Yes, I'd like to see videos dispalyed.
"I've got a good feeling for the game. Big clashes like this are the best. It will be a great game in a great stadium against a top team," declared Alonso at the pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon. The Werkself are top of the Bundesliga for the first time since December 2020. However, the Spaniard warned against an overconfident approach to the match: "Only three games have been played so far. That doesn't mean much at all."
Nevertheless, it promises to be a hard-fought battle. The Spaniard declared: "Bayern are a world-class team and favourites to win the league title every year. That means playing against them is always very difficult." Alonso believes his team is ready for the top of the table encounter at FC Bayern. "We’ve made a good start to the season and have obviously gained confidence. If we show the same mentality as before then it will be a good game."
Friday night’s match is not only special because of the situation in the Bundesliga table. For Alonso, the match represents a return to his former stomping ground. The Spaniard played for the Munich club from 2014 to 2017. He now returns to the Allianz Arena for the first time as a coach with the Werkself. A reunion with familiar faces the Spaniard is looking forward to: "I've got good memories of my time at Bayern. They were my last three years as a player. On top of that, I was able to prepare and learn a lot there under Pep Guardiola in my desire to become a coach. But now the clear focus is obviously on the game."
Patrik Schick and Timothy Fosu-Mensah will not travel to Munich. In addition, the Spanish head coach will have to manage without Arthur and Noah Mbamba.
Amine Adli, unavailable for the first three league matches due to suspension, is able to play again in Munich. Piero Hincapie will be in the Werkself matchday squad for the first time this season following time out injured.
The Werkself can look forward to the support of 5,000 Leverkusen fans at the Allianz Arena. The team will set off to the Bavarian state capital on Friday morning.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
Show more
Bayer 04 plans for the 2026/27 pre-season continue to take shape. The Werkself will kick off the new season in mid-July with the return to the training ground. The highlight will be the official season opener on 8 August at the BayArena, including a friendly against La Liga club Sevilla. Friendlies in Germany will take the team to neighbouring Monheim, Offenbach and Jena.
Show more
Strengthening the Bayer 04 Leverkusen youth teams: Konstantinos Kotsifakis will join the Werkself from Bundesliga 2 club Hertha Berlin for the 2026/27 season, where he will be a permanent member of the Leverkusen U19 coaching set-up. The German-Greek will also take on an operational role in coaching the Bayer 04 Future Team. The 29-year-old was most recently head coach of the U17s at Hertha Berlin.
Show more
Another award for the Bayer 04 head groundsman and staff: After coming top in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons, the BayArena pitch came second in the Bundesliga Pitch of the Year ranking for the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg secured the top spot this year, with TSG Hoffenheim in third place.
Show more
Opening opponents, derby weekends, the opponents in the season finale: This information and more will be available to Bayer 04 fans on Thursday, 2 July, when the 2026/27 Bundesliga fixture list is published.
Show more
