The two teams faced each other in the Champions League in 2001/02. The group stage tie against the Gunners produced a 1-1 draw in Leverkusen and a 4-1 defeat in London. The Black and Reds went on to reach the final that season with the Werkself losing 2-1 to Real Madrid.
The match at the Emirates Stadium brings a reunion for Bayer 04 with home-grown player Kai Havertz. The attacking player started in the Black and Red U13 squad, graduated to the first team and made his international debut before signing for Chelsea in the Premier League in 2020 after ten years under the Cross. He scored the winner for the Blues in the 2022 Champions League final. Last year he signed for London rivals Arsenal.
Werkself player Granit Xhaka is also set for a reunion with his former club. The Switzerland international was at the Gunners for seven years before his move to Bayer 04 in the summer of 2023. Ahead of today's match, the 31-year-old shared his thoughts with bayer04.de. The interview is HERE.
And there will also be a friendly reunion on the touchline. Bayer 04 head coach Xabi Alonso and Gunners coach Mikel Arteta know each other well as both grew up in San Sebastian and played together in the youth set-up at the Basque club Antiguoko and later for the Spain U21 team. Last season, ahead of the quarter-final exit in the Champions League Arteta congratulated his "good friend Xabi" and former player Granit Xhaka on winning the Bundesliga title.
The match with the Premier League runners-up provides another test for the Werkself. Arsenal had the best defence in the Premier League last term conceding just 29 goals in 38 games and they had the second best attack with 91 goals scored with Manchester City (96) top. The London club has again strengthened their already high quality defence: The Italy international Riccardo Calafiori, who was one of the outstanding players at Euro 2024, recently joined Arsenal from Bologna. Further information on the Gunners can be found in our lowdown on the next opponents.
Directions, food and drink, contacts and more: The Bayer 04 Fan Liaison team has put together information for the friendly against Arsenal the Werkself fans travelling to London. Click HERE for the fan information.
The friendly will be streamed live on the Bayer 04 app as well as on the club YouTube channel and on Werkself TV. The match will also be broadcast live by ServusTV and DF1. In addition, you can keep up-to-date with the latest action via the Bayer 04 live text updates. Werkself Radio is not broadcasting tonight.
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The Nerazzurri are in town: Today, Tuesday 10 December, Bayer 04 entertain the reigning champions of Italy Inter Milan on Matchday 6 in the UEFA Champions League (kick-off: 21.00 CET/live on DAZN and on Werkself Radio). Read on for the latest information on the home game at the BayArena.
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The Bayer 04 U19 team lost 1-0 to Inter Milan on the sixth and final matchday in the league phase of the UEFA Youth League 2024/25. The only goal of the game was scored just after the hour mark. While the side from North Italy have finished top in the league phase with a maximum points return, the Leverkusen team appeared to have just missed out on the knockout stages of the European competition. There is faint hope looking to several games to follow where results are needed to go the way of the Werkself.
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Italian teams are known for being strong in defence. The fact that Inter Milan, the next opponents for the Werkself in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, 10 December (kick-off: 20.45 CET), have not conceded a single goal in their last five matches is impressive. Will the visitors' keeper Yann Sommer be able to keep a clean sheet at the BayArena against Florian Wirtz and Co.? The lowdown on our next opponents.
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The Werkself are away to Borussia Dortmund on Bundesliga Matchday 16. The game at the Signal Iduna Park on Friday, 10 January 2025, kicks off at 20.30 CET. Read on for information on ticket sales.
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