 2025/26 Bundesliga season this week. Bayer 04 striker Vanessa Fudalla is in the starting eleven of the women's "Team of the Season". Alejandro Grimaldo and Aleix Garcia have been selected as bench players in the men's team.
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After matchday 31 and the 2-1 derby win in Cologne, one thing is certain: Bayer 04 will at least compete in the UEFA Europa League in the coming 2026/27 campaign. But the Werkself want more. Looking at the race for Champions League qualification and the remaining three league fixtures, including against direct rivals, bayer04.de outlines the possible scenarios in the season run-in.
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This special event showed once again how strong Bayer 04 are as a team: As part of ‘BarmeniaGothaer gives joy’, the Werkself players Edmond Tapsoba, Ibrahim Maza and Christian Kofane supported the sale of individually designed T-shirts for a good cause at the Fanwelt on Thursday. Several hundred fans came to take part in the charity campaign. Leverkusen's main sponsor BarmeniaGothaer donated the proceeds to the Fondation Edmond Tapsoba, which helps people in Tapsoba's home country of Burkina Faso in their challenging everyday lives.
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