Nearly four months ago on the penultimate matchday of last season, the Bayer 04 Women and FC Köln faced each other in a relegation battle in the FLYERALARM Women’s Bundesliga. The Black and Reds won the game 3-1– and thereby secured top-flight status while the team from Cologne were relegated to the second division after finishing level on points but with a worse goal difference
“Köln will be particularly motivated against us, ” declared Bayer 04 head coach Achim Feifel. But the same applies to his team. “We will need to be highly aggressive but we also need to keep a clear head at the same time and assert control.” In the recent Bundesliga matches against Eintracht Frankfurt, Werder Bremen and Essen, his players produced impressive team performance and now it’s about building on it: “We want to play our own game and we need lots of periods of possession and efficiency – we have to use our attacking strength,” the coach explained. He believes FC Köln will try to draw his players “into tackles and look to pose a threat with quick counter-attacks. It will be a tough fight!”
Köln – unbeaten with maximum points so far this term – brought in some big-name players before the season to strengthen the squad. “They have a strong squad. You can’t let yourself be misled by the league they’re in. FC are not a typical second division team,” warned Feifel. In addition to Mandy Islacker (from Bayern Munich), Lena Lotzen (SC Freiburg) and goalkeeper Manon Klett (SC Sand), former Leverkusen players Sharon Beck and Marith Müller-Prießen have also joined the team. From the Leverkusen perspective, there is a reunion with former teammates: Juliane Wirtz and Ann-Kathrin Vinken used to play for FC Köln.
The Leverkusen head coach is considering rotating his starting eleven and his squad following the international break: “Everybody who has been here, has trained very well in the past few days. The decision of who plays in the Cup tie will be difficult.” The international players have come back fit and well and in Leverkusen several players have returned to full training after knocks having had time off during the international break – as did Sylwia Matysik this week after a muscle injury but she is not an option for the derby exactly like Henrietta Csiszar (knee) and Sofie Zdebel (muscular problem) who are both in rehab training. Also absent are long-term injuries Pauline Wimmer (torn cruciate) and Joyce Prabel (muscle injury) plus reserve keeper Anna Wellmann. She tore a ligament in her finger during training and had to undergo an operation.
The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
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On Friday afternoon, it will be decided which eight of the 36 participating teams Bayer 04 will face in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2026/27. At the draw in Monaco (live on UEFA.com), the Werkself will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, allocated according to the UEFA club coefficient. A match against an opponent from the same country is ruled out, as is facing more than two clubs from the same national association. Here’s a look at the pots and potential opponents.
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After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
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When Exequiel Palacios moved from the Argentinian club River Plate to Bayer Leverkusen on 1 January 2020, the then 21-year-old could not have imagined just how successful the next six and a half years would be for him. Pala, as he is known, had already won the Copa Libertadores – the most prestigious competition in South American club football – with River Plate. But there were still so many more trophies to come.
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