14 games, 32 points, top spot – Ferencváros are currently on track to win the Hungarian league title for a fourth time in succession. The team under head coach Peter Stöger have not lost a game in the OTP Bank Liga since matchday 10. However: The team from Budapest were only able to draw (1-1) with third-placed Puskas Akademia last Saturday following on from five successive victories in the league with clean sheets in every game. "We didn't get into the goalscoring areas. I would have liked to see more crosses into the penalty area," said Stöger, who used to coach FC Köln and Borussia Dortmund, about his team's lack of penetration.
Ferencváros have yet to pick up any points in the Europa League. With a goal difference of -8, the Hungarians are bottom of Group G. The Stöger team suffered a 2-1 defeat in the meeting at the BayArena and there were also no points against Real Betis (1-3, 0-2) and Celtic (0-2, 2-3). The game against the Werkself will therefore be the last Europa League night for the Budapest team this season as they are already out of the running for the next round.
Stöger will most probably have to manage without full-back Eldar Civic. The Bosnia-Herzegovina international suffered a serious injury against Puskas Akademia. And the 55-year-old will also be without the two midfield players Balint Vecsei and Somalia on Thursday.
There are legitimate hopes for Myrto Uzuni: The 26-year-old winger, previously sidelined for two games due to injury, made his comeback against Puskas Akademia with a 30-minute appearance from the bench. It is possible that he will be in the starting line-up against Bayer 04 – and that will give the hosts a boost in terms of threat on goal. Uzuni is the biggest threat in the Ferencváros squad having scored 20 goals and provided eight assists in 27 games.
The fact Ferencváros have only conceded 12 goals in five Europa League matches, one less than Celtic, is primarily down to the goalkeeper and captain Denes Dibusz. The 19-time Hungary international keeper is – measured on the number of saves – currently the best shot-stopper in the competition. In his four Europa League appearances, the 31-year-old has picked the ball out of the net nine times but he was also able to make a total of 20 saves.
Together with Cezary Miszta (Legia Warsaw) and Bayer 04 captain Lukas Hradecky, he has made the second highest number of saves amongst all the goalkeepers in the group stage – only Celtic's Joe Hart has made more (23). Dibusz will probably be able to extend his record against the Werkself; he is – in contrast to Hradecky, who is to be replaced by Andrey Lunev – set to be in the starting eleven.
The new eSports season is just around the corner. The VBL Club Championship by WOW starts on Thursday 15 October (from 18:00 CEST). And, as every year, here’s an overview: What changes are there? What is staying the same?
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Bayer 04 record-appearance maker Rüdiger Vollborn invites you to another evening in the popular ‘Rudi lädt ein’ series: on Tuesday 10 November, in collaboration with Bayer AG, the focus will be on the Nazi period. The focus will be on football, Bayer 04 and the city of Leverkusen.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen has secured a new network partner in Extreme Networks GmbH. The leading provider of AI-powered network automation has agreed a five-year partnership with the Bundesliga club, running until 30 June 2031. As part of this, the club’s existing Wi-Fi 5 infrastructure will be replaced by more than 400 Wi-Fi 7 access points, which are specifically designed to meet the requirements of a stadium with a high user density. The aim is to enhance the fan experience while optimising operational processes and security.
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New signing Miguel Gutiérrez has made a good start at Leverkusen and has promptly earned a nomination for Player of the Month in his first few weeks in the Bundesliga. He has scored one goal and provided three assists in four league games. The Spanish left-back has also brought some impressive stats with him to Bayer 04. Issue #56 of the Werkself magazine has taken a look at these figures. ‘Facts & Fun’ with Miguel Gutiérrez.
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With seven points, Mainz 05 are currently joint seventh, level on points with sixth-placed Bayer 04. In today’s head-to-head clash (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself must be particularly wary of the clinical Mainz strike duo. For Leverkusen fans who have left it to the last minute, there are still a few tickets available from the matchday ticket office. Those following the Black and Reds from home, on the other hand, have a choice: RTL is broadcasting the match on free-to-air TV, and Werkself Radio is also offering the expert commentary of former Bayer 04 player Falko Götz. Today’s matchday news.
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