Bayer 04 and FC Köln have previously met three times in the DFB Pokal with the Werkself winning the last two ties. There was a 3-1 win in the semi-finals in 2001/02 and a 2-0 victory in the third round in 1991/92. The other meeting in the second round in 1982/83 was won by FC Köln (3-1).
The team from Cologne are back in the quarter-finals this season for the first time since 2009/10. For the Werkself it is the fourth time in the last eight since 2017/18. Bayer 04 have won all quarter-final ties since then (2017/18, 2019/20 and 2023/24). Winning a Pokal quarter-final for the fourth time in succession would be a record for Bayer 04. FC Köln came out winners in twelve of their last 16 quarter-final ties.
The Werkself have won nine Pokal ties in succession across seasons – equalling the club record (from August 1992 to September 1993). Starting with the semi-final last season, the Werkself have played five Pokal games in succession without conceding. That is the second longest run in the club's history. There was a run of seven games without conceding across seasons in the run-up to winning the DFB Pokal in 1993.
The Werkself under Xabi Alonso have previously played 04 Pokal games against second tier teams with all those games ending in victory. The Spaniard is also still unbeaten as a coach in the DFB Pokal. As is FC Köln coach Gerhard Struber who took over the helm in Cologne at the start of the season.
The Werkself beat Regional League FC Carl Zeiss Jena 1-0 in the first round, then overcame second division SV 07 Elversberg 3-0 in the second round, and finally beat record Pokal winners Bayern Munich 1-0 at the Allianz Arena in the Round of 16.
FC Köln’s path to the quarter-finals: A 3-2 away win in the first round at SV Sandhausen was followed by a 3-0 home victory in the second round against newly promoted Bundesliga side Holstein Kiel. FC Köln came through the Round of 16 with a 2-1 win in extra time against second division rivals Hertha Berlin.
FC Köln went top of Bundesliga 2 above Hamburg SV last weekend thanks to a 2-1 win away to Eintracht Braunschweig. The team from Cologne, relegated from the top-flight last season, are now in top spot on 37 points after a very positive run following a mixed start to the season. The last ten league games have included eight wins and a draw. Their strengths particularly include a solid defence: FC Köln have the second best defence in the league with 25 goals conceded. Further information on today's opposition can be found in our lowdown on the next opponents.
Anyone wanting to discover the latest information ahead of kick-off can take a look at the new Werkself Live. The matchday magazine, which includes key facts and stats on the match, is available at the BayArena. Alternatively it is available free online. HERE is the e-paper.
The German Football Association (DFB) have put Frank Willenborg in charge of today's game. The 45-year-old referee has previously officiated ten games involving the Werkself (six wins, two draws and two defeats). Willenborg’s assistants today are Sascha Thielert and Markus Schüller with Robert Schröder in action as the VAR.
As in last Sunday's Bundesliga home game for the Werkself against TSG Hoffenheim (3-1), there is the possibility in today's DFB Pokal tie that the referee will make use of the stadium PA. Referees can, in certain situations, explain their decisions on the pitch over the PA system. In the game against Hoffenheim, referee Dr Robin Braun explained the decision to overturn a penalty due to a player being offside in the build-up via the stadium PA.
he DFB Pokal tie will be broadcast live on ARD as well as on Sky. As ever, supporters unable to be at the match can follow the game on Werkself Radio. The audio broadcast starts 30 minutes before kick-off with commentary provided by Niko Hartmann and Cedric Pick. In addition, the live text update service will keep fans up-to-date. Both Werkself Radio and the live text update service are available at bayer04.de and on the Bayer 04 app.
Bayer 04’s Ibrahim Maza is among the three nominees for the Bundesliga’s 2025/26 Rookie of the Season award. Fans have until 23:59 CEST on Thursday, 7 May to cast their votes in the official Bundesliga app.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 4-0 win at SGS Essen on the 24th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga 2025/26.
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In the previous game against RB Leipzig in December last year, the Werkself turned came from behind to win 3-1 and further improved Leverkusen's already strong record against the Red Bulls. Montrell Culbreath stood out with his first goal on his debut for the Black and Reds. While the 18-year-old would certainly like to score a second goal against Leipzig on Saturday night, the attack-minded visitors come to the BayArena in confident mood after five Bundesliga victories in a row. The Nordkurve12 supporters group knows the Werkself will therefore once again be reliant on the vociferous support of the fans, and has once again called for the ‘Finally Red’ campaign in the run-in. Today’s matchday news.
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Video games manufacturer Electronic Arts (EA), together with the German Football League (DFL), announced the top male and female selections for the 2025/26 Bundesliga season this week. Bayer 04 striker Vanessa Fudalla is in the starting eleven of the women's "Team of the Season". Alejandro Grimaldo and Aleix Garcia have been selected as bench players in the men's team.
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After matchday 31 and the 2-1 derby win in Cologne, one thing is certain: Bayer 04 will at least compete in the UEFA Europa League in the coming 2026/27 campaign. But the Werkself want more. Looking at the race for Champions League qualification and the remaining three league fixtures, including against direct rivals, bayer04.de outlines the possible scenarios in the season run-in.
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