That keeper is Bernd Leno. Born in Baden-Württemberg, Leno played for the Black and Reds from 2011 to 2018 making 304 appearances and he kept 100 clean sheets. The shot-stopper also holds a record: In 2014/15, Leno went 527 minutes without conceding a goal to beat the previous club record held by Rüdiger Vollborn (485 minutes). After leaving in the summer of 2018, Leno now plays for Arsenal in the Premier League.
But back to Leverkusen: Benjamin Cortus is the referee for tonight’s DFB Cup tie against Union Berlin. The 38-year-old IT specialist is supported by assistant referees Florian Heft and Christian Leicher, and the video assistant is Tobias Reichel. Bayer 04 have never lost a game when Cortus has been in charge: Two wins – one in the DFB Cup – plus one draw is the record to date. All three matches were in 2016/17.
Today’s game is the seventeenth time the Werkself have been in the DFB quarter-finals since 1967. The Black and Reds have gone through to the semi-finals eight times and been in the final at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin three times; the Werkself lifted the DFB Cup in 1992/93. The last semi-final appearance was not too long ago: Bayer 04 lost to Bayern Munich in 2017/18.
Stefan Kießling, former Werkself player and advisor to the Bayer 04 board, talked in an interview with dfb.de about his career, the 2009 DFB Cup final and today’s game against Union Berlin. In terms of Union, the 36-year-old said: “They defend well and are well-organised. It’s incredibly hard playing against them.” Kies highlighted the striker Sebastian Andersson: He likes the way “he holds onto the ball and distributes it.”
The groups for the second Nations League were drawn last night. Germany with Kai Havertz, Jonathan Tah, Nadiem Amiri and Co. are in Group A4 with Switzerland, Ukraine and three-time European champions Spain. The Werkself Austria players Julian Baumgartlinger and Aleksandar Dragovic are in Group B1 along with Norway, Northern Ireland and Romania. Lukas Hradecky and his Finland team-mates are in Group B4 with Wales, Ireland and Bulgaria.
The group stage will be played on three double matchdays between September and November after the Euros in the summer. The finals tournament will involve the four group winners in Division A and will be held from 2 to 6 June 2021.
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.
Show more
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.
Show more
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.
Show more
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.
Show more
