
"One step away from the final" is the headline in the Kölnische Rundschau, which also points out a weak first half for the Werkself: "From the kick-off, Leverkusen were uninspired, weak in challenges and without a goalscoring opportunity against well-organised visitors. The half-time lead for Union with a header from Marcus Ingvartsen after a double blunder by Sinkgraven (39') was absolutely deserved."
After the restart, "the Werkself body language changed and there was more determination and tempo. " Furthermore: "Bayer have moved a step closer to the longed for title."
The Frankfurter Rundschau (headline: "Bayer battle through") reports: "After half-time, Bayer upped the tempo somewhat but only really got going with the second yellow for Lenz and the introduction of Bellarabi and his prompt equaliser. Just at the right time."
"The strength of the underdogs faded away," was the view of the FAZ in describing the closing stages for Union.
The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger reports the first-half performance of Bayer 04: "Bayer 04 had a huge possession rate, but that only came from moving the ball around their own defensive lines. There were no threatening moves." The dismissal of Union's Christopher Lenz (71') in the closing stages of the cup tie was "a game changer". "The match changed with considerably more space and pacy substitutes Diaby and Karim Bellarabi on the pitch."
The BILD headline in relation to the 1.71-metre tall Leverkusen player Charles Aránguiz: "Aránguiz’ heroic header." The Chilean gave the Werkself a 2-1 lead on 86 minutes with a headed goal. The strike provided "the salvation."

The new eSports season is just around the corner. The VBL Club Championship by WOW starts on Thursday 15 October (from 18:00 CEST). And, as every year, here’s an overview: What changes are there? What is staying the same?
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Bayer 04 record-appearance maker Rüdiger Vollborn invites you to another evening in the popular ‘Rudi lädt ein’ series: on Tuesday 10 November, in collaboration with Bayer AG, the focus will be on the Nazi period. The focus will be on football, Bayer 04 and the city of Leverkusen.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen has secured a new network partner in Extreme Networks GmbH. The leading provider of AI-powered network automation has agreed a five-year partnership with the Bundesliga club, running until 30 June 2031. As part of this, the club’s existing Wi-Fi 5 infrastructure will be replaced by more than 400 Wi-Fi 7 access points, which are specifically designed to meet the requirements of a stadium with a high user density. The aim is to enhance the fan experience while optimising operational processes and security.
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New signing Miguel Gutiérrez has made a good start at Leverkusen and has promptly earned a nomination for Player of the Month in his first few weeks in the Bundesliga. He has scored one goal and provided three assists in four league games. The Spanish left-back has also brought some impressive stats with him to Bayer 04. Issue #56 of the Werkself magazine has taken a look at these figures. ‘Facts & Fun’ with Miguel Gutiérrez.
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With seven points, Mainz 05 are currently joint seventh, level on points with sixth-placed Bayer 04. In today’s head-to-head clash (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself must be particularly wary of the clinical Mainz strike duo. For Leverkusen fans who have left it to the last minute, there are still a few tickets available from the matchday ticket office. Those following the Black and Reds from home, on the other hand, have a choice: RTL is broadcasting the match on free-to-air TV, and Werkself Radio is also offering the expert commentary of former Bayer 04 player Falko Götz. Today’s matchday news.
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