
The Bayer 04 v Lotte tie is a repeat of last season's first-round meeting that the Werkself won 3-0 thanks to goals from Kießling, Calhanoglu and Bender.
In this season's first round Bayer 04 won 2-1 at fifth tier SC Hauenstein. Lotte produced a sensational upset in their opening tie against Bundesliga side Werder Bremen. The team, including former Bayer 04 keeper Benedikt Fernandez, were champions of the Regional League West and thereby achieved promotion to division three. Currently they are ninth in the table with five points from four games.
The second round ties will be played on 25 and 26 October. 16 Bundesliga clubs are still in the competition with only RB Leipzig (6-5 defeat on penalties against Dynamo Dresden) and Werder Bremen (21 defeat away to Sportfreunde Lotte) going out in first round. 13 teams from the second division are in the second round plus the two third division outfits Sportfreunde Lotte and Hallescher FC, and Regional League side FC Astoria Walldorf.


The Germany U19 team were beaten 2-0 by record champions Spain in the final of the U19 European Championship in Wales. Bayer 04 players Montrell Culbreath and Francis Onyeka (on loan at SV 07 Elversberg) were in the starting line-up and played the full 90 minutes.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have signed France U17 international Kenan Doganay. The 1.90-metre-tall defensive midfielder, who has Turkish roots, joins Leverkusen from the U19s at French top-flight club Olympique Lyon. He will initially train with and play for the U19 team.
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The Sports Tribunal of the German Football Association (DFB) has fined Bayer 04 Leverkusen €185,000 for spectators setting off pyrotechnic devices during a total of five competitive matches. This relates to four Bundesliga matches and the DFB Pokal semi-final against Bayern Munich. The highest individual fine relates to the away match at FC Köln at the end of April.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended the contract with U19 goalkeeper Simeon Rapsch. The Germany youth international goalkeeper has signed a long-term contract with the Werkself running to 30 June 2029. The 18-year-old joined Leverkusen from FC Viktoria Köln in the summer of 2024.
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