Bayer 04 head coach Xabi Alonso made seven changes from the line-up for the 3-2 win in the Bundesliga opener at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Matej Kovar played in goal in place of Lukas Hradecky who was rested due to a recent illness and he did not travel to Jena. Arthur, Jeanuel Belocian, Aleix Garcia, Nathan Tella, Amine Adli and Patrik Schick came into the starting XI, Piero Hincapie, Jeremie Frimpong, Granit Xhaka, Alejandro Grimaldo and Florian Wirtz dropped to the bench. Victor Boniface was suspended as were Martin Terrier and Odilon Kossounou. The matchday squad also included the three U19 players Othniel Raterink, Francis Onyeka and Artem Stepanov.
The DFB Pokal holders started the game against the team at the top of the Regional League North East with maximum concentration. The first attack on goal for the Werkself came after eight minutes but the hosts were able to clear a whipped in cross from the left by Adli. Jena did not sit back and they tried to play with courage and aggression but Bayer 04 countered that with their passing game. When Adli hit the post Hofmann was in an offside position (16'). Leverkusen found it difficult to get down the wings with pace with the hosts closing down space and being organised in defence. A Tella break down the left led to a shot from Schick that was blocked and the Czechia international had an effort from the following corner that hit the side netting (25'). The best chance fell to Adli who cut in from the right but his powerful left foot shot from the edge of the box hit the right-hand post (31'). A Tah header from a Garcia corner flew past the far upright (36') and the two sides went into half-time with the scoreline of 0-0.
The Werkself started the second half more on the front foot with Alejandro Grimaldo coming on for Arthur. The introduction of the Spaniard soon paid off: A Grimaldo cross was headed into the net by Jonas Hofmann to give the Werkself the lead on 52 minutes. At the other end, the almost untested Matej Kovar was on his toes to deny Kay Seidemann (65'). Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong then came off the bench to replace Tella and Adli (68') with Granit Xhaka coming on for Andrich five minutes later. Jena's first shot from Nils Butzen from a corner was comfortably saved by Kovar (77'). Wirtz then had an effort on goal from a promising position but it was blocked by Khaled El Haija (83'). Jena gave their all in the closing stages with a mixture of courage and desperation. There were six minutes of added time – and the hosts had a good chance to level: Hamza Muqaj put the ball over the bar from close range for a lucky escape for the Werkself (90+3'). Schick then had a chance to seal the win in a one-on-one with keeper Alexios Dedidis (90+4') but the match then ended with the 1-0 win for the Werkself.
Bayer 04 return to Bundesliga action on Saturday, 31 August, for the top match against RB Leipzig with the kick-off at the BayArena at 18.30 CEST.
Match stats:
Carl Zeiss Jena: Dedidis – Butzen, El Haija, Reddemann, Krämer – Schau – Gipson (Prokopenko 76'), Muqaj, Richter (Seidemann 59') – Sezer (Zank 64'), Weinhauer
Bayer 04: Kovar – Arthur (Grimaldo 46'), Tah, Tapsoba, Belocian – Andrich (Xhaka 73'), Garcia – Tella (Frimpong 68'), Hofmann, Adli (Wirtz 68') – Schick
Goals: 0-1 Hofmann (52’)
Referee: Tobias Welz (Wiesbaden)
Yellow cards: Reddemann, Schau – Andrich
Attendance: 15,000 at the Ernst Abbe Sportfeld (sold out)
A special afternoon at the Bayer 04 Football Academy autumn camp: At the Liga 20 indoor football centre, in the shadow of the BayArena, two Werkself women’s team players led a training session. Loreen Bender and Selina Ostermeier not only offered the young players advice and support, but also got stuck in themselves.
Show more
The Werkself have reached at least the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal in each of the last three years. The Black-and-Reds would like to make it to the final four of the competition again this season, but to do that they'll need to overcome 1. FC Nürnberg in round two, who travel to the BayArena with momentum following a successful league campaign so far. However, Bayer have a 100 percent record at home in all competitions this season - and have also won six of their last seven home matches in the Pokal. The Matchday News.
Show more
Back at home in the second round of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal, Bayer 04 host FC Nürnberg at the BayArena. The match against the current second-placed side in Bundesliga 2 is on Wednesday 28 October at 20:45 CET. Ahead of the game, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about his anticipation of the clash in front of a home crowd. The Spaniard also commented on a number of personnel matters, including Ibrahim Maza and Montrell Culbreath, plus the visitors’ coach, Miroslav Klose.
Show more
Now in their third season under head coach Miroslav Klose, FC Nürnberg are among the promotion contenders in Bundesliga 2. On Wednesday 28 October (kick-off: 20:45 CET), the team currently second in the table are away to Bayer 04 in the second round of the DFB Pokal. The lowdown on our next opponents.
Show more
Werkself player Ibrahim Maza has been named in the top ten in the ‘Men’s Young Talent of the Year’ category for 2026. The 20-year-old was at the London Palladium on Monday evening for the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards ceremony. Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 CEO, also attended the ceremony. Lamine Yamal of Barcelona was named the winner in the ‘Men’s Young Talent of the Year’ category.
Show more
