Bayer 04 made four changes to the starting eleven from the 3-0 win against Dutch top-flight side PEC Zwolle for the second friendly of the preseason. Head coach Achim Feifel opted to put four new signings in the starting line-up: Friederike Abt in goal plus Lisanne Gräwe, Amira Arfaoui and Irina Pando. But his team conceded after two minutes. Hoffenheim’s Petra Kocsan scored from a free kick from the inside left position.
The best chance for the Black and Reds fell to Milena Nikolic just before half-time: The centre-forward was put through by new signing Pando but her shot from close range went over the bar (45+1’). The scoreline remained 1-0 at the break.
At the start of the second 45 – as before the half-time whistle from referee Franziska Hilger – there were changes on both sides. The Hoffenheim scorer of the second goal, Isabella Hartwig, came off the bench. She beat the substitute Bayer 04 keeper Anna Klink with a long-range shot from 20 metres out on 68 minutes.
Henrike Sahlmann, who has played for Leverkusen for four years, said after the game against last season’s third-placed team in the FLYERALARM Women’s Bundesliga: “We played against a very good opponent so it was a good test for us for the new season,” said the 24-year-old. “We improved over the course of the game and were well organised in defence in the second half.” But Sahlmann believes there is room for improvement in converting chances as she said with a wink of the eye: “Hopefully, we’re saving that for the league.”
The five-day training camp for the Bayer 04 Women at Wiesensee ends tomorrow. The Feifel team ahead of the league opener at newly-promoted FC Carl Zeiss Jena (29 August). VfL Wolfsburg are the opposition on Friday 20 August. The kick-off in the motor city is at 15.30 CEST.
Match stats:
Bayer 04: Abt – Wieder, Turanyi, Wirtz, Marti – Gräwe, Kögel – Arfaoui, Zeller, Pando – Nikolic
TSG Hoffenheim: Tufekovic – Wienroither, Specht, Feldkamp – Brand, Harsch, Hagel, Kocsan – Corley, Billa – de Caigny
Goals: 0-1 Kocsan (2’), 0-2 Hartwig (68’)
Referee: Franziska Hilger
Bayer 04 will have to manage without defender Guéla Doué for the time being. The Ivory Coast international sustained a muscle injury to his right calf during the final Werkself training session yesterday ahead of the Europa League clash with Slovenian champions NK Celje.
Show more
For the first time since reaching the final against AS Roma (2–2, first leg 2–0) in May 2024, Bayer 04 are playing another home match in the UEFA Europa League – and they will be wearing their new European kit. On Wednesday 16 September (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), the BayArena will welcome Slovenian champions NK Celje, who appointed a new coach this week following a mixed start to the season. Under the slogan “40 Years Across Europe. Still Creating History.”, the Black and Reds now aim to add the next chapter to their European history, which has seen so much success in recent years. Bayer 04 fans can follow the match on free-to-air TV on RTL, as well as on Sky and Werkself Radio. The matchday news.
Show more
European football returns to the BayArena: Bayer 04 host Slovenian champions NK Celje on matchday 1 in the group stage of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League. Ahead of the match on Wednesday 16 September (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), head coach Carles Martínez and midfielder Aleix Garcia spoke at the pre-match press conference. The focus was primarily on the great anticipation surrounding the competition and the clear objectives for it – and, given the circumstances, on a last-minute change to the opposition line-up.
Show more
The champions of Slovenia NK Celje are in a European competition for the fourth time in their history. This Wednesday, 16 September (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), the side lead by head coach Vitor Campelos visit the BayArena for matchday 1 in the group stage in the UEFA Europa League. Celje’s last match at the weekend did not go to plan. The lowdown on our next opponents.
Show more
Construction work continues on the ‘Haus der Talente’ on Kurtekottenweg in Leverkusen, where 36 young elite athletes will find a new home from next summer. The building team from Temmink Bau, led by Thomas Wellers, are hard at work. Over the past few days, excavators, wheeled loaders and rollers have removed 2,500 cubic metres of soil to excavate the basement.
Show more
