
“We have the opportunity to make sure of finishing fifth through our own efforts and end the season with a win – that has to be our target in the last game of the season and that’s how we need to play,” demanded head coach Achim Feifel. Over the past two weeks, the 56-year-old has prepared his team for the last match against an opponent who will “be brutally physical and try everything to stay on the Bundesliga,” with competitive training and an internal friendly – he declared, “there will be no dawdling” before the summer break.
SC Sand will definitely be highly motivated with a victory at SV Meppen on the previous matchday setting them on course for the final game. The three points saw the team coached by Alexander Fischinger moving out of the drop zone and now staying up is their own hands. “They will give everything they’ve got,” Feifel is certain, “the coach has had an effect in recent weeks.” Fischinger took over the helm at the end of April in place of Nora Häuple, who was relieved of her role as coach at the relegation-threatened club.
For a number of players, such as Henrietta Csiszár, Pauline Machtens, Viktoria Pinther, Frederike Kempe and Selina Garofalo, it will be their last game in a Bayer 04 shirt on Sunday. “If it’s possible, I will try and play all the players who are leaving us,” said Feifel, but he does want to send the players who have had less time on the pitch due to injury “into the summer break feeling good. However, the impressions from training and performances will decide the team I send out onto the pitch and one that I believe can win the game. That is what the other teams who are still have something to play for will expect from us.”
There will be no more appearances in black and red for Isabel Kerschowski who leaves the Werkself for Potsdam in the new season. The 33-year-old has played in all this season’s matches to date – an ankle injury picked up in the game against FC Bayern two weeks ago keeps her out of the season finale at SC Sand. Ann-Kathrin Vinken also suffered an injury against the league leaders. Following the diagnosis of a torn syndesmosis ligament, she underwent a successful operation in the middle of the week. In addition to long-term injured players, Nina Brüggemann is ruled out with back problems.
Bayer 04 will broadcast the final Bundesliga match of the current season on the club’s YouTube channel. HERE is the link to the stream.

Bayer 04 and main sponsor BarmeniaGothaer have shown great commitment to the community as the sale of custom-designed T-shirts for charity in the Fanwelt as part of the “BarmeniaGothaer Brings Joy campaign raised a good €5,000. Bayer 04 matched this sum with an equal contribution. As a result, a total of €10,000 was presented to Edmond Tapsoba for his foundation ahead of the home match against Hamburg. The foundation supports people facing challenging daily circumstances in his home country of Burkina Faso.
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Bayer 04 host Hamburg at the BayArena for the first time since September 2017 on the final day of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season on Saturday (15:30 CEST). HSV are safe in their first campaign back in the top flight after back-to-back wins, but Leverkusen are unbeaten in their last 19 games against promoted teams as they go for the victory they need to have a chance to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. There’s also heavy discounts on food and drinks at the BayArena. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the Matchday 34 fixture in our matchday news.
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As well as previously confirmed departures, Bayer 04 Women will also say goodbye to Vanessa Haim and Shen Menglu before Sunday’s final game of the season at home to Werder Bremen as the pair leave Leverkusen upon the expiration of their contracts.
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The last competitive match of the 2025/26 season takes place at the BayArena on Saturday 16 May (kick-off 15:30 CEST), where Hamburger SV are the visitors. At the pre-match press conference, head coach Kasper Hjulmand discussed the mindset and the approach for the crucial final game against HSV, among other topics.
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