It's child's play: Every tweet using the hashtag #nextLEVel will automatically appear at Leverkusen. The best and most emotional will go straight onto the screens at the BayArena. One special factor: The whole thing is not limited by time or place. All Bayer 04 fans, whether at the stadium, in Germany or across the world can show their support for the Werkself from now using the hashtag #nextLEVel. And it could very well provide a decisive extra percent of motivation for Kevin Kampl, Stefan Kießling and Co.: It's worth joining in! For the Werkself! For the quarter-finals!
The campaign started on Sunday with an emotional video where Kevin Kampl, Stefan Kießling, Karim Bellarabi and Danny Da Costa join together to ask all Werkself fans for their active support. In the words of the team: "It was close last time. It's our competition! We want your support at home! Together against Atlético!" – So don't hesitate to support the Werkself in the most important home game of the season to date against Atlético Madrid with tweets using the hashtag #nextLEVel.
Bayer 04 ran a similar campaign to bid farewell to Bayer 04 honorary captain Simon Rolfes. In his last match in a Leverkusen shirt, the Werkself legend Rolfes was the subject of numerous tweets using the hashtag#DankeSimon on the screens at the BayArena. Now it’s time now for a new one. It's down to the fans and the team to do all they can to get past Atlético and into the quarter-finals. Take the next step: #nextLEVel.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
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Welcome to Leverkusen, Carles Martínez Novell. Bayer 04 have appointed the 42-year-old Spaniard as the new head coach on a contract to 2028. Martínez most recently worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. He previously spent four years at Barcelona's legendary academy La Masia in his home city. Bayer04.de introduces Martínez in more detail.
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Bayer 04 plans for the 2026/27 pre-season continue to take shape. The Werkself will kick off the new season in mid-July with the return to the training ground. The highlight will be the official season opener on 8 August at the BayArena, including a friendly against La Liga club Sevilla. Friendlies in Germany will take the team to neighbouring Monheim, Offenbach and Jena.
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Strengthening the Bayer 04 Leverkusen youth teams: Konstantinos Kotsifakis will join the Werkself from Bundesliga 2 club Hertha Berlin for the 2026/27 season, where he will be a permanent member of the Leverkusen U19 coaching set-up. The German-Greek will also take on an operational role in coaching the Bayer 04 Future Team. The 29-year-old was most recently head coach of the U17s at Hertha Berlin.
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Another award for the Bayer 04 head groundsman and staff: After coming top in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons, the BayArena pitch came second in the Bundesliga Pitch of the Year ranking for the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg secured the top spot this year, with TSG Hoffenheim in third place.
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