Given a few days to digest last weekend’s 2-2 draw at home to Eintracht Frankfurt, the coach was able to see the positives from the result. “We showed we can score goals against a top team as well and handle setbacks. At the same time, we’ve still got the potential to convert more possession in the final third into chances. But all in all, we’ve shown we’re very much capable of competing,” said the 45-year-old.
Including the 2-0 win at Karlsruhe in the DFB Pokal, the Werkself boast a positive aggregate result of 7-4 from their three competitive fixtures thus far this season. It’s a return they can very much build on. “We’ve allowed very little so far from open play. But Frankfurt had a few chances where we weren’t alert. So, some defensive points have come into focus,” said Pätzold looking back. “In general, I prefer us to score more goals than ground out a 1-0 win,” he added. However, the German coach is far from happy with everything: “We still have potential to be more consistent in all areas. It’s about working on those in the coming weeks to reduce negative outliers.”
The next opportunity to do so comes on Saturday afternoon at the Stadion an der Hafenstraße. Despite Essen’s moderate start to the season on paper with just one point from games against Hoffenheim (2-1 loss) and Köln (2-2 draw), Pätzold expects a strong opponent. “They were two very close games. They fought back very strongly in Cologne. They invest a lot, especially in terms of running, and have a very strong team performance, even if they have individual quality,” said the coach. “That's why they'll demand everything from us. We mustn't give them too many situations in which they can utilise their strength on the break.” It means his team have a clear task: “It’ll be important to be patient and assured on the ball until we can finish off our attacks. Then we will have opportunities to decide the game in our favour.”
An emotional afternoon awaits Katharina Piljic as well. The midfielder was born in Essen and made the step up from youth level to the Bundesliga with SGS. By the time she moved to Bayer 04 in the summer, she had already played 69 games in the top flight for her hometown club. This will be her first return back to where it all began.
Sofie Zdebel and Loreen Bender are not yet available following their elimination from the U20 World Cup against the USA with Germany. Charlotte Voll and Melissa Friedrich (both back in training) and Paulina Bartz (illness) are also still out.
The final whistle of the current 2025/26 season marks the end of a unique partnership for Bayer 04 Leverkusen. After more than three decades of collaboration and highly eventful times, the Bundesliga football club and the private brewery Bitburger are going their separate ways.
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Around four months after their bitter exit in the DFB Pokal Round of 16, the Bayer 04 Women are once again away to Hamburger SV. On Monday night (18:00 CEST), the Werkself will not only be looking to pick up important points in the final phase of the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga at the Volksparkstadion, but also to make amends for their defeat on penalties.
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A simple approach to sport with games, fun and a highlight at the end: Bayer 04 organised a very special training session for 40 participants aged between six and 27 in cooperation with the Football Association of the Middle Rhine (FVM). At the day of action for women and girls with disabilities at the Kurtekotten Performance Centre, many of the participants gained their first experience of football.
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On Saturday, 28 March, the lights will go out again at the BayArena from 20:30 pm to 21:30. As in previous years, Bayer 04 once again take part in the WWF Earth Hour campaign under the motto "We're switching off" as the club wants to set a collective example for more climate and environmental protection together with people, cities and companies around the world.
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