Bayer 04 are in the last eight of Germany's domestic cup competition for the sixteenth time in the club's history. The Werkself are just two steps away from a big target, two steps away from a thrilling final in the capital. That is what Heiko Herrlich and his players are aiming for. Kevin Volland and captain Lars Bender spoke for the whole team when they said: "It would be a dream come true to get to the final."
Bayer 04 are two wins away from Berlin and the next hurdle promises to be an exciting encounter: The tie against Werder Bremen at the BayArena on Tuesday 6 February kicks off at 20.45 CET. This all-or-nothing game against the Green and Whites is anything but a foregone conclusion. Werder are looking to move up to mid-table in the Bundesliga and they lost 1-0 away to the Werkself in December (goalscorer Lucas Alario celebrates above). However, it is clear Bremen under new coach Florian Kohfeldt have grown enormously in strength and confidence, which they demonstrated on the penultimate Bundesliga matchday when they gave Bayern Munich a run for their money at the Allianz Arena up to the final stages of the game that they ended up losing 4-2.
Bayer 04 are obviously looking for the fans to help get them through to the semi-finals. Leverkusen did lose out at the quarter-final stage of the DFB Cup two years ago at home to Bremen. The match at the BayArena ended in a 3-1 defeat. Chicharito put the Black and Reds 1-0 up from the penalty spot before Garcia, Pizarro and Grillitsch turned the game round for the visitors. "We were too ponderous after taking the lead," said sporting director Rudi Völler back then.
The Werkself will be determined not to repeat that performance this time round. So the maxim for Tuesday 6 February is: Full speed ahead for the semi-finals, all together for the penultimate match on the the road to Berlin.
Tickets for the Bremen Cup tie are available
- online at the ticket webshop
- by phone on 0049 (0)214 5000 1904
- in person at the Service Counter OST (BayArena, Bismarckstraße 122-124) and at the Bayer 04 shops in Leverkusen City, Bergisch Gladbach and Solingen
This special event showed once again how strong Bayer 04 are as a team: As part of ‘BarmeniaGothaer gives joy’, the Werkself players Edmond Tapsoba, Ibrahim Maza and Christian Kofane supported the sale of individually designed T-shirts for a good cause at the Fanwelt on Thursday. Several hundred fans came to take part in the charity campaign. Leverkusen's main sponsor BarmeniaGothaer donated the proceeds to the Fondation Edmond Tapsoba, which helps people in Tapsoba's home country of Burkina Faso in their challenging everyday lives.
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With three games to play before the end of the season, the Bayer 04 Women can break one record and equal another at SGS Essen. After three wins on the bounce, coach Roberto Pätzold's team are aiming to maintain the chance of third place in Sunday’s away game (14:00 CEST, Stadion an der Hafenstraße).
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From Ouagadougou to Leverkusen – and back: in March, Bayer 04 travelled with Edmond Tapsoba for a special project in his homeland Burkina Faso. The country where his roots and heart lie. The country where he’s more than a world-class defender: a symbol of hope and a role model for an entire generation. The result is a 45-minute documentary about Tapsoba’s long journey from Africa via Portugal to Leverkusen, which offers extraordinary, one-off and emotional insights.
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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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