Chance of a first against Monaco
The Werkself sat in the charter plane, glued to their laptops and smart phones, waiting for the final whistle in in Monaco.
All became clear just before taking off from Moscow on the previous matchday: AS Monaco’s win against Tottenham ensured Bayer 04 qualified for the last sixteen.
Chicharito and Co. can now approach the final group game of the year in the Champions League without any pressure (20.45 CET, BayArena). “I’m looking forward to the game,” said the Leverkusen head coach Roger Schmidt. His team will be keen to give one hundred per cent again at the BayArena and provide the fans with a win to round off the group stage. Tickets are still available so come on down.
Remain unbeaten
Although second spot is secure and first place unachievable, even with a win, the match against the French side provides the Werkself with a top-level encounter and the chance to finish the group stage unbeaten. That would be a first for Bayer 04 in eleven Champions League campaigns to date.
Monaco are also unbeaten ahead of matchday six. And the team coached by Leonardo Jardim clocked up a confidence-boosting 5-0 win against SCBastia at the weekend. The captain and super star Radamel Falcao, who missed the home game against Bayer 04 due to injury, scored twice and newly capped French wonder boy Thomas Lemar scored with an excellent lob. With the retired formula one driver Felipe Massa looking on, the 17-year-old Kylian Mbappé, often compared to a young Thierry Henry, plus substitute Guido Carrillo netted the other two. AS Monaco are currently second in Ligue 1 with an incredible 49 goals scored, just three points behind league leaders OGC Nice and a point ahead of PSG.
Youth League: U19 need to win
Anyone looking for excitement will find it in the Youth League on Wednesday. The Leverkusen U19 team faces a make or break meeting with AS Monaco in the final group match. The team coached by Markus von Ahlen and Iraklis Metaxas have to turn round a 2-1 defeat in the away game in the Principality to finish second and secure progress to the next round. The match at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium kicks off at 14.00 CET, and entrance is free. The game will be broadcast live on www.sport1.de.
Related News
eSports - 26.02.2026
#B04eSports: Leverkusen through to third straight VBL CC final after play-off win
Job done: the Bayer 04 eSports team defeated SV Darmstadt 98 in the play-offs to secure their consecutive participation in the VBL Club Championship final. The journey continues now for Leverkusen on Saturday 7 March (from 17:00 CET) with a last-16 encounter at Hamburger SV.
Show more
Werkself-TV - 25.02.2026
TV highlights of the 0-0 draw against Olympiacos
Werkself TV shows highlights of the 0-0 draw against Olympiacos in the second leg of the play-offs of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 league...
Show more
Champions League - 24.02.2026
0-0 draw with Olympiacos puts Werkself in Champions League Round of 16
A disciplined defensive performance in the second leg saw Bayer 04 prevail against Olympiacos in the play-offs of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26. Thanks to the 2-0 away win in the first leg, the goalless draw at home at the BayArena was enough to ensure progress to the next round. The Black and Reds kept their opponents away from their goal for the best part of 90 minutes.
Show more
Champions League - 24.02.2026
Matchday news #B04OLY: Focused on the second leg - Kießling and Flekken on Werkself Radio
Bayer 04 can go through to the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League for the ninth time tonight, 24 February (kick-off: 21:00 CET) and be in the top 16 clubs in Europe. A good omen: Leverkusen have progressed to the next round after winning the first leg in 20 of their 22 knockout rounds in European competitions to date. For their part, Greek record champions Olympiacos rested several players for last weekend’s league fixture ahead of the play-off second leg at the BayArena and will now do everything in their power to turn the tide with their usual aggressive and high pressing. The discussions on Werkself radio are likely to be just as intense as the battle on the pitch, with commentator Florian Bechholz welcoming honorary captain Stefan Kießling and goalkeeper Mark Flekken. Today’s matchday news.
Show more
Bayer 04 - 23.02.2026
Friendly to mark the 125th anniversary of Offenbacher Kickers: Bayer 04 visit Bieberer Berg
Bayer 04 Leverkusen will play Offenbacher Kickers: As part of the 125th anniversary celebrations of the regional football league club, the Werkself will play a friendly at the Hessen club in the summer. On Saturday, 25 July 2026 (kick-off: 15:00 CEST.), coach Kasper Hjulmand's team will face OFC at Offenbach's Bieberer Berg stadium. The supporters of both clubs have maintained a close fan friendship for many years. This makes the match in preparation for the 2026/27 season a very special one, and not just for Offenbach fans.
Show more
