The record
SC Freiburg have only won two of the last 15 Bundesliga games against Bayer 04 (4 draws, 9 defeats). The last victory for Christian Streich’s team at home to Bayer 04 was a 3-2 win in January 2014. Freiburg have found it very difficult to score at home to Leverkusen – and the only time they scored against the Werkself on their own turf was in that 3-2 win. On the other hand, SC Freiburg are unbeaten in the last three Bundesliga home games against Bayer 04 under Streich (one win, two draws). The overall record is in favour of Werkself, with 15 out of 33 matches ending in victory for Leverkusen (10 draws, 8 defeats).
Home or away advantage?
Freiburg won the first four home games and after that they enjoyed mixed fortunes on their own ground - four wins, five defeats and one draw. The Werkself could well take advantage of that inconsistency with their strength on the road. Bayer 04 have the most away wins (5) after Bayern Munich (10) and RB Leipzig (7).
Toprak and Mehmedi face former club
Two Werkself pros face their former club in this match. Ömer Toprak started his career with the Freiburg youth teams and went on to sign for Leverkusen in 2011/12. He made 30 appearances and scored four goals in the second division plus 38 Bundesliga outings for Freiburg and he was part of SC Freiburg squad that won promotion to the Bundesliga in 2008/09. It is also a reunion for Admir Mehmedi: After a season on loan at Dynamo Kiev the Swiss striker was signed by Freiburg on a permanent basis. After a total of 60 Bundesliga games (16 goals, 5 assist) Mehmedi joined Bayer 04 in 2015.
Freiburg on course for Europe
Freiburg have already lost six times by a margin of three goals this term. Only bottom-of-the-table Darmstadt (57) and Hamburg SV (53) have conceded more goals than SC Freiburg (51). In spite of that, the newcomers are in a very good seventh place in the table. Since the three points for a win rule was introduced in 1981, no team conceding 51 goals after 29 games with a goal difference of minus 15 have been as high in the league as SC Freiburg.
Korkut unbeaten against Freiburg
With Hannover 96, Tayfun Korkut has faced Freiburg under the current coach Streich in the second half of the 2013/14 season and in the first half of the 2014/15 campaign with the two games ending in a win and a draw.
The Werkself particularly need to look out at set pieces this season: Bayer 04 have conceded 20 goals from set plays this term – the highest number in the league.
Petersen, record super sub
With his winning goal against Mainz on matchday 28, scored 33 seconds after coming off the bench, Nils Petersen drew level with Alexander Zickler as the most prolific sub in the history of the Bundesliga. He has now netted 18 times as a sub. Petersen has already found the back of the net eight times after coming on this season. The Bundesliga record is nine goals.
Jedvaj suspended
Coach Tayfun Korkut will be without Tin Jedvaj as the defender is serving a one-match ban. Three Freiburg players are on four bookings going into Sunday’s game: Florian Niederlechner, Caglar Söyüncü and Christian Günter.
Over 1,000 fans on the road
The Werkself will have plenty of support at the Schwarzwald Stadium. Just over 1,000 fans will be flying the flag for the Red and Blacks in Freiburg. That includes a number of members of the Teens 04 club. And they will joining forces with the SC Freiburg "Füchsle and Jugendclub" youngsters in performing a choreography event in the East Stand. An impressive example of the Fair Play Campaign for peaceful fan culture.
A special afternoon at the Bayer 04 Football Academy autumn camp: At the Liga 20 indoor football centre, in the shadow of the BayArena, two Werkself women’s team players led a training session. Loreen Bender and Selina Ostermeier not only offered the young players advice and support, but also got stuck in themselves.
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The Werkself have reached at least the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal in each of the last three years. The Black-and-Reds would like to make it to the final four of the competition again this season, but to do that they'll need to overcome 1. FC Nürnberg in round two, who travel to the BayArena with momentum following a successful league campaign so far. However, Bayer have a 100 percent record at home in all competitions this season - and have also won six of their last seven home matches in the Pokal. The Matchday News.
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Back at home in the second round of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal, Bayer 04 host FC Nürnberg at the BayArena. The match against the current second-placed side in Bundesliga 2 is on Wednesday 28 October at 20:45 CET. Ahead of the game, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about his anticipation of the clash in front of a home crowd. The Spaniard also commented on a number of personnel matters, including Ibrahim Maza and Montrell Culbreath, plus the visitors’ coach, Miroslav Klose.
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Now in their third season under head coach Miroslav Klose, FC Nürnberg are among the promotion contenders in Bundesliga 2. On Wednesday 28 October (kick-off: 20:45 CET), the team currently second in the table are away to Bayer 04 in the second round of the DFB Pokal. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Werkself player Ibrahim Maza has been named in the top ten in the ‘Men’s Young Talent of the Year’ category for 2026. The 20-year-old was at the London Palladium on Monday evening for the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards ceremony. Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 CEO, also attended the ceremony. Lamine Yamal of Barcelona was named the winner in the ‘Men’s Young Talent of the Year’ category.
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