The 20 travelling fan club members took the clash with Borussia Mönchengladbach (2-2) as an opportunity to support the Werkself again live at the BayArena. Following the game, they made their Player of the Season award. This year’s winner is Jeremie Frimpong. The wing-back accepted the award in person.
After the final whistle, the defender went to the home end where he thanked the Werkself fans from Britain: "I didn't know that there was a Bayer 04 Fan club in the UK. It's great that the fans came over specially for the match and to present the award. I feel totally honoured!" Of course, after the presentation of the trophy there was the opportunity for group photos, selfies and a chat with the Leverkusen player.
Frimpong was born in Amsterdam but moved to Manchester in the north of England with his family when he was a child. He was at the Manchester City Academy and he played for the U23 team of this season's Champions League finalists in 2018/19. He then signed for Celtic and played for the Scottish club in the Europa League in 2020/21 and collected several honours at a national level. He won the Scottish Premiership, the Scottish Cup as well as the Scottish League Cup with Celtic in 2020. He joined Bayer 04 the start of 2021.
He is the second highest goalscorer at the club this season with nine goals behind teammate Moussa Diaby. Frimpong last scored in a 4-1 away win at Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League quarter-final second leg. To date he has made 94 appearances and played over 7,000 minutes in a Werkself shirt.
Today brings the first match of the season for the Werkself. Bayer 04 kick off the 2026/27 campaign today, Saturday 22 August, at 13:00 CEST with a first-round DFB Pokal tie away to third-tier side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. The 3,700 travelling fans can not only look forward to what will hopefully be a successful start to the season, but also now organise their journeys to Black and Reds games even more easily via the WERKSELFgo car-share platform. Meanwhile, following two defeats at the start of the league season, SV Wehen are hoping to spring a surprise in the DFB Pokal tie. Today’s matchday news.
Show more
Carolin Simon is the new captain of the Bayer 04 women’s team. The full-back, who joined from Bayern Munich in the summer, will take over the captain’s armband for the 2026/27 season. Simon returned to Leverkusen in the summer after ten years away. The 33-year-old succeeds goalkeeper Friederike Repohl, who retired at the end of last season.
Show more
Bayer 04 start the 2026/27 season away to third-division side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. Ahead of the DFB Pokal tie on Saturday 22 August (kick-off: 13:00 CEST), head coach Carles Martínez spoke at the pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon. The topics: anticipation, passion, the fans’ support – and the captaincy for the new season.
Show more
SV Wehen Wiesbaden undoubtedly envisaged a different start to the new season. After two matchdays, the Hessen side currently sit bottom of the Liga 3 table. On Saturday 22 August (kick-off: 13:00 CEST), SVWW host the Werkself in the first round of the DFB Pokal at their home ground, the BRITA Arena. It was there, in this very competition a year ago, that the club almost pulled off a massive upset. The lowdown on our next opponents.
Show more
Farid Alfa-Ruprecht is going out on loan from Bayer 04 Leverkusen to Bundesliga 2 side Hertha Berlin. The pacy winger will be at the Berlin club for one year.
Show more
