
Sunday, 20 September (kick-off: 11.00 CET) is the start: After a break of almost six months, the most senior Werkself youth team return to league action. Borussia Mönchengladbach are the visitors for the opening match at Leverkusen. The Rhineland clash will be played at Kurtekotten, but – as with the Women’s opener in the Bundesliga – the game will be played behind closed doors. Only the nearest and dearest of both teams will be at the match.
“The facilities at Kurtekotten are different from those at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. We would really like our fans to have the chance to support the U19s,” said Thomas Eichin, head of the youth section at Bayer 04. “But we have to adhere to the hygiene protocols. We continue to have a duty of care to the fans.”
The youth section at Bayer 04 is regularly in contact with the regional health authorities and the club’s medical section. “We are continuing to work on a plan to enable our fans to hopefully be allowed to watch football again at Kurtekotten under strict adherence to the hygiene regulations,” said Slawomir Czarniecki, head of coordination between the first team and the youth section at Bayer 04.
All information on future home games at the Academy will be announced via the club platforms.


The Werkself conceded a goal at home for the first time since the beginning of January 67 minutes into the game against FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday. Jarell Quansah levelled late on for the final score of 1-1 to secure a point and avoid a first home defeat in six games. Bayer 04 were very critical of their performance after the game. The Werkself review.
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Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
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From special edition jerseys to fan banners, the home game against Mainz 05 was all about the many Bayer 04 fan clubs. Accordingly, a fitting tribute to the long-standing Werkself supporters was not to be missed during half-time in the Bundesliga match. Fernando Carro, CEO, honoured the up to 50-year anniversaries of six fan clubs in front of the coaches' benches at the BayArena.
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Werkself TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 1-1 draw against Mainz 05 on Matchday 24 of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season...

A late goal secured a point for Bayer 04 at home to FSV Mainz 05 in a match that saw the Black and Reds dominant in the second half. Despite lots of possession, the Werkself initially found few gaps and fell behind after 67 minutes when Sheraldo Becker scored in a Mainz counter-attack. In the closing stages, Leverkusen threw everything forward once again and equalised through Jarell Quansah (88').
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