Walking through the winding streets of London with their typical brick buildings with weathered windows you have to search for it. Then suddenly it is there in front of you. This venerable venue suddenly looms up with an impressive and even mystical presence. Welcome to Wembley.
The Werkself play Tottenham Hotspur (20.45 CET) in tonight’s Champions League group game on what promises to be a breathtaking stage. Up to 90,000 spectators are expected including some 2,000 Leverkusen fans. They will all experience what it means to be surrounded by the spirit of Bobby Moore. The captain of the England World Cup winning team of 1966 is ever-present 23 years after his death as Wembley never forgets its heroes. This venue is full of tradition.
Unforgettable moments
Wembley is more than just a stadium with the venue being a place of many unforgettable moments. When you walk past the bronze statues of English football legends in front of the wooden crossbar Geoff Hurst hit in the 66 World Cup Final to score the famous Wembley goal, every fan feels a shiver. And if you walk down past the red seats towards the hallowed turf then you can hear it again: a beat. This is the home of football.
The hallowed turf, a much used phrase, comes from here. The Wembley turf is famous like no other pitch on the planet and if you watch the ground staff at work then you have to rub your eyes in disbelief as a layman. Their hard work and dedication is difficult to beat. The groundsman will only give the thumbs up when he has checked the ball runs exactly as required in all directions in the centre circle. Then the game can begin. Wembley is set to provide another night to remember.
They had their hands full in the VAR centre in Cologne: eight goals were scored at the MEWA Arena on Saturday afternoon, but only four of them were allowed in the end as the Werkself and 1. FSV Mainz 05 closed the season with a 2-2 draw. It means Bayer 04 end the 2024/25 campaign as runners-up with 69 points, representing the fourth-best season in the club's history. What's more, the Werkself are now unbeaten away from home in two whole Bundesliga seasons, with their last away defeat coming exactly two years ago on Matchday 34 of the 2022/23 season at VfL Bochum. The Black-and-Reds can continue the record run next season - albeit without Alonso and Tah. Read what else the eventful final game for the head coach and the defensive leader had to offer in the Werkself Review.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 2-2 draw at Mainz 05 on the 34th matchday of the Bundesliga 2024/25...
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Bayer 04’s final game of the 2024/25 Bundesliga season saw VAR drama and produced a new record for away results with a 2-2 draw in Mainz. The hosts had several goals ruled out before Paul Nebel put them ahead. Patrik Schick’s brace then turned things around in the second half before Jonathan Burkardt’s penalty levelled the game again. It means Leverkusen have now gone 34 away games without defeat in the Bundesliga, which no team has ever done before.
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The Werkself bring down the curtain on their 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign with a game away at Mainz on Saturday (kick-off: 3.30pm CEST). Here’s all you need to know ahead of the Matchday 34 meeting at the MEWA Arena.
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Xabi Alonso is leaving Leverkusen at the end of the season. In his final interview as Werkself coach, he talks about his two-and-a-half years at the helm, the greatest moments of his historic tenure and his appreciation of the connection with the fans and players throughout their remarkable progress together.
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