The Bild Zeitung again uses a play on words with the Werkself coach in its headline: "Gladbach sink HERRLICH (brilliantly)“ and the article continues: "What was that? Gladbach are knocked out of the DFB Cup, humiliated and punished at home. In the fifth game against Gladbach since October 2017, Leverkusen win 5-0 to go through to the Round of 16. ...Leverkusen decision maker Rudi Völler (58): 'We've scored eleven goals in three days against two teams who have had impressive starts to the season. A lot is going right at the moment that wasn't before.' Bayer's BALLERabi has scored six goals in the last four games. He, along with coach Herrlich, are probably THE comeback kings of the season."
The Hannoversche Allgemeine saw "the next Bayer show" at Borussia Park. Their report reads: "Bayer Leverkusen have impressively continued their upturn and again reached the DFB Cup Round of 16 as they did last season. After the splendid 6-2 win at Werder Bremen, the Werkself also won the second game in succession and overcame Borussia Mönchengladbach with a 5-0 victory thanks to perfect counter-attacking football."
The Kölner Stadt Anzeiger provided a state of the nation report on Bayer 04 after the 90 minutes at Mönchengladbach: "Euphoria replaces crisis." The small contingent of Bayer 04 Leverkusen fans chanted: 'Let's have another, let's have another.' And the Werkself duly obliged for the fans, several times. With a 5-0 winning margin and another exiting display of counter-attacking football, Bayer 04 crushed Borussia Mönchengladbach in the second round of the DFB Cup to progress to the Round of 16. Leverkusen played like the season only started with the 6-2 win at Bremen: Pumped full of confidence and playing faultless football. A complete makeover. And now with eleven goals in three days. There is no longer any trace of the weeks of crisis."
The Cologne-based Express reports: "Oh dear, Borussia! Gladbach's high flying form and Cup dreams are over with a bump as the Foals trip up in the second round of the Cup against Rhineland rivals Leverkusen with a 5-0 defeat and exit from the competition. The fortress has been breached and almost 49,000 fans witnessed the first hammering at home for VfL this term. What humiliation! Again it is Bayer who hurt the team from the Lower Rhine in the Cup. The Werkself knocked Borussia out last December and now it's happened again. Another turnround for coach Heiko Herrlich who had to worry about losing his job a week ago. The Bremen gala performance (6-2) and now the derby win complete with progress to the Round of 16. Leverkusen are back."
The Rheinische Post identified a negative from a Gladbach perspective: "There was an embarrasing 5-0 home defeat against Leverkusen and Gladbach have never lost by a bigger margin at home in the Cup. With Bayer there is still the hope of satsifying the yearning. Bayer won the Cup in 1993, and no other title since then... The season might only really have started for Bayer in November."
Further headlines: "Leverkusen sweep past Gladbach“ (Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung); "Leverkusen make Mönchengladbach suffer“ (Westdeutsche Zeitung); "Bayer let fly" (Ruhr Nachrichten). At spox.com the report reads: "Sweet instead of sour: Heiko Herrlich can breathe a sigh of relief after a brilliant Cup triumph on Halloween. The clinical Werkself are in the DFB Cup Round of 16 for the seventh time in eight years."
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…
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From special edition jerseys to fan banners, the home game against Mainz 05 was all about the many Bayer 04 fan clubs. Accordingly, a fitting tribute to the long-standing Werkself supporters was not to be missed during half-time in the Bundesliga match. Fernando Carro, CEO, honoured the up to 50-year anniversaries of six fan clubs in front of the coaches' benches at the BayArena.
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It is an expression of solidarity and a tribute to the unique fan culture Under the Cross: Bayer 04 Leverkusen make a special statement with the "50 Years of Fan Clubs" jersey. To mark the founding of the "First Fan Club 1976 Leverkusen", which was followed by many more over the years right up to the present day, the Bundesliga club is commemorating 50 years of passion with this new jersey. Highs and lows, successes celebrated together as well as defeats suffered are manifested in this piece of white fabric, a symbol of unwavering identification with the Werkself.
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There’s lots going on at the BayArena today. The home game against FSV Mainz 05 is all about the numerous Bayer 04 fan clubs, whose birth - the founding of the "1. Fanclub 1976 Leverkusen" - dates back 50 years. A number of fan club representatives will be involved in awards, a banner display and a half-time matchday chat, and the Werkself are set to play in a special white fan club jersey. During half-time, Leverkusen mayor Stefan Hebbel and javelin world champion Steffi Nerius will also talk about the Olympic bid involving Leverkusen. Black and Red fans are advised to get to the stadium in good time today. Matchday news.
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The Werkself host Premier League club Arsenal in the Round of 16 first leg in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League campaign. The match at the BayArena is on 10/11 March. Read on for information on ticket sales for this fixture.
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