Friends of statistics watch out! This will be the first Monday match for Bayer 04 in the Bundesliga but the Werkself have played on Mondays in the past. The last competitive league fixture on Monday for the Werkself was almost 40 years ago. Then in the second division, Bayer 04 secured a runaway 8-1 victory on 16 April 1979 at home to Rot-Weiß Lüdenscheid, who were relegated that season. The goalscorers were Klaus Bruckmann (2), Mathias Brücken (2), Peter Szech (2), Peter Hermann and Thomas Hörster). Bayer 04 celebrated promotion to the Bundesliga a few weeks later. Before that, the Werkself had played six times on a Monday: In the Regional League West the opponents were Schwarz-Weiß Essen (1963/64; 0-4), Alemannia Aachen (1965/66; 1-5), TSV Marl-Hüls (1966/67; 2-0), VfR 06 Neuss (1967/68; 2-1), Wuppertaler SV (1969/70; 1-1), SSVg Velbert (1969/70; 3-5).
This is the second season in Germany's top flight for RB Leipzig. To date there have been three matches against the Werkself. Bayer 04 have not won any of them. Last season there were two defeats for the Black and Reds (2-3 at home, 0-1 away) and in the first half of the previous season Heiko Herrlich's ten men were able to secure a 2-2 draw with goals from Leon Bailey and Kevin Volland. So we are still waiting for the first win against RB. The Werkself have already shown they can win against and in Leipzig in the 1993/94 season: Bayer 04 won 3-1 at home and 3-2 away against VfB Leipzig who went on to be relegated.
RB Leipzig have been impressive at home this season – last season's runners-up earned wins against FC Bayern and Schalke and a draw with Borussia Dortmund. All three teams are just ahead of the Werkself in the away form table. The Werkself do not have fond memories of the last away game in the league – an impressive run of ten successive games unbeaten on the road ended at FC Köln in the middle of March. Ironically, Leipzig suffered their last defeat against the strugglers from Cologne on matchday 24. And that was in a home game at the Red Bull Arena. Nevertheless, Leipzig are third in the home form table – level on points with the team in second Hoffenheim.
The Monday game will be refereed by FIFA match official Deniz Aytekin, one of Germany's most experienced referees. The 39-year-old from Franconia has refereed a total of 143 Bundesliga matches since 2008 including 26 fixtures involving the Werkself – the last was a 2-0 victory away to VfB Stuttgart at the beginning of December. From a Werkself perspective, the record is pretty balanced: Bayer 04 have won 11 times when Deniz Aytekin has been in charge (five draws, 10 defeats). In addition, he has shown 47 yellow cards to the Black and Reds and sent two Werkself players off. His assistants on Monday are Christian Dietz and Eduard Beitinger.
Could it be that is down to the 50th DFB coaching course that was attended by both Heiko Herrlich and Ralph Hasenhüttl in 2005? Coincidence or not – Herrlich's team the last season's runners-up from Leipzig are the strongest teams on the break in the league. The Werkself have scored eight goals in counter-attacks and RB Leipzig seven. However, the Werkself have struggled for goals recently: In 2018 Herrlich's man have only scored once on the break (in the 4-1 win at Hoffenheim and have failed to score at all in the last two league fixtures. Time for a change in fortune.
In addition to the injured Joel Pohjanpalo, coach Heiko Herrlich will also have to manage without Lucas Alario on Monday. The Argentinean striker sits out the second game of a three-match ban. Captain Lars Bender is also in danger of being suspended. The 28-year-old defensive allrounder has picked up four yellow cards and another would see him banned for one game.
All Bayer 04 fans, unable to travel to support the Werkself, are welcome to come to the Schwadbud to watch the game: The fan pub in the East Stand at the BayArena is open as usual for away games with the match shown on big screens. Doors open one hour before kick-off at 19.30 on Monday. A new option for following the Werkself on the road is provided by the Werkself Radio – an acoustic alternative to the live text reporting. Background information on the game and live reporting are available on our social media platforms and on the bayer04.de website: Here we go, Black and Reds!
As with Friday fixtures, Monday games are broadcast live on TV on Eurosport (including the Eurosport player). Viewers on terrestrial channels will have to wait until after the final whistle before they can see highlights of the first Bundesliga match for the Werkself. They will be shown on the Nitro channel in the programme 100% Bundesliga from 22.15 CET. Another highlight for Bayer 04 fans: The former Werkself skipper and Germany international Simon Rolfes will be a guest on the night where he will answer questions from the presenters Laura Wontorra and Thomas Wagner. Moreover: The programme will not only look at the the Werskelf game in Leipzig but also show highlights of the other 17 games in the top two divisions.
With three games to play before the end of the season, the Bayer 04 Women can break one record and equal another at SGS Essen. After three wins on the bounce, coach Roberto Pätzold's team are aiming to maintain the chance of third place in Sunday’s away game (14:00 CEST, Stadion an der Hafenstraße).
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Edmond Tapsoba has signed an early extension to his contract with Bayer 04 Leverkusen. With two years left on his current deal, the 27-year-old Burkina Faso international has extended his contract until 30 June 2031. The centre-back joined as a young talent from Portuguese top-flight club Vitoria Guimaraes at the start of 2020.
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A special surprise: during the preview for the 'Fierté Burkinabè' documentary about Edmond Tapsoba, Bayer 04 directors Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes announced Tapsoba's contract extension until 2031 together with the centre-back. He then spoke to Werkself-TV about his time in Leverkusen so far and future ambitions...
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This evening was deeply moving: At a really special setting, Bayer 04 exclusively presented the specially produced documentary ‘Fierté Burkinabè’ ("Burkinabe Pride") about Edmond Tapsoba on Tuesday. For the preview at the BayArena, the parents of the Werkself player and other close companions travelled all the way from his African homeland Burkina Faso. The 45-minute film shows Tapsoba's extraordinary career from his beginnings in Ouagadougou to Leverkusen as well as the work of his foundation "Fondation Edmond Tapsoba", with representatives from Burkina Faso also present. Fans can watch the documentary free of charge on Werkself TV and YouTube from Wednesday night at 20:00 CEST.
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Bayer 04 have signed left-back Carolin Simon from champions Bayern Munich for the coming season. The 33-year-old former Germany international, who played for Leverkusen from 2013 to 2016, has signed a contract to 30 June 2028.
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