Head coach Peter Bosz made one change to the side that drew 0-0 at VfL Wolfsburg: Summer signing Patrik Schick (AS Roma) started up front in place of Lucas Alario thus making his starting eleven debut for the Black and Reds. Leon Bailey, who returned to Leverkusen at the start of the week after self-isolation in Jamaica, took the place of Joel Pohjanpalo in the squad.
The 700th Bundesliga home game for the Werkself started a good two hours before kick-off with an extremely pleasing and visible and palpable change in and around the stadium: Fans were allowed back into the BayArena for a league match for the first time since the beginning of March. Ahead of kick-off, they witnessed the official send-off for Xaver Zembrod. The 54-year-old was assistant coach at Bayer 04 up to the summer and has recently joined Leipzig.
In front of 6,000 frenetic and singing fans, who always maintained social distance, it was Schick of all people almost gave the Werkself the lead. However, from a Moussa Diaby cross, the RB defender Dayot Upamecano just managed to clear the ball out of play to deny the former Leipzig player (4'). At the other end, the former Leverkusen player Kevin Kampl also just missed the target three minutes later from eleven yards out.
Leipzig's Emil Forsberg broke the deadlock after just under a quarter of an hour: Yussuf Poulsen picked out the Swede who fired the ball under the bar to make it 1-0. However, the hosts refused to be bowed on their home stage and quickly responded with an equaliser: Kerem Demirbay tried his luck from 20 yards out – and he put the ball into the back of the Leipzig net with the help of the underside of the bar (20').
The Werkself increasingly took control of the game after the equaliser with Lars Bender having the next goalscoring opportunity: The right back tried from a similar position to the goalscorer Demirbay but his effort went high over the target (35'). Four minutes later, a header from new signing Schick was kept out by an impressive save from Peter Gulasci.
While the visitors’ coach Julian Nagelsmann made a second change at the restart – Hee-chan Hwang replaced Kampl – Bosz kept faith with his starting line-up. Shortly after that, Sven Bender went off to be replaced by Jonathan Tah (58'). The Werkself almost took the lead a minute later: Karim Bellarabi set up Florian Wirtz but he hit the left-hand post.
After a brief period without chances, there was danger again on 74 minutes: Substitute Christopher Nkunku hit a free kick towards the top left corner of the net but Lukas Hradecky pulled off a great save. Hwang hit the rebound just wide of the target to the left. The Werkself fans celebrated for a second time three minutes after Leipzig had nearly scored: Schick impressively curled a shot in at the far post – but he was offside when he received the ball. That was the end of the action with the two top teams deservedly sharing the points in the 1-1 draw.
Next Saturday, 3 October (kick-off: 15.30 CEST) the Werkself are away to newly promoted VfB Stuttgart on matchday three. That is followed by the second international break of the season.
Bayer 04: Hradecky – L. Bender (Dragovic 90'), S. Bender (Tah 58'), Tapsoba, Sinkgraven – Aránguiz, Demirbay (Amiri 78’) – Bellarabi (Bailey 78'), Wirtz, Diaby – Schick
Leipzig: Gulacsi – Mukiele, Upamecano, Klostermann – Haidara, Kampl (Hwang 46'), Adams, Angelino – Olmo (Henrichs 86'), Poulsen (Sörloth 27'), Forsberg (Nkunku 66')
Goals: 0-1 Forsberg (14’), 1-1 Demirbay (20’)
Booked: Demirbay – Klostermann, Haidara, Adams
Referee: Harm Osmers (Hannover)
Attendance: 6,042 (Special match operation: sold out)
A simple approach to sport with games, fun and a highlight at the end: Bayer 04 organised a very special training session for 40 participants aged between six and 27 in cooperation with the Football Association of the Middle Rhine (FVM). At the day of action for women and girls with disabilities at the Kurtekotten Performance Centre, many of the participants gained their first experience of football.
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On Saturday, 28 March, the lights will go out again at the BayArena from 20:30 pm to 21:30. As in previous years, Bayer 04 once again take part in the WWF Earth Hour campaign under the motto "We're switching off" as the club wants to set a collective example for more climate and environmental protection together with people, cities and companies around the world.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen are bringing back Kerim Alajbegovic, who joined Red Bull Salzburg in the summer of 2025. The Bundesliga club activated the buy-back option in the contract with the Bosnia international, who has enjoyed great success at the Austrian top-flight club since the start of the current season. Alajbegovic moved to Salzburg from the Leverkusen U19s last year. The 1.86-metre forward has signed a five-year contract at Leverkusen with a start date of 1 July 2026.
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Less than a year ago, Kerim Alajbegovic moved from the Bayer 04 U19s to Austrian top-flight club FC Red Bull Salzburg. The forward’s development since then has been impressive. In 36 matches, including in the UEFA Europa League, the 18-year-old has scored 14 goals. In the summer, Alajbegovic, now a Bosnia international, will return to Leverkusen - and thus not only achieve the next milestone still early in his career, but also enrich the Werkself squad with his footballing versatility and determination.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended the contract with forward Nathan Tella ahead of schedule. The versatile 26-year-old, who can be deployed as a right winger, false nine or left winger, has penned a new contract to 30 June 2031. Tella joined the Werkself from Championship club Southampton in 2023. His previous contract ran to the summer of 2028.
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