
The U19s secured a 3-2 win against the Middle Rhine League veterans eleven thanks to goals from Michel Eickschläger, Samed Onur and Niklas Determann. The Bayer 04 youth team came back from a goal down to take a 3-1 lead. But for the coaching team of Markus von Ahlen and Patrick Weiser giving players match practice after injury or having had less time on the pitch was more important than the result. “The lads were all very committed,” praised von Ahlen. “Overall, it was a very good friendly for us.”
The U19s return to action on Sunday 18 October (kick-off: 11.00 CEST) with a home game in the U19 Bundesliga West: Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, who picked up maximum points on the first two match days, visit Leverkusen.
Seven points from three games in the U17 Bundesliga West: The points haul for the Leverkusen U17s has been impressive to date. The team coached by Jan Hoepner and Thomas Zdebel went into the current international break second in the table – but there is no rest at Kurtekotten. On Saturday morning, 10 October, the Black and Reds have a friendly away to the Fortuna Köln U17s. The Bundesliga a meeting between these two teams in the middle of September ended all square at 2-2.
The Bayer 04 U17s do not have a fixture on the next matchday (16 to 18 October) – they have free weekend in the 17 club league. A home friendly against the TSV Meerbusch U19s is planned for Tuesday 20 October.
In five games in the U15 Regional League West, the highest tier in Germany for U15 teams, the Werkself youngsters have only conceded one goal – in the 3-1 win at Wuppertal. That is the best form in the whole of the league. On Saturday 10 October (kick-off:15.00 CEST), the second-placed team from Leverkusen are away to the side with the second best defence in the league: SC Preußen Münster. The Westphalians have only conceded two goals in four games.
For the Leverkusen U14s, at the moment most successful team in the Youth Cup, have an away game at VfL Bochum. The match on Saturday 10 October kicks off at 15.15 CEST. That’s followed for the Black and Reds by a league match free weekend.
Other fixtures:
U12 v Schalke 04 (L)
U10 v Bayer Wuppertal (F)
U9 v Alemannia Aachen (F)
U8 v Viktoria Köln (F)
(L) = League | (F) = Friendly

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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