Kai ‘DETO_OFFICIAL’ Wollin met Bremen’s Fabio ‘FIFABIO97’ Sabbagh in the first clash on PlayStation 4. Both sides were fully focussed and tried to avoid making any mistakes. Wollin played a clever game for the 90 minutes and earned a point in a goalless draw with a direct rival. “The opponent is well-known for his strong defence. I knew I wouldn’t get many chances. I had two or three decent openings but I didn’t finish them well. I didn’t give anything away at the back,” was his assessment.
In the second game on Xbox 1, Fabian ‘B04_DUBZJE’ De Cae played Michael ‘MEGABIT’ Bittner. The match promised to be a thriller. De Cae netted a brace in the first half and secured a deserved 2-1 victory in the end. “I played really well in the first half and was clinical with both chances. The opponent played a pressing game in the second half and threw everything into attack. I allowed myself to get distracted and played too fast but I deserved to win in the end,” said ‘B04_DUBZJE’.
Matchday 12 followed in the evening with a game against Hannover 96 that saw Marc ‘MARC_LDW23’ Landwehr make his singles debut for the #B04eSports team on PlayStation 4. Landwehr made an impressive start to the game with aggressive pressing and he won a lot of challenges. He was well on top in the first half and did not give away any clear-cut chances. After his opening goal, he quickly doubled his lead. The game took an unfortunate turn for the worse in the second half with a penalty conceded and Hannover went on to level. “With the second goal I conceded, I brought the central defender back to prevent the opponent playing a diagonal ball. But it can’t be helped. An unlucky twist,” said Landwehr. “Although I would have preferred to win, I was very happy to play my first singles match on PlayStation.” De Cae faced Fabian ‘H96_DONCHAP’ Deutscher in the second match. He clocked up a 1-0 win on Xbox 1.
The doubles matches against Werder Bremen and Hannover 96 will be played on the New Year due to the coronavirus pandemic. That meant the Bayer 04 eSports trio were able to secure provisional 4-1 wins. The team go into the winter break in the North West division in fifth place on 45 points. Bayer 04 are back in action against Holstein Kiel on matchday 14 on 12 January.
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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