
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.


Kicking off the new season with a fresh look: Bayer 04, in collaboration with sportswear manufacturer New Balance, has unveiled the official kit for Leverkusen’s e-Sports players for the coming season. The jersey is now available from the Bayer 04 online shop and the Fanwelt.
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Paulo Sergio and Bayer 04 have enjoyed close ties since the Werkself training camp in his native Brazil last summer. The club legend is in charge of the Bayer 04 Soccer Academy, which opened in the summer of 2025, and he has also been at this year’s training camp in the Weimarer Land. As well as interacting with the many fans who travelled to the camp, the 1994 World Cup winner used the time to plan the next steps for the Academy together with club officials. In an interview with bayer04.de, Sergio spoke about the project’s future development, the upcoming visit by young Academy players to Leverkusen, and plans for the coming months in Germany and Brazil.
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A round-up of the Werkself training camp in the Weimarer Land, all in one place: in our daily blog you’ll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day five (Thursday 6 August) is as follows: The squad have the final open session of the training camp in the morning. After lunch, there will be a team event.
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A round-up of the Werkself training camp in the Weimarer Land, all in one place: in our daily blog you’ll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day four (Wednesday 5 August) is all about training. The day begins with a gruelling open training session – new signing Miguel Gutiérrez also takes part. A second session follows in the afternoon, this time behind closed doors.
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At the training camp in the Weimarer Land region, Bayer 04 head coach Carles Martínez and his long-standing assistant Pol García talk about their first few weeks with the Werkself, their expectations of their own work, the coaching staff and the squad, as well as the style of football they want the team to play. They emphasise the importance of a winning mentality within the team, comment on cultural and personal differences in the world of football, and outline their goals for the coming season...
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