Bayer’s Talcid will again be the sleeve sponsor for Bayer 04 in the DFB Pokal this season, starting in Friday’s first round. With the historic chameleon logo of the heartburn remedy on their chests, the Werkself won the cup for the first time in 1993. Further information on the extension of the partnership with Talcid can be found HERE.
Leverkusen have never before faced Großaspach in a competitive fixture, but the Werkself have won six of their last seven cup games against first-time opponents. Bayer 04 have also lost only one of their 24 Pokal fixtures against teams from the fourth tier. Those are numbers that bode well for the continuation of the competition record that has seen the 2024 winners score in each of their last 37 DFB Pokal matches.
The game is also the first real test for Ten Hag in charge, as well as his debut in the DFB Pokal. The Dutchman boasts cup success abroad, reaching the final of the FA Cup with Manchester United in both his last two seasons there, lifting the trophy in 2024. “The cup has always excited me. It’s a special competition because one game decides everything,” Ten Hag said at his pre-match press conference on Thursday.
Sonnenhof have competed in the DFB Pokal twice before, with the self-styled ‘village club’ going out in the first round both times. The champions of the fifth-tier Oberliga Baden-Württemberg are in good form, though, following that success by also lifting the regional cup to ensure qualification to the national competition. They have now started this campaign in the Regionalliga with two wins by an aggregate score of 10-2.
For coach Pascal Reinhardt, it’s all about consistency. He’s managed to keep his squad together following promotion, with just three new signings. It means the approach remains the same as 2024/25’s excellent year. “We’ve got tough work ethic off the ball and a winner’s mentality in the team,” the 33-year-old said.
He has Fabian Eisele up front, who netted 36 goals in 34 games last season. The striker previously faced the Werkself with Saarbrücken five years ago, losing 3-0 in the semi-finals. Find out more about Großaspach in our opposition profile.
Around a quarter of the 10,000-capacity WIRmachenDRUCK Arena will be occupied by Bayer 04 fans for the first competitive game of the season. Travelling fans can find out more HERE.
The German FA (DFB) have appointed Michael Bacher to oversee Friday’s game. It’s his first fixture involving Leverkusen. The 34-year-old has Felix Grund and Luca Schlosser as his assistants, with Martin Wilke as fourth official. There is no VAR in the DFB Pokal until the round of 16.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended Abdoulaye Faye’s contract by a further year to 30 June 2031. During the 2026/27 season, the talented defender will play for Celta Vigo on loan without an option to buy. The 21-year-old Senegalese is set to feature in La Liga and the UEFA Europa League with last season’s sixth-placed side in Spain.
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The Werkself's training camp in Weimarer Land all in one place: in our daily blog you'll find all the insights and updates from the day. The programme on day one (Sunday 2 August) includes a media round with managing director sport Simon Rolfes, free time for the team after the friendly against Rot-Weiss Essen and before an intensive week of training begins, as well as a coffee get-together where CEO Fernando Carro and Rolfes met around 100 fans in the afternoon.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have agreed Kerim Alajbegovic’s transfer to Italian record champions Juventus. The club brought the 18-year-old attacking player back to Leverkusen this summer via a buy-back option, following a season at Red Bull Salzburg. Until his move to Austria, the Bosnia international had been playing for Bayer 04’s Under-19s.
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A warm welcome to the Weimarer Land, Bayer 04! The Werkself moved into their accommodation for this year’s training camp on Saturday evening. In Blankenhain, Thuringia, head coach Carles Martínez’s team have a programme of gruelling training sessions – several of which will be open to fans – and team-building activities lined up for the next six days. We’ll be following the Werkself up close and providing you with exclusive insights, quotes, photos and videos from the training camp.
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With 22 days to go until the start of the Bundesliga campaign, the Bayer 04 Women’s team have gained a fresh boost of confidence. In a friendly against Belgian top-flight side KRC Genk on Saturday afternoon, coach Roberto Pätzold’s team secured a 1–0 win. Lobke Loonen (20’) scored the winner for the Black and Reds at the Kurtekotten training centre.
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