Matchday one in the VBL CC started at 18.00 against Hamburg SV, last season's runners-up in the North West division. The match – as with all other fixtures this season, was decided in a best-of-three format. The 2 vs 2 game came first with Marc ‘MARC_LDW23’ Landwehr and Furkan ‘FURKY’ Kayacik on the controllers for Leverkusen against the Hamburg players Daniel ‘HSV_Daniel7’ Dwelk and Steffen ‘Funino’ Pöppe. The game ended in a 4-1 defeat for the Black and Reds.
It was advantage to HSV ahead of the second game although Landwehr was able to secure a 2-0 victory over Hamburg's Dwelk in the 1 vs 1 match. The decider came in the third game between Kayacik and Pöppe with the clash ending in a 2-0 defeat for Leverkusen. That meant HSV were the overall winners and they picked up their first three points of the season.
The second matchday against Holstein Kiel followed later in the evening. The Storks also suffered defeat in their first match against FC Hansa Rostock. The game between the Black and Reds and the Kiel side started with a 2 vs 2 encounter with Landwehr and Kayacik taking on the two Storks Colin ‘COOOLLIIIN’ Völter and Florian ‘IROYALDYNASTY’ Wilhelm. The 2 vs 2 game also ended in a 4-1 defeat for the Black and Reds.
To avoid an early overall defeat, a win was required in the following 1 vs 1 game – and that was provided by Landwehr against Kiel's Jeffrey ‘JEFFREY6TH’ Aninkorah. The Leverkusen players clocked up an emphatic 7-1 victory. The decider again came in the third match with Leverkusen's Mario ‘BULJI’ Lovrinovic taking on Kiel’s Völter in a 1 vs 1 game. After Lovrinovic initially went behind, the 19-year-old turned the game round to win 2-1 and thereby secure the first three points of the season for the #B04eSports team.
The Leverkusen team are fifth in the North West division after the first two matchdays. The #B04eSports team are next in action on Saturday 19 November on matchdays three and four: Leverkusen start at 15.30 CET against VfL Bochum and that is followed at 17.00 CET by the meeting with Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Results from matchdays 1 and 2:
Hamburg SV vs Bayer 04 (0 points)
Two vs two: 4-1
Dwelk against Landwehr: 0-2
Pöppe against Kayacik: 2-0
Bayer 04 vs Holstein Kiel (3 points)
Two vs two: 1-4
Landwehr against Aninkorah: 7-1
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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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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