Meetings between Bayer 04 and Atletico Madrid have tradition on the big European stage. After tonight's clash, the Werkself will have played more competitive games against the Rojiblancos than against any other team from Spain. In 10 encounters there have been three wins (all at home), four draws and three defeats. There's a more in-depth look back at the previous meetings HERE.
Atletico are unbeaten in 10 Champions League home games against German teams. They've also just won four UCL matches in a row for the first time since November 2016. For their part, the Werkself could keep a fifth clean in this Champions League season - only Liverpool have registered more shutouts so far.
Atletico's impressive winning run of 15 games in all competitions - a club record - came to an end last weekend with a surprise 1-0 defeat at promoted side CD Leganes, which saw Diego Simeone's men knocked off top spot in LaLiga by city rivals Real Madrid. In the Champions League, meanwhile, Antoine Griezmann and Co sit in 11th place in the league phase on 12 points, one point behind fourth-placed Bayer 04. After a 2-1 victory over RB Leipzig to start, there were two defeats at Benfica (4-0) and at home to OSC Lille (3-1) before three successive wins against Paris Saint-Germain (2-1), Sparta Prague (6-0) and Slovan Bratislava (3-1). There's more in our opposition analysis.
Before the Bayer 04 press conference yesterday evening with Xabi Alonso and Alejandro Grimaldo (round-up HERE), Atletico coach Simeone and midfielder Pablo Barrios also had their say on today's match. Simeone said: "Bayer Leverkusen are an extraordinary team. They play very good football with very good tempo, transitions and positional play. The way they play football is admirable."
Meanwhile, Barrios said: "It's going to be a difficult game. We all know Bayer Leverkusen, they'll make it very tough for us. But we'll go out there together and do our best to win."
For all Werkself fans following the game in Madrid, Bayer 04 partner weloveholidays has summarised the best travel tips for the top attractions in the Spanish capital. You can find the article HERE.
The Bayer 04 Fan Liaison team have also put together a guide for the 1,700 Werkself fans who are travelling to the Champions League away match. The fan info is HERE.
UEFA has appointed Davide Massa as the referee for this one. The 43-year-old Italian has officiated four competitive matches involving Leverkusen to date, including the 4-0 win at Feyenoord on Matchday 1 of the current Champions League campaign. Assisting Massa today are his compatriots Ciro Carbone and Stefano Alassio on the sidelines, as well as Aleandro di Paolo as VAR.
Standing on the pitch where the Werkself players perform - for many Bayer 04 club members, this wish became reality at this year's Members' kickabout. Around 400 active participants of all ages took the opportunity to experience the BayArena from a new and special perspective. And there was also plenty going on in the stands: The event attracted more than 1,000 visitors in total and provided an atmospheric end to the season.
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Lying third in the Bundesliga, the Werkself made a faltering start in 2026 after the winter break, but gradually rediscovered winning ways and, as in the previous campaign, were among the top 16 in Europe and the top four in the DFB Pokal. In the Bundesliga, the Werkself also remained in the race for Champions League qualification right to the end. However, because setbacks repeatedly crept into the Werkself's performances between good displays and crucial games, it was not quite enough to secure a UCL spot in the end. A season with many ups and downs brought sixth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Part II of the review of the 2025/26 season.
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Rogier Meijer is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and returning to his native Netherlands: The 44-year-old will take over at Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on 1 July. Meijer has been part of the Werkself coaching set-up since the start of the 2025/26 season - first as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag, then on Kasper Hjulmand's staff.
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Following the final match of the 2025/26 season, the prevailing feeling was naturally one of disappointment after missing out on qualification for the Champions League. The Werkself finished the Bundesliga in sixth place, meaning they'll start the 2026/27 campaign in the Europa League. "But to talk negatively about everything now because of that would be wrong," stressed captain Robert Andrich following the final game, knowing that the past year at Bayer 04 was marked, more than almost any other, by the start of a new era and the courage to change – and in particular, the belief in a positive direction. Everyone was aware this process would need time. The first part of the 2025/26 season review.
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