Matchday news #B04PSG: Important traffic information ahead of clash with reigning champions

Due to construction work, S-Bahn trains will no longer run between Leverkusen Mitte station and Cologne and Düsseldorf from around 20:00 CEST. A rail replacement bus service has been organised, but its capacity is significantly lower than that of the trains. An additional regional train for up to 800 people will run from Leverkusen city centre to Düsseldorf after the match. This means that there will be three regional trains in the direction of Düsseldorf and two in the direction of Cologne within an hour of the match ending.

In addition, the A59 autobahn in Leverkusen has been fully closed for eight months since mid-October due to roadworks. The closure begins at the Düsseldorf-Süd motorway junction and lasts until the Richrath junction. After that, the motorway in the opposite direction will also be closed. Overall, the road closure is expected to last until the end of 2027.

#B04PSG: match facts

The results of the two previous meetings between Bayer 04 and Paris Saint-Germain favour the French side. In the Round of 16 in the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League, a brace from Zlatan Ibrahimović led to a 4-0 home defeat for the Black and Reds. In the second leg at the Parc des Princes, a combative Leverkusen side initially took the lead through Sidney Sam, but were ultimately beaten 2-1. However, PSG have not looked quite so good recently, especially away to German teams: Paris Saint-Germain have won just two of their last ten games in Germany.

Bayer 04 will once again be able to select Edmond Tapsoba and Aleix Garcia tonight. Tapsoba, who repeatedly drives the game forward from defence, has played the most passes through opposing lines in the UCL this term (34) alongside Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol. His team-mate Garcia ranks third among all midfielders in this category.

focus on Paris Saint-Germain 

Finding a real weak spot in the reigning champions is like looking for a needle in a haystack. The attack in particular is packed with superstars, led by Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, who is supported up front by Goncalo Ramos, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué. In addition to the creative and ball-winning midfielders Vitinha and João Neves, the fast and attack-minded full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes pose a constant threat. The fact PSG relinquished the lead in the table to Olympique Marseille last weekend after their second draw of the season was due in no small part to their thin squad. However, many key players will be available again for the Champions League clash with the Werkself - including Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia. Read our lowdown on the next opponents HERE.

Sound of Dreams: photos for the Tour Pass

Under the motto "Sound of Dreams - #aCROSS Europe 2025/26", the Werkself and Bayer 04 fans are turning the Champions League into a festival. In addition to a special Champions League Spotify playlist to be played before the match at the BayArena, there will also be an exclusive tour pass for the new UCL season, which all Bayer 04 club members can secure at the Fanwelt. In the weeks of Champions League matches, Tour Pass holders can also pick up the matching stickers at the Fanwelt and win great prizes at the end of the league phase.

To make the tour pass even more personalised, fans will once again have the opportunity to take a very special passport photo in the Sound of Dreams look at the match against PSG. A photo booth will be set up in front of blocks A2/A3 on the east side of the BayArena, and small passport photos will be printed out free of charge. All further information about the tour pass, the Spotify playlist and the Sound of Dreams - #aCROSS Europe 2025/26 motto can be found HERE.

Exclusive UCL Matchday printing for #B04PSG

Ahead of the Champions League clash against PSG, Bayer 04 fans can secure the perfect merch and customise a new jersey with exclusive matchday printing for the game. The offer is valid both at the online shop and on site from the Fanwelt from the opening of the stadium two hours before kick-off. Further information can be found HERE.

watch the #B04eSports TEam at the Fanwelt

Before the teams battle it out on the pitch at the BayArena, the Bayer 04 eSports players will be in action in the VBL Club Championship at the Fanwelt. After the opening half of the online preliminary round of the first showdown last Thursday, there are matches for Marc and Sean Landwehr against Werder Bremen from 18:00 CEST, Borussia Dortmund from 19:00 CEST and Dynamo Dresden from 20:00 CEST. If you are at the ground when the stadium opens at 19:00 CEST you can watch the lads in action from the second game onwards. Key information on the opponents for the Leverkusen gaming aces can be found in our lowdown on the opposing eSports teams.

PSG Coach Enrique: Werkself "difficult to assess"

After the Bayer 04 press conference on Monday afternoon with head coach Kasper Hjulmand and centre-back Loïc Badé (click HERE to read the report), coach Luis Enrique and Warren Zaïre-Emery were at the PSG pre-match press conference last night. The 19-year-old French midfielder emphasised in the media room at the BayArena: "For us, no one competition is more important than another. At PSG, the aim is always to win every game and every trophy."

Coach Enrique added: "We're trying to do the same as last year(winning the Champions League, ed.) and get as many points as possible as early as possible. We have difficult opponents, but our goal remains the same. Tomorrow will be a good test for both teams." The 55-year-old Spaniard said of the Werkself: "They are difficult to assess. They have a lot of new players and a new coach. The matches we've seen have shown us how the game might go tomorrow and what our chances might be. They score a lot of goals and they press well. It's one of those away games where you first have to see what your opponent does. But we have to be able to deal with that."

Werkself Live

Do you want to be as well prepared as the Werkself ahead of the Champions League clash against PSG? Then take a look at the new Werkself Live. The matchday flyer, which provides key facts and figures about the game in compact form, is available at the BayArena. Alternatively, it is also available online. This time on the XXL poster: Christian Kofane. Click HERE for the e-paper.

Gil Manzano is the ref

Spain's Jesus Gil Manzano will take charge of a match involving Bayer 04 for the first time this evening, after the 41-year-old had previously acted as fourth official in a game involving the Werkself on the European stage: Back then, the Black and Reds lost 2-1 to Inter Milan in the quarter-finals of the Europa League final tournament in Düsseldorf under lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Against Paris Saint-Germain, Gil Manzano will be assisted on the touchline by his fellow countrymen Angel Nevado Rodriguez and Guadalupe Porras Ayuso. The fourth official is Alejandro Muniz Ruiz, with Carlos del Cerro Grande - also from Spain - acting as the video assistant referee.

Prime Video and WErkself Radio

The match against Paris Saint-Germain will be broadcast live on Prime Video. As usual, Werkself Radio with commentators Niko Hartmann and Florian Bechholz will of course also keep you up to speed on the UCL home game. The audio broadcast starts half an hour before kick-off. And the live text updates will also keep you up to date so that you don't miss anything of the match. You can find both Werkself Radio and the live text update service at bayer04.de and on the Bayer 04 app.