
The meeting with Hamburg SV represented the start of the VBL campaign in 2023 for the Black and Red players – and it brought a win for Leverkusen. As usual, the fixture began with a 2 vs 2 game. Marc ‘MARC_LDW23’ Landwehr and Furkan ‘FURKY’ Kayacik were on the controllers against the Red Shorts duo of Daniel ‘HSV_DANIEL7’ Dwelk and Steffen ‘FUNINO’ Pöppe. The game ended in a 3-1 win for the #B04eSports players.
Landwehr was then beaten 2-1 by Pöppe in the 1 vs 1 encounter taking the match to a decider in the third game. Kayacik faced Dwelk and the Leverkusen player clocked up an impressive 3-0 win. That secured first points of the New Year.
The match against Holstein Kiel followed later in the evening with the meeting against the team bottom of the North West division ending in defeat. The 2 vs 2 for Landwehr and Kayacik ended all square at 2-2 and then Kayacik was on the wrong end of a 6-1 scoreline in the following 1 vs 1 against the Kiel player Colin ‘COOOLLIIIN’. In the third and final game of the evening, Landwehr was up against the Storks eSports player Florian ‘IROYALDYNASTY’ Wilhelm. That also ended all square at 1-1 bringing a defeat for the #B04eSports players.
The #B04eSports team are back in action on matchdays 18 and 19: VfL Bochum are the first opponents at 18.00 CET on Tuesday 17 January with Borussia Mönchengladbach providing the opposition at 19.30 CET.
Results on matchdays 16 and 17:
Bayer 04 vs Hamburg SV (3 points)
2 vs 2: 3-1
Landwehr vs Pöppe: 1-2
Kayacik vs Dwelk: 3-0
Bayer 04 vs Holstein Kiel (0 points)
2 vs 2: 2-2
Völter vs Kayacik: 6-1
Wilhelm vs 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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