The roles ahead of the match between the team in fourth and the team at the bottom the table, who drew 0-0 against fellow promoted Carl Zeiss Jena on the last matchday to pick up their first point of the season, are clearly defined. "They kept a clean sheet for the first time and that will give them a boost," said Pätzold: "We are primarily focusing on ourselves, looking to control the ball and we will put in a lot of effort to open up space and play when we are in possession." But that will not be enough on its own: "We will be patient and have to pack the penalty area," he said: "So we can create lots of goalscoring opportunities and hopefully be clinical in taking them."
By coincidence, the Werkself will play Turbine Potsdam at the same venue in the DFB Pokal Round of 16 twelve days after the Bundesliga fixture. In preparation for Sunday, the second meeting on Friday, 22 November (kick-off: 18.00 CET, tickets available HERE), is irrelevant to Pätzold. "A lot can happen up to the Pokal game. Our focus is exclusively on Sunday," said the 45-year-old: "Of course, we will be able to reuse a lot in the analysis ahead of the Pokal game."
Pätzold will be able to coach his team from the dugout in the DFB Pokal tie. After being sent off in added time in the derby at FC Köln (2-1) the coach will have to watch Bundesliga game from the stands. But that should not change the approach to the game. "Above all else, it is down to the players and our influence from the sidelines is limited. So not much will change in our play," he declared: "I was fully involved in training this week and I will certainly lead the pre-match team meeting. We have a big team of coaches who will be actively involved in coaching at the match. So we don't pay too much attention to that issue and I have a lot of confidence in the players and my colleagues."
The previous performances give Pätzold reason enough for that belief. "We've had a really good Hinrunde and we want to carry on picking up as many points as possible. As up to now, we will invest a lot of effort in that," he said: "We've never set ourselves a target of a specific number of points. We go into matches with ambition, and to play our game against every opponent on the pitch." Knowing that the current position in the table is "a snapshot", the Berliner is a long way from being satisfied: "We’ve had even more potential in lots of games and our challenge is to be even better and more consistent."
In addition to the long-term injury to Sofia Cava Marin (torn cruciate), Synne Skinnes Hansen (thigh injury) and Vanessa Haim (back problem) are still sidelined. Melissa Friedrich and Paulina Bartz (both now in rehab training) are still not an option for the squad.
Tickets for the match at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium are available in advance HERE at the online shop and from the matchday ticket office on the day of the game. The two streaming services MagentaSport and DAZN are broadcasting the game live.
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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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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To mark Exequiel Palacios’s departure, we’ve put together a compilation of the midfielder’s finest and most important goals from his six-and-a-half years at the club.
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