Bayer 04 have played VfB Stuttgart three times in the DFB-Pokal to date – always at home – and they have won all three games. The Werkself have not played any other team as often in Germany's domestic cup competition and have always come out on top.
In all competitions, the Werkself have only lost one of the last 24 matches against Stuttgart (17 wins, six draws). Bayer 04 have also not clocked up more wins in professional football against any other club than they have against VfB Stuttgart (43).
Following a dip in form at the start of the year with two defeats against Borussia Mönchengladbach (1-3) and VfL Bochum (0-1), Stuttgart are currently producing impressive performances: VfB beat RB Leipzig 5-2 on Matchday 19 and last Saturday they secured a 3-1 away win at SC Freiburg. Deniz Undav played a big part in both wins with four goals and two assists. Serhou Guirassy, who has scored 14 goals in 17 league matches, is available again after returning from AFCON. And the regular choice at full-back Hiroki Ito, who went out of the Asia Cup with Japan, is also ready to play for VfB again. Further information on VfB can be found in the profile of our next opponents.
Good news for all drivers: The new Leverkusen autobahn Bridge was opened to traffic again on Sunday. The A1 between the Leverkusen junction and Köln-Nord was closed for two weeks to allow the new parts of the bridge to be connected to the road network. This road is now open making access to the BayArena via the A1 available again.
In honour of the football legend Franz Beckenbauer there will be a minute’s silence before kick-off at today's quarter-final. The 'Kaiser' passed away at the age of 78 on 7 January.
Anyone wanting to discover the latest information ahead of the cup tie can take a look at the new Werkself Live. The matchday magazine, that includes key facts and stats on the match, is available at the BayArena. Alternatively it is available free online. HERE is the e-paper.
As usual, Werkself Radio is available for anybody unable to be at today's game. The audio broadcast begins 30 minutes before kick-off with commentary provided by Niko Hartmann and Cedric Pick. In addition, the live text update service will keep you up-to-date to ensure you don't miss any of the key match action. Both Werkself Radio and the live text update service are available at bayer04.de and on the Bayer 04 app.
The DFB-Pokal quarter-final will be broadcast on Sky Germany and free on terrestrial TV on ARD.
The German Football Association (DFB) has appointed Daniel Schlager as the referee for tonight's game. The 34-year-old has previously been in charge of nine fixtures involving the Werkself resulting in five wins, two draws and two defeats from a Black and Red perspective. Schlager will have the support of assistants Sven Waschitzki-Günther and Christian Dietz with Benjamin Brand in action as the VAR.
After eight years in the youth set-up at Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Benjamin Adam is leaving the club. The 35-year-old, who most recently coached the Leverkusen U17s, will take charge of the Hansa Rostock U19 team next season.
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There was a successful end to the women's internationals with Werkself players Carlotta Wamser and Cornelia Kramer qualifying for the 2027 World Cup finals in Brazil. A third Leverkusen player is still in with a chance of joining them. The Germany U23 players also experienced success in their last two international friendlies of the season.
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Traveling to North America for the World Cup this summer to see your favorite Bayer 04 players? Here’s a quick cheat sheet with thumbnail portraits and insider tips for each city from a local expert, so you can make the most of your visit and activities beyond the game!
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A fresh look for the BayArena: The Bayer 04 stadium will have new seating in the form of folding seats for the 2026/27 campaign that will ensure significantly improved seating comfort and simplified movement within the rows of seats. As part of routine replacement after 17 years, fans of the Werkself were able to purchase the existing seats, used to witness the first German league title in the club's history. In addition, a large proportion of the seats will be donated to charitable projects, primarily in the local region. Bayer 04 fans can look forward to new, functional folding seats for the season opener at the beginning of August - still in the club colours of black and red, of course. A glimpse at the BayArena during the refurbishment.
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