+++5 March, 19.23 CET+++
Less than two hours to go before the UEFA Champions League clash here at the Football Arena Munich! While the Werkself travel by the team bus, many Werkself fans have got here after long journeys. Nevertheless, good mood and courage is on hand! See you in the stadium soon… Follow us on the live blog on the website and the app as well as on the club media channels.
+++5 March, 17.29 CET+++
Bayer 04 fans are arriving here in Munich and enjoying one or two cold drinks in the bars or local Brauhaus to get in the mood for tonight's game. And the Bayer 04 Fan club, founded in 1976, is here including a birthday child member. Enjoy the atmosphere and see you in the away end later.
+++5 March, 16.25 CET+++
Match number four in the third competition this term. Two draws in the league (1-1, 0-0) and the 1-0 win for the Werkself in the DFB Pokal Round of 16 are followed by a meeting in the Champions League between the double winners and the record champions.
The media are talking about the best two teams in Germany – confirmed by a look at the Bundesliga table: FC Bayern are top on 61 points, Bayer 04 second on 53. Eintracht Frankfurt follow in third spot eleven points behind.
While the Werkself have only lost three games this season, FC Bayern have been beaten five times. Find out the latest information on FCB HERE in our lowdown on the opposition.
+++5 March, 14.06 CET+++
You are definitely en route to Munich or about to set off. Whether travelling by car or coach, by train or planes – the fan liaison team have again compiled all the key information. HERE is the fan information.
And we can promise you one thing: If you arrive before sunset you can expect sunshine on this special Champions League matchday. Have a safe journey and we’ll see you at the stadium.
+++5 March, 12.49 CET+++
Keenly awaited, finally here - impressions of the relaxed warm-up session at the team hotel. One or two stretching exercises were followed by several rounds of football tennis and two-touch play that produced lots of fun but also a lot of ambition too. You know that all too well of our lads, of course. Now the players, coaches and staff go to lunch with a period of rest available afterwards. The countdown is on for #FCBB04!
+++5 March, 10.57 CET+++
Before a few insights into the Werkself warm-up, let's take a closer look at today's match venue – one or two may possibly have been to the Allianz Arena a few times but never to the Football Arena Munich. 😉 That is what the stadium in Munich is called for European games. But joking apart.
The Allianz Arena in Munich has been the FC Bayern home ground since 2005. The stadium was not originally solely owned by Bayern Munich, 1860 Munich were equal shareholders at the start. Financial problems for the Lions saw FC Bayern acquire their shares a year after the ground opened and the rental agreement was cancelled in 2017 after 1860 were relegated to the Regional League.
The arena was originally solely used for football – concerts and other events had to be held in the Olympic Park. But as that is closed for refurbishment between the autumn of 2025 in the spring of 2027 concerts will be held at the stadium: Guns N Roses and Helene Fischer have already been announced. NFL fixtures have already been played in Fröttmaning with the games of the season in 2022 and 2024 staged at the arena. But today is the first Champions League thriller between FC Bayern and Bayer 04…
+++5 March, 09.17 CET+++
Good morning from a sunny Munich! Ready for the Champions League thriller this evening? The Werkself start the day with a communal breakfast, followed by a video meeting and warm-up session in the team hotel. Later there will be lunch and a pre-match meal and shortly before departure, Xabi Alonso will get the team into the mood for the clash with FC Bayern in a short meeting before heading to the ground. Of course, we will keep you up-to-date as usual up to kick-off... we go into the Round of 16 matchday.
+++4 March, 20.29 CET+++
Immediately after the press conference, midfield maestro Granit Xhaka spoke to Werkself TV sharing his views of tomorrow's game.…
We are finished now at the arena and we will check into the hotel. Good night, Werkself fans – don't stay up too late – tomorrow is a matchday again and we all want to be fit!
Yes, I'd like to see videos dispalyed.
+++4 March, 20.07 CET+++
The Werkself have now gone six games without defeat against FC Bayern across competitions and there has never been a defeat in a clash with the record champions under Alonso. Asked about a possible "secret recipe", the Spaniard said: "There is no secret. The last games against Bayern don't mean anything to us for tomorrow, they don't bring us anything. We only look at the next game and we want to prepare as best as possible." HERE is the report on the pre-match press conference.
