The Werkself collected 63 points in the end. The fact that total was 'only' good enough to qualify for the Europa League is primarily down to the strong competition this term. Since the introduction of three points for a win in 1996, 63 points has always been enough to finish in the top four. The points return is also the best for the Werkself in a season for seven years: In 2012/13, the Black and Reds finished in third place on 65 points.
Bayer 04 only picked up more points (39) in the second half of the season in 1999/2000 than in the recently completed Bundesliga campaign the total of 35 also being achieved in 1996/97 and 2010/11. In the first four weeks after the winter break, the Werkself picked up a lot of points with eight wins out of ten league games.
Goals guaranteed with games involving Bayer 04. The team led by head coach Peter Bosz only failed to score once in the second half of the season in a 2-0 defeat against Hertha Berlin on matchday 33. And the Black and Reds scored 15 more goals (38) than in the first half of the season (23).
Bayer 04 have often been the first out of the blocks this season: Kevin Volland and Co. scored 14 goals in the first 15 minutes, second only to the perennial champions FC Bayern on 18. Although Leverkusen did score the most goals in the final 15 minutes: Werkself fans were able to celebrate goals 17 times in the closing stages of league matches.
The Bayer 04 players covered a distance of 4,055 kilometres (an average of 119.3 kilometres per game) in 2019/20 and they put in the most running of any team in the Bundesliga. The 129.4 kilometres on matchday 11 in the 2-0 away win at Wolfsburg was a record for the season.
Peter Bosz' possession-based approach is reflected in the numbers: His team had an average of 65% possession this season – only the champions from Munich were better (66%). The Werkself also had the third best passing accuracy this season (87%).
The Black and Reds definitely did not have to rely on one striker: A total of 15 different players got their name on the scoresheet and you have to go back to the 2002/03 season to find more Werkself players (17) scoring in a Bundesliga campaign.
The Bosz team proved to be unpredictable in front of the opposition goal. 24 goals were scored with the left foot and the same number with the right. And there were also eight headed goals to celebrate.
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.
Show moreThe 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.
Show moreItalian 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.
Show moreThe 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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