The new coronavirus protection order for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia came into effect yesterday (Wednesday) immediately introduces the 2G rule (proof of vaccination or recovery) in the areas of culture and entertainment. This also applies to sporting events. Bayer 04 have already operated the 2G rule for Werkself home games for some time. The new factor is: The 2G rule now applies to people aged 16 and above. Here are the home game FAQs.
In addition to digital proof of vaccination or recovery, official photo ID (identity card, passport or driving licence) must be presented at the stadium entry points. Access to the BayArena will only be permitted on production of the two documents.
UEFA have appointed the Greek referee Anastasios ‘Tasos’ Sidiropoulos for tonight’s game. The 42-year-old has already been in charge of 20 Europa League matches including a 4-0 win for the Werkself against Slavia Prague almost ten years ago. It is the second match in the current Europa League campaign for Sidiropoulos. Have a good game.
Werkself LIVE will be available at tonight’s home game against the Scots at the BayArena – alternatively you can view the free matchday magazine online. The new Bayer 04 flyer provides interesting stats and facts on the match between the Werkself and team second in the Scottish Premiership. In addition there is a poster of the Ecuadorian summer signing Piero Hincapie on the reverse. HERE is the e-paper.
The Werkself and Celtic had never met before the meeting at the end of September – the Seoane team could maintain a perfect record against the top Scottish side with a win tonight. The omens are good.
Today’s visitors have not done at all well on German soil to date: 6 of their 7 seven away games in Germany in the Europa League or the UEFA Cup ended in defeat (1 draw), most recently against RB Leipzig in October 2018. On the other hand, Bayer 04 have not lost a single game in 14 home matches in the Europa League group stages (11 wins, 3 draws). No other team in the history of the competition has played as many games at home without losing a single match.
In addition to the Europa League match, Thursday is also the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. For three years, the Werkself have joined together with the Zonta Club Leverkusen in supporting the worldwide campaign ‘Orange your City’.
In the past, the BayArena has been light up in orange for the whole evening along with other buildings in Leverkusen such as the Water Tower, the Museum Morsbroich and the Christuskirche church in Wiesdorf to make a clear statement against violence against women.
Bayer 04 are again supporting the campaign this year. However, it is not possible to light up the stadium due to the Europa League match but the Werkself remain in full support of the campaign.
With their wonderful goals, Martin Terrier and Florian Wirtz are up for the Bundesliga Goal of the Year 2025. Voting for fans will run exclusively via the official Bundesliga app until Sunday, 4 January.
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The ‘year after’ the most successful year in the club's history brought many changes at Bayer 04. In an exclusive double interview with bayer04.de shortly before the Christmas break, Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes spoke about building a new team capable of winning trophies, the work of coach Kasper Hjulmand, the young new signings who have quickly developed into key players, and their personal plans for the Christmas holidays. Their outlook for the coming year also shows that the potential is far from exhausted and ambitions remain high.
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Last-minute ecstasy, huge disappointment and a historic performance on the European stage - 2025 was a real emotional roller coaster, especially for the U19s. A rousing run in the knockout phase secured the team a place in the final of the German championships, where they lost by the narrowest of margins. Despite the departure of several key players, the young Werkself team quickly regained their usual strength and qualified for the knockout rounds in the UEFA Youth League for the first time at the end of the year. In 2025, youngsters Jeremiah Mensah and Montrell Culbreath made their debuts in the Bundesliga, the DFB Pokal and the UEFA Champions League. The other youth teams also contributed great performances and a number of trophies to the collective Black and Red success, while the successful Bayer 04 Future Kids project broke new ground. Read on for the 2025 review of the youth teams.
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Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...
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A memorable 12 months: 2025 was a year marked by success, intense competition and groundbreaking innovations for the #B04eSports team. After ending the 2024/25 season as runners-up, the Leverkusen-based console pros got down to business in a new, completely restructured season model, in which showdowns rather than divisions were the decisive factor on the road to the final round of the German Club Championship. Bayer 04 quickly earned a place in the history books of the most prestigious competition in German eSports and secured some valuable advantages for the coming year. Bayer04.de takes a look back at 12 months full of passion and the determination to take the next step.
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