But nobody at Bayer 04 wants to entertain that thought. Rudi Völler was in confident mood ahead of flying out to the Russian capital. “It’s all in our hands after the great win against Atlético. Of course, it will be tough battle on a difficult surface. We’ll have a good chance in Russia if we play as well as we did against Freiburg,” said the director. The Bosz team will have to be more clinical with their finishing than has recently been the case
Peter Bosz obviously shares that desire. The Werkself head coach was keen to back his players at Monday night’s pre-match press conference at the RZD Arena (28,000 capacity) in Moscow: “I’ve often had the experience in football that you can sometimes create lots of chances and only one goes in. I don’t know why that happens,” said the 56-year-old. His players will do all they can and look to get over the absence of luck in finishing in the game against Freiburg with two efforts hitting the woodwork. “I’d be worried as a coach if we stopped creating chances. That would mean we’d have got a lot wrong,” explained Bosz before adding, full of confidence: “If we play as well as we have recently then the ball will end up in the back of the net again somehow.”
It’s clear the Werkself will have to produce an impressive performance against a tricky opponent currently lying second in the table in the Russian top flight. The team coached by Juri Sjomin competed all the way with the leaders of Group D, Juventus (10 points), both home and away – but ended up narrowly losing 2-1 in both matches. And Lokomotiv also gave as good as they got against Atlético Madrid (7) despite losing 2-0 in the end. “They were a bit unlucky to lose the game. There was more in it for them,” said Bosz in praising the performances of the hosts, who are level with the Werkself on three points.
The scenario: The Werkself need to win by at least two goals to ensure going above Lokomotiv. That would guarantee third place and a place in the last 32 in the Europa League. If Atlético win the later game tomorrow night in Turin (21.00 CET) then the Werkself and Lokomotiv would go out of the Champions League regardless of the outcome of their game.
The Black and Reds can expect a battle in the cold at the modern arena in Moscow. The weather forecasters predict freezing temperatures. Jonathan Tah remains undaunted. “We can’t worry about that too much. Of course, the conditions will be different from back home but the opponents face the same conditions.” The Werkself number four is combative – also looking back to the recent victory over Atlético: “We’ll be full of confidence tomorrow.”
Moreover: Lokomotiv Moscow have lost all four European home games against German teams (with one goal for and nine against). A good omen?
The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
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On Friday afternoon, it will be decided which eight of the 36 participating teams Bayer 04 will face in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2026/27. At the draw in Monaco (live on UEFA.com), the Werkself will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, allocated according to the UEFA club coefficient. A match against an opponent from the same country is ruled out, as is facing more than two clubs from the same national association. Here’s a look at the pots and potential opponents.
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After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
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When Exequiel Palacios moved from the Argentinian club River Plate to Bayer Leverkusen on 1 January 2020, the then 21-year-old could not have imagined just how successful the next six and a half years would be for him. Pala, as he is known, had already won the Copa Libertadores – the most prestigious competition in South American club football – with River Plate. But there were still so many more trophies to come.
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