This encounter is crucial for both clubs. Hamburg SV and Bayer 04 have a lot to play for at the Volkspark Stadium on Friday night (20.30 CET). Both teams lost their last match and are looking to make amends. "It will be a tough game," predicted Bayer 04 sporting director Rudi Völler.
The Werkself head coach Roger Schmidt is also expecting a highly competitive and thrilling encounter given the experience of the past two seasons in Hamburg where Leverkusen felt the full force of the hosts in challenges. Even though the two defeats at Wolfsburg and Ingolstadt have seen HSV sink to the drop zone there is little prospect of the hosts being below par in terms of effort on Friday night. "Back then there were lots of incidents and challenges that were borderline. We were put off our game and lost 1-0 because we didn't keep our heads. We want to do better this time," said Schmidt at the pre-match press conference, broadcast live on bayer04.de and Facebook.
The basics have to be right
To make sure that happens the coach is looking for a return to basic values. "We need calm discipline and maximum resolution in our game and that is the basis for everything. Every individual player has to act for the team. That was missing in the second half against Gladbach and that led us to missing out on a possible win. Now we are fully focused on showing a response in Hamburg," declared Schmidt.
Bayer 04 will have to make do without Chicharito at Hamburg after the Mexican suffered a slight groin strain in Saturday’s game against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Aleksandar Dragovic and Lars Bender continue to be sidelined. "Things are looking up with Lars and he’s back in full training. However, it's a complicated and annoying injury and there are still situations where he feels pain," said Schmidt in describing the lengthy recovery process for his much missed captain. It remains to be seen whether Benjamin Henrichs will be available in Hamburg as the right back suffered an injury to his back with a slight infection meaning he was unable to train with the team.
Volland ‘definitely an option’
There is good news about Kevin Volland. "Kevin has done very well in training this week and that's done him a power of good. He's definitely in with a chance of playing," said Schmidt. New signing Leon Bailey will definitely make the trip to Hamburg. "Leon will be there even if possibly as the 19th player. But he's getting to know the ropes and that will speed up his integration in the squad. He will help us out in the next few weeks," said Schmidt.
Bayer 04 will have the support of 1,100 fans in Hamburg on Friday night.
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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Once the final whistle was blown, it was time to take a deep breath. 2-0 down and a 5–2 win in the end. It was a nerve-wracking affair against FC Nürnberg in the second round of the 2026–27 DFB Pokal. Jonas Hofmann said – “We didn’t let our heads drop” – hitting the nail on the head. Indeed, it was clear the Werkself were not prepared to accept elimination from the DFB Pokal. So they went on to score. The Black and Reds made their presence felt with a goal just before half-time, followed by four more in the second half. Or, to put it another way: Edmond Tapsoba’s first Bayer 04 brace, a clinical penalty from Patrik Schick, yet another precision strike from Hofmann and a blistering volley from Lucas Vázquez. Each goal more beautiful than the last! After the match, head coach Carles Martínez praised his team’s commitment above all else and the fact that they never lost belief in themselves. The Werkself review.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 5-2 win against 1. FC Nürnberg in the second round of the DFB-Pokal 2026/27...
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Bayer 04 came from 2-0 down to beat Nürnberg 5-2 in the second round of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal on Wednesday night. Edmond Tapsoba’s double either side of half-time sparked the turnaround, before Patrik Schick, Jonas Hofmann and Lucas Vázquez ensured progress to the last 16 for the 2024 cup winners.
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