The Black and Red eSports players started the first matchday of the evening against VfL Bochum with a 2 vs 2 game as usual. Marc ‘MARC_LDW23’ Landwehr and Furkan ‘FURKY’ Kayacik were on the controllers playing against the Bochum duo Laurin-Noah ‘VFLSNAKEZ’ Bartsch and Timo ‘TIMOX’ Siep. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
The following 1 vs 1 between Landwehr and Bochum's Justin ‘MILKALOVE’ Springer also ended without a winner (2-2) with the decider coming in the third game. Mario ‘BULJI’ Lovrinovic was up against Siep and this clash also ended all square (1-1). That meant the overall result was a draw.
The match against Borussia Mönchengladbach followed later in the evening resulting in a defeat against the Foals eSports players. The 2 vs 2 involving Landwehr and Kayacik ended in a draw (2-2) with Kayacik then losing 1-0 in the 1 vs 1 encounter with the Mönchengladbach player Jannis ‘BMG_JISTENNSG’ Pütz. The third and final clash of the evening pitched Landwehr against the Foals eSports player Lukas ‘BMG_LXKI’ Lange. The 1 vs 1 game ended with a 1-1 scoreline meaning the #B04eSports players were left empty-handed at the end of the match.
The #B04eSports team are back in action in the VBL Club Championship in two weeks time: Matchday 20 brings the fixture against Eintracht Braunschweig on Tuesday 31 January. It starts at 18.00 CET. The Leverkusen eSports players have no game on matchday 21 as there are an uneven number of teams (15) in the North West section.
Results on matchdays 18 and 19:
Bayer 04 vs VfL Bochum 1848 (1 point)
2 vs 2: 1-1
Landwehr against Springer: 2-2
Lovrinovic against Siep: 2-2
Borussia Mönchengladbach vs Bayer 04 (0 points)
2 vs 2: 2-2
Pütz against Kayacik: 1-0
Lange against Landwehr: 1-1
Standing on the pitch where the Werkself players perform - for many Bayer 04 club members, this wish became reality at this year's Members' kickabout. Around 400 active participants of all ages took the opportunity to experience the BayArena from a new and special perspective. And there was also plenty going on in the stands: The event attracted more than 1,000 visitors in total and provided an atmospheric end to the season.
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Lying third in the Bundesliga, the Werkself made a faltering start in 2026 after the winter break, but gradually rediscovered winning ways and, as in the previous campaign, were among the top 16 in Europe and the top four in the DFB Pokal. In the Bundesliga, the Werkself also remained in the race for Champions League qualification right to the end. However, because setbacks repeatedly crept into the Werkself's performances between good displays and crucial games, it was not quite enough to secure a UCL spot in the end. A season with many ups and downs brought sixth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Part II of the review of the 2025/26 season.
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Rogier Meijer is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and returning to his native Netherlands: The 44-year-old will take over at Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on 1 July. Meijer has been part of the Werkself coaching set-up since the start of the 2025/26 season - first as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag, then on Kasper Hjulmand's staff.
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Following the final match of the 2025/26 season, the prevailing feeling was naturally one of disappointment after missing out on qualification for the Champions League. The Werkself finished the Bundesliga in sixth place, meaning they'll start the 2026/27 campaign in the Europa League. "But to talk negatively about everything now because of that would be wrong," stressed captain Robert Andrich following the final game, knowing that the past year at Bayer 04 was marked, more than almost any other, by the start of a new era and the courage to change – and in particular, the belief in a positive direction. Everyone was aware this process would need time. The first part of the 2025/26 season review.
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