The tie at the Wildpark Stadium marks the start of a hopefully successful season for the team managed by the new head coach Heiko Herrlich. The new Bundesliga campaign starts on Friday 18 August with the Werkself away to the champions of Germany Bayern Munich in the very first match of the season. The first home game at the BayArena is against TSG Hoffenheim on the following weekend. "We have a difficult start but we are not worried about it," said Jonas Boldt, sporting manager at Bayer 04, "we'll know straightaway where we stand."
DFB Cup First Round draw in full:
Friday, 11 August, 20.45 CET:
Rot-Weiss Essen v Borussia Mönchengladbach
Holstein Kiel v Eintracht Braunschweig
Karlsruher SC v Bayer 04
Saturday, 12 August, 15.30 CET:
VfB Germania Halberstadt v SC Freiburg
Lüneburger SK Hansa v FSV Mainz 05
SpVgg Unterhaching v FC Heidenheim
SV Eichede v FC Kaiserslautern
TuS Koblenz v SG Dynamo Dresden
TuS Erndtebrück v Eintracht Frankfurt
FC Rielasingen-Arlen v Borussia Dortmund
Leher TS v FC Köln
Chemnitzer FC v FC Bayern Munich
Saturday, 12 August, 18.30 CET:
Rot-Weiß Erfurt v 1899 Hoffenheim
SSV Jahn Regensburg v SV Darmstadt 98
Arminia Bielefeld v Fortuna Düsseldorf
Saturday, 12 August, 20.45 CET:
Würzburger Kickers v SV Werder Bremen
Sunday, 13 August, 15.30 CET:
FC Saarbrücken v FC Union Berlin
SV Morlautern v SpVgg Greuther Fürth
FC Eintracht Norderstedt v VfL Wolfsburg
FC Schweinfurt 05 v SV Sandhausen
Bonner SC v Hannover 96
FC Nöttingen v VfL Bochum
1860 Munich v FC Ingolstadt
VfL Osnabrück v Hamburg SV
Sportfreunde Dorfmerkingen v RB Leipzig
Sunday, 13 August, 18.30 CET:
FC Magdeburg v FC Augsburg
Energie Cottbus v VfB Stuttgart
SV Wehen Wiesbaden v Erzgebirge Aue
Monday, 14 August, 18.30 CET:
SC Paderborn 07 v FC St. Pauli
MSV Duisburg v FC Nürnberg
BFC Dynamo v FC Schalke 04
Monday, 14 August, 20.45 CET:
FC Hansa Rostock v Hertha BSC
Edmond Tapsoba has signed an early extension to his contract with Bayer 04 Leverkusen. With two years left on his current deal, the 27-year-old Burkina Faso international has extended his contract until 30 June 2031. The centre-back joined as a young talent from Portuguese top-flight club Vitoria Guimaraes at the start of 2020.
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A special surprise: during the preview for the 'Fierté Burkinabè' documentary about Edmond Tapsoba, Bayer 04 directors Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes announced Tapsoba's contract extension until 2031 together with the centre-back. He then spoke to Werkself-TV about his time in Leverkusen so far and future ambitions...
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This evening was deeply moving: At a really special setting, Bayer 04 exclusively presented the specially produced documentary ‘Fierté Burkinabè’ ("Burkinabe Pride") about Edmond Tapsoba on Tuesday. For the preview at the BayArena, the parents of the Werkself player and other close companions travelled all the way from his African homeland Burkina Faso. The 45-minute film shows Tapsoba's extraordinary career from his beginnings in Ouagadougou to Leverkusen as well as the work of his foundation "Fondation Edmond Tapsoba", with representatives from Burkina Faso also present. Fans can watch the documentary free of charge on Werkself TV and YouTube from Wednesday night at 20:00 CEST.
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Bayer 04 have signed left-back Carolin Simon from champions Bayern Munich for the coming season. The 33-year-old former Germany international, who played for Leverkusen from 2013 to 2016, has signed a contract to 30 June 2028.
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Bayer 04 Women have strengthened for the coming season with the signing of Lobke Loone. The 23-year-old Dutch striker joins from Utrecht on a contract until 30 June 2028.
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