In the meantime our photographer has had a look round…
+++4 March, 19.46 CET+++
Before our press conference begins at the media centre in the stadium, let’s take a brief look at a statement from the FCB coach Vincent Kompany from his press conference this afternoon on the previous games against the Black and Reds: “It’s often just details that need changing. The games up to now went right to the limit, a lot always happened in terms of tactics and that influenced the momentum. I can hardly wait, we’ve done our preparation. But you can prepare as much as you like but it all comes down to the players when they go on the pitch.”
+++4 March, 18.52 CET+++
Servus from Munich! The Bayer 04 squad has just landed on time. The sun has gone down now. While the majority of the Werkself group go to the team hotel and straight to their evening meal, Xabi Alonso and Granit Xhaka head to the press conference at the stadium in Munich.
+++4 March, 16.48 CET+++
Ready for take off! The Bayer 04 group is - as usual in the UCL kitted out by Lerros - bucked up and ready to depart on a familiar flight path. The team charter flight KK 7004 will take 45 minutes to reach Munich Airport. Till then - we will back after landing to report from the press conference at the stadium.
+++4 March, 14.38 CET+++
Final training session - check! At least as far as the open part is concerned. With spring temperatures and in bright sunshine the Werkself players were showing great anticipation for the eagerly awaited UCL encounter in the first 15 minutes on the pitch. They evidently enjoyed the warm-up routine and a range of passing drills in small groups. But high levels of concentration were there in the close-passing drills. Good news: Edmond Tapsoba, who was sidelined for the 4-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt, was back. Only Robert Andrich was missing due to a bout of flu.
+++4 March, 14.03 CET+++
At the final training session at the UHS, sporting managing director Simon Rolfes answered questions form the many members of the media present and said with anticipation: “We go into the two games feeling good with lots of motivation and energy. We’ve been in good shape for months and we are looking forward to a special match. But it would have been the same against Real Madrid in the Champions League Round of 16. Our target is to compare ourselves with the best teams in Europe. And FC Bayern are definitely in that group.” On the approach to the game Rolfes said after three meetings to date with FC Bayern this term: “It is a common saying but it really does start at 0-0 again. Especially at this level there are always new games and a new run of games can start. Therefore, you have to be ready from the kick-off and feel the moments in the game and make use of them. I believe you have to play with maturity and intelligence in European competitions - for at least 180 minutes plus.”
+++4 March, 12.12 CET+++
Ahead of the showdown in the Champions League key defender Jonathan Tah talked to bayer04.de about the special quality of this national knockout game as well as the relative position of the teams in this tie. The defender declared: “Away there will be moments where the opposition perhaps has more control. Then we have to show that defensive work can also be fun, ” said Tah in confident mood: “They will be challenging games but that's exactly what we're looking forward to. We don't have to fear any team as we've already shown often enough. And we want to show that again now.” Here is the interview 💬👇
+++4 March, 09.04 CET+++
Good morning from Leverkusen! The Werkself start the day with the final training session at 14.00 CET at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium, the first 15 minutes are open to the media and will be covered live of the club’s YouTube channel. Niko Hartmann will provide commentary as usual. There will then be a communal lunch at the BayArena. The Bayer 04 group will set off for the Bavarian capital from Cologne in the afternoon. Head coach Xabi Alonso and midfielder Granit Xhaka will head straight to the stadium after landing for the pre-match press conference. A busy agenda - and we will be there for you at every stage.
Two keepers, lots of questions: Werkself captain Lukas Hradecky and U19 goalkeeper Jesper Schlich visited the BarmeniaGothaer children’s press conference in partnership with the Bayer 04 Lions Club on Wednesday afternoon. The duo faced interesting and at times unusual questions from around 50 inquisitive young journalists in the press conference room at the BayArena.
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A large number of sporting directors and officials from big clubs across Europe came to the BayArena on Tuesday for the second seminar in the UEFA Sporting Director Programme (SDP) in cooperation with the ECA.
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Full-back Janou Levels will leave Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the end of the season. The 24-year-old has activated her release clause and she will join Bundesliga rivals VfL Wolfsburg. She has signed a three-year contract.
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After returning from Hamburg and a day off on Easter Monday, the Werkself players were back on the training ground at the BayArena on Tuesday morning. Following the session, Amine Adli was very positive in a media interview about the remaining four matches including the forthcoming home game against FC Augsburg (Saturday, 26 April, 15:30 CEST): "We will give our all to end the season as well as we can!"
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