"We're facing a tough challenge," explained Heiko Herrlich at the pre-match press conference on Monday afternoon. "'We need to break new ground. If I look at the stats then you can almost say Werder are the favourites: Bayer 04 have never won in any of the six cup games. Tomorrow, we obviously want to be the first to do it," said the Bayer 04 head coach in describing the plan against the bogey team.
It's not just the previous cup results against Bremen that are preventing Herrlich and his players from underestimating the team currently lying fifteenth in the Bundesliga. "I said before the league game against Werder Bremen that it will be a very, very, very, very difficult game for us. At the time, one of the papers had a bit of go at me for using the word very four times. But I don't think I was that far off the mark," said Herrlich in recalling the laboured 1-0 win against the team from the North in the league in the middle of December ("it was hard work"). Since Florian Kohfeldt took over as coach from Alexander Nouri at the start of November, much has happened with the Green and Whites according to Herrlich. "They did lose at Bayer Munich but actually played in the way we would have liked to have done at home to Bayern – brave and very bold from the back." The upturn and recent results such as the 2-1 win against Schalke 04 on Saturday are no coincidence. "They played very well before that but didn't get the rewards. In the league the team are absolutely not where they should be," said Herrlich.
In spite of the praise for the team from the North, Herrlich is looking to take his team through to the last four. "But Bremen want the same. Tomorrow is not about points and there won't be any points awarded. It's all about winning or losing, going out or going through, life or death. So there is special motivation," said Herrlich ahead of the clash with the six- time winners of the German cup competition behind record winners Bayern Munich (18 wins).
Herrlich did not want to focus too much on previous games against Werder Bremen in the cup: "I've spoken to one or two people at the club about previous cup ties. But I don't think the past really helps in preparing to meet an opponent – the current approach that makes Bremen strong is much more important than anything in the past."
Heiko Herrlich has almost a full squad to choose from. All the players are fit. The 46-year-old coach does see Julian Baumgartlinger as a possible doubt following a viral infection. "He's already feeling better. But we'll have to wait and see how he comes through the afternoon training session."
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
Show moreTo all Bayer 04 fans: The Fanwelt will be closed all day next Monday 30 June. This is due to preparations for the change of kit supplier from Castore to New Balance on Tuesday 1 July.
Show moreThe Norway U23 international Julie Jorde has completed the move from Bayer 04 Leverkusen to Brøndby IF. The twelve-time champions of Denmark have signed the midfielder on permanent terms after her loan move from the Bundesliga to Denmark in the winter.
Show moreIt is almost two years since Bayer 04 new signing Abdoulaye Faye first stepped foot into the BayArena as a player for the Swedish club BK Häcken in the opening match in the 2023/24 Europa League campaign. A day before his nineteenth birthday, the central defender did not play in the 4-0 win for the Werkself but it was "an incredible night" for him on 21 September 2023 as he explained in his first interview on bayer04.de. "I watched the players and saw the fans. I liked it." It was also the first European night early on in his career. He only joined the then champions of Sweden in the cold north of Europe from his home in Senegal a few weeks before that special moment. Bayer04.de profiles our new defender.
Show moreWelcome, Abdoulaye Faye. The 20-year-old Senegalese central defender joins Leverkusen from top-flight Swedish club BK Häcken. In his first interview he talks about his move to Bayer 04 and his targets with the Werkself.
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