Hjulmand made five changes to the team that won at Olympiacos in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League play-off first leg. Loïc Badé replaced Jarell Quansah in the back three, while Arthur came in for Lucas Vázquez on the right. Ezequiel Fernández swapped in for compatriot Exequiel Palacios in midfield. Malik Tillman and Christian Kofane played up front in place of Ernest Poku and Patrik Schick.
Union had the first chance of the game inside two minutes when Derrick Köhn’s cross only just evaded Andrej Ilic in the box. The Berliners also had the better of the opening stages before Leverkusen found their way into the game but without creating anything of note. The best opportunity came for Tillman, who was unable to convert Arthur’s cross following a Badé long ball up the right. Just a minute later, the Irons forged ahead when Aljosha Kemlein’s ball up the pitch found Khedira, who got the better of Robert Andrich and was able to chip the ball over Janis Blaswich into the net.
Tillman had the first action of the second period when he drove into the box and went down, but not fouled according to the referee. With an hour gone, Hjulmand introduced Schick, Poku and Vázquez to try and make things happen. The changes seemed to have an effect as Leverkusen pressed for an equaliser and Union dropped deeper and deeper. The biggest chance came in the 92nd minute when Schick’s header went over the bar as the Werkself’s seven-game unbeaten run came to an end.
Bayer 04 are next in action again on Tuesday as they host Olympiacos for the second leg of their Champions League play-off tie (21:00 CET). Mainz are then the visitors to the BayArena the following Saturday in the Bundesliga (15:30).
Match stats:
Union Berlin: Rönnow - Doekhi, Querfeld, Nsoki - Haberer (Trimmel 11'), Khedira, Kemlein, Köhn - Jeong (Král 70'), Schäfer (Ansah 85') - Ilic (Skarke 85')
Bayer 04: Blaswich - Badé (Hofmann 68'), Andrich, Tapsoba - Arthur (Vázquez 61'), Fernández (Poku 61'), Garcia, Grimaldo - Tillman (Terrier 81'), Maza - Kofane (Schick 61')
Goals: 1-0 Khedira (28')
Yellow cards: Nsoki, Haberer, Ilic, Querfeld, Rønnow - Vázquez, Andrich
Referee: Harm Osmers
The German Football Association (DFB) has officially recognised Bayer 04 as a centre for the development of female talent for the 2026/27 season. The club was awarded that role on 1 January 2026, and this status has now been renewed.
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have sold young defender Andrea Natali to AZ Alkmaar on permanent terms. The 18-year-old Italian was on loan at the Dutch club last season, where he mainly played for the reserve team in the second division.
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have loaned new signing Luca Erlein to newly promoted FC Energie Cottbus for the 2026/27 season. This will give him the opportunity to play in Bundesliga 2. The club signed the 19-year-old right-back on a permanent basis last week, on a contract to 30 June 2030.
Show more
Werkself TV shows the highlights of the 3-1 victory in the friendly match at Kickers Offenbach...
Show more
It’s always nice having your best friends round for a birthday! Bayer 04 made a guest appearance at Stadion am Bieberer Berg as part of Offenbacher Kickers’ 125th anniversary celebrations, and nearly 1,500 Werkself supporters accepted the invitation to this historic venue, joining the Offenbach crowd in celebrating the more than 45-year friendship between the clubs. On the pitch, the Werkself secured a 3–1 victory in the friendly against the fourth-tier Regionalliga side. The Leverkusen goals were scored by Christian Kofane (38’), Jonas Hofmann (48’) and Afonso Moreira (81’). Keanu Staude had put the hosts ahead in the first half (11’).
Show more
