The Werkself are currently top of the Bundesliga with nine points and lead the table for the first time since matchday 12 in the 2020/21 season. Bayern Munich are second also on nine points. The two sides are the only teams to start with three wins in the first three matchdays this term. The first time the Werkself achieved that was 20 years ago in the 2003/04 season and that was repeated ten years ago in the 2013/14 season. Four wins on the bounce at the start of the season would be a new club record.
Bayer 04 and FC Bayern both have the strongest finishers in the league. The Werkself player Victor Boniface currently has 21 attempts on goal and the FC Bayern forward Harry Kane has 14 attempts. Boniface is also currently the top scorer and provider in the Bundesliga with six goal involvements.
There have been a number of changes in personnel at the record champions: Sadio Mané, Lucas Hernandez, Benjamin Pavard, Marcel Sabitzer, Yann Sommer, Ryan Gravenberch and several other players have left FCB. In addition, Josip Stanisic has joined the Werkself on a year-long loan. FC Bayern have had fewer new signings but have made a record transfer acquisition: Harry Kane joined from Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. The England captain has scored three goals and provided one assist. FCB have strengthened their defence with the acquisition of the South Korean Min-Jae Kim plus Konrad Laimer and Raphael Guerreiro have also added to the squad. Further information on FC Bayern is available in the lowdown on our next opponents.
The team under head coach Xabi Alonso can look forward to the support of 5,000 Leverkusen fans in the away section at the Allianz Arena in the Bavarian state capital.
The German Football Association (DFB) have appointed Daniel Schlager as the match referee. This will be the seventh fixture for the 33-year-old involving the Werkself (four wins, one draw, two defeats). He will be assisted by Sven Waschitzki-Günther and Arno Blos. Dr. Matthias Jöllenbeck is the VAR official.
The German Football League (DFL) has called for a minutes silence before kick-off for the victims of the disasters in Morocco and Libya.
As usual, Werkself Radio is available for anybody unable to be at today's game. The audio broadcast begins 30 minutes before kick-off with commentary provided by Niko Hartmann and Cedric Pick. In addition, the live text update service will keep you up-to-date to ensure you don't miss any of the key events in the match against FC Bayern. Both Werkself Radio and the live text update service are available at bayer04.de and on the Bayer 04 app – just log on.
After Jens Nowotny was officially named a Bayer 04 honorary captain last weekend, the long-standing Werkself player is part of the Leverkusen delegation on the trophy tour to New York City next week from 11 to 14 September. In an interview with bayer04.de, the 50-year-old talked about his expectations ahead of the trip to the metropolis on the East Coast of the USA.
Show moreThe German Football League (DFL) has confirmed the dates and kick-off times for matchdays 6 to 12 of the 2024/25 Bundesliga season. Full details of the Bayer 04 fixtures.
Show moreMarkus Rehm, a long jumper at TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, won the gold medal for the fourth time in succession at the Paralympics on Wednesday.
Show moreThe fixture details for the second round of the DFB Pokal 2024/25 have been confirmed. The home tie for Bayer 04 against second division SV 07 Elversberg is on Tuesday, 29 October with the kick off at 18.00 CET (live on Sky). That was announced by the German Football Association (DFB) on Thursday.
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