CSKA struggle in Germany
The last six European games against German teams have ended in defeat for CSKA Moscow. The Russians have lost all five European games in Germany with a goal difference of 3 for and 13 against. CSKA are in Champions League group stage for the tenth time. The team from Moscow have not won any of their games on match day one in the group stage (three draws, six defeats).
Club record
There was huge joy at qualifying again for the Champions League: Bayer 04 have now qualified for Europe seven times in succession – a new club record. In total, this is the eleventh Champions League campaign for the Werkself and the fourth on the bounce.
On target
Only FC Bayern, Real Madrid (19 each) and Barcelona (15) have appeared more often in the Champions League group stages than the Werkself (13 times, as have Chelsea and Zenit).
Striker Chicharito netted five goals in six Champions League games in 2015/16. No Werkself player has ever reached that target in Europe's elite club competition in so few games. Strike partner Kevin Volland is on the verge of making his European debut.
Black armband
The Werkself will wear black arm bands tonight. Herman Josef Strenger, the former chairman of Bayer AG, passed away recently. There are no one-minute silences at Champions League matches.
Live ticker
The Bayer 04 LIVE APP, recently nominated one of the most innovative apps on a popular App blog, will be packed full of exclusive information (in German) on Bayer 04 on Saturday. You can download it now to keep up-to-date with the action at Werkself while you are on the move.>> bit.ly/b04live
Get on the double-decker bus
On Monday the new jewel in the crown in red and black was presented in front of the town hall gallery in Leverkusen. The new double-decker bus needs a name and suggestions can be sent to club@bayer04.de by the closing date of Sunday 18 September. A panel will then decide on the winning entry and the successful competitors will receive two VIP tickets for a selected home game as a prize.
Name suggestions can also be delivered in person at the Champions League home game against CSKA Moscow on Wednesday. The double-decker bus will be parked in front of the Smidt Arena for the first time at home game.
Local traffic update
Anybody heading to the BayArena by car on Wednesday night should be prepared for delays. As part of the construction of an HGV barrier system to protect the Rhine Bridge in Leverkusen, the A1 in the direction of Koblenz at the Leverkusen West motorway junction will be down to one lane from 23.00 CET on Wednesday to 05.00 CET on Thursday. In addition, the connecting road from the Leverkusen Rheinallee to the A1 will be closed from 22.00 CET to 05.00 CET. The diversion via Rheindorf is indicated by red dots. Anybody coming via the A 59 from the direction of Düsseldorf and wanting to go onto the A1 can use the motorway junction and travel onto the Rhine Bridge.
Freiburg’s defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend left them two places but a whole 10 points behind Bayer 04. Their results in general may be mixed, but Julian Schuster’s side are a force to be reckoned with at home, where they have earned 24 of their 33 points. Leverkusen may choose to look for the aerial route if they’re to get the better of their hosts, who have conceded more headed goals than any other team. Here’s all you need to know ahead of Saturday afternoon’s game in our matchday news.
Show more
A boost for the second Bundesliga away game in a row: The Werkself take on SC Freiburg just three days after the convincing 1-0 win at Hamburger SV. Ahead of the game on Saturday, 7 March (kick-off: 15:30 CET), head coach Kasper Hjulmand spoke about the lessons learned from the rearranged fixture at HSV, a trio on yellow cards and young players like Christian Kofane and Montrell Culbreath.
Show more
SC Freiburg suffered their eighth away defeat of the season in Frankfurt last weekend. But at home, at the Europa Park Stadion, coach Julian Schuster's team are clocking up one win after the next. SCF are unbeaten in the last 16 matches at home. On Saturday, 7 March (kick-off: 15:30 CET), they will be looking to keep the run going in the clash with the Werkself. The lowdown on our next opponents.
Show more
For the third time in a row, the Leverkusen eSports players have made it through to the final round of the VBL Club Championship. From 7 to 8 March, they will compete for the German Club Championship at XPERION in Hamburg. At the start of the final round, they face Hamburger SV in the Round of 16. The match starts at 19:30 CET on Saturday, 7 March and will be broadcast live on the VBL Twitch channel. The eSports preview.
Show more
The German Football League (DFL) has scheduled Matchdays 28 to 30 in the 2025/26 Bundesliga season. The fixtures at a glance.
Show more
