The 30,210 spectators witnessed a focused defensive display from the start by the team under head coach Xabi Alonso. The first chance fell to Amine Adli on ten minutes after a break down the right by teammate Jeremie Frimpong, who has just been selected for the Netherlands World Cup squad. The Werkself then continued to press in search of goals. Jonathan Tah and Co. were rarely put under pressure and success up front came on the half-hour mark: The Alonso team took a deserved lead at 1-0 with a deflected long-range shot from Moussa Diaby. The Black and Reds remained hungry after the restart and again and again created good goalscoring opportunities with a number of fast breaks by Diaby and Frimpong. Jonathan Tah netted to make it 2-0 from a Kerem Demirbay corner eight minutes from full time and thereby secured the third victory within seven days following the wins against Union Berlin (5-0) and in the derby at FC Köln (2:1). The Werkself are now eleventh in the Bundesliga table. HERE is the match report.
Xabi Alonso was pleased at the post-match press conference: "We were solid today. It wasn't the best football but we did work to control the game. After the first goal we defended deeper and were dangerous on the break." At the same time, the Spanish coach chose to look forwards: "We want to keep moving up the table in the second half of the season. Now we have more time to train to achieve that objective. And we'll use it too."
Nadiem Amiri spoke to Werkself TV: "It was tough but we deserved it." And the forward also describe the solid defensive work and the dangerous counter-attacking as crucial for the victory: "We showed what great quality we have as a team. And we are growing together more and more as a team. You could finally see that on the pitch."
Karim Bellarabi is back: The Werkself number 38 played for a few minutes in the home game against Stuttgart for the first time since his knee injury in August. The fans gave their favourite a suitable welcome: There were loud cheers from the stands when he came off the bench on 86 minutes. "I heard that of course. I'm very grateful for the support. That motivates me to give more and more," said Bellarabi after the final whistle.
The Werkself had a total of twelve shots on the VfB goal with the visitors replying with seven. And the Alonso team were in front in duels won with 52%. It was different with possession: VfB had the edge here with 56%. Interesting for stats fans: Moussa Diaby has been involved in eight goals (six goals, two assists) in seven Bundesliga matches under coach Xabi Alonso – the highest number in the Bundesliga over that timespan.
The headline in the Welt am Sonntag reads "Diaby runs rings round Stuttgart," and the Express says: "Diaby causes Alonso to celebrate." The Rheinische Post takes a similar view and awards top marks to the Werkself number 19. The explanation: "Whenever Bayer were dangerous, it was the Frenchman who was involved in every action. The lightning fast winger scored the opening goal with a bit of luck as Waldemar Anton deflected the shot but the real achievement was the route to the position to shoot where he left four Stuttgart players standing. And he was a constant threat to the visitors’ defence in the second half."
This afternoon, 13 November, sees the Werkself fly from Frankfurt am Main to the USA. 17 players are on the #Bayer04USATour. The Black and Reds will play a friendly in St Louis in Missouri against the newly formed team in the Major League Soccer (MLS) St. Louis CITY Soccer Club and at the same time provide the opening event at the brand new CITYPARK Stadium (kick-off: 16 November 19.00 local time/02.00 CET 17 November). During the stay the Werkself will also be involved in events with Bayer AG employees and also get involved in community projects as well as a cultural programme.
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
Show more
"In every ending lies a new beginning" is a well-known saying. This phrase has probably never been more apt at Bayer 04. After winning the Bundesliga in 2023/24 and finishing as runners-up in 2024/25, the summer was the most eventful ever in terms of transfers. Over ten players and the coach, including the coaching staff, left the club. A lot of the heroes of the double-winning side began a new chapter. It was the end of an era. And at the same time the beginning of a new, very exciting and promising chapter for Leverkusen. The Werkself welcomed more than a dozen new arrivals, including experienced title-winners and young talents, to build a new "foundation for a successful team capable of winning titles" under the Bayer Cross, as managing director sport Simon Rolfes put it. A new spirit, a new hunger, a new story was to be created. Bayer04.de looks back at the first few months of this story and the final act of the preseason.
Show more
43 points at the end of the last Bundesliga season were not only more than ever before for the Bayer 04 Women, but also led to a record fourth-place finish. That was followed by a Hinrunde with many more victories, but also some setbacks. In an interview with bayer04.de, sporting director Achim Feifel takes stock at the end of the year.
Show more
With their wonderful goals, Martin Terrier and Florian Wirtz are up for the Bundesliga Goal of the Year 2025. Voting for fans will run exclusively via the official Bundesliga app until Sunday, 4 January.
Show more
A record-breaking year ends for the Bayer 04 Women. Fourth place, 13 wins and 43 points in the 2024/25 campaign - the Werkself have never been so good in the Bundesliga. Coach Roberto Pätzold's team also had plenty of reasons to celebrate in the first half of the new Bundesliga season - although there were also a few disappointments. A look back at 2025 for the Bayer 04 Women’s team.
Show more
