This is the first meeting between Bayer 04 and FC Bayern in a big European tournament. The Werkself have only lost one of their four games against German teams on the European stage (two wins, one draw) and there were three clean sheets along the way. The only defeat against a rival national team came in the last such fixture to date with a 3-2 defeat for the Black and Reds against Hamburg SV in the 2007/08 UEFA Cup.
FC Bayern have won their last three games against German teams in European competitions including the Champions League final in 2013 against Borussia Dortmund. Bayern Munich have also won nine of their last eleven Round of 16 home games (nine wins, one draw). The Werkself have only won one of their last ten matches in this round in the UCL (one draw, eight defeats).
FC Bayern have several things to celebrate at the moment. All is going well for the league leaders on the pitch with a difficult away game in Stuttgart won at the weekend. And the record champions have extended the contracts of some key players. So there was a good atmosphere recently at the celebrations of the 125th anniversary of FCB. Discover the latest information on today's opponents HERE.
Ahead of yesterday's press conference in Munich with Xabi Alonso and Granit Xhaka (HERE is the report), FCB coach Vincent Kompany and defender Alphonso Davies shared their views on today's game. Kompany said: "Both teams have a lot of individual quality and a lot of intensity. Leverkusen have earned the right to be seen as a top opponent. The last three games were completely different stories for us and it was very much about details. We don't have any problem with defending deep if the other team has created it. But we are at home and we want to produce our best."
Davies declared: "Matches against Leverkusen are always good. It's been a while since we've beaten them. It will be a top match. We go into the game with intensity, enthusiasm and motivation and we want to do our job." Further statements from the duo can be found HERE.
The Bayer 04 fan liaison team have put together information for this Champions League away game for the 4,000 travelling Werkself fans. Click HERE for the fan information.
All supporters who cannot be at the game can follow the UCL away trip to the Werkself on the live blog HERE.
UEFA has appointed Michael Oliver as the match referee. The 40-year-old Englishman has previously been in charge of four games involving the Werkself (three wins, one defeat). His assistants today are his fellow countrymen Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring and the Australian Jarred Gillett is in action as the VAR.
The match will be broadcast live on DAZN. As ever, supporters unable to be at the match can follow the game on Werkself Radio. The audio broadcast starts 30 minutes before kick-off with commentary provided by Cedric Pick and the honorary captain and club representative Stefan Kießling in the first half. In addition, the live text update service will keep fans up-to-date. Both Werkself Radio and the live text update service are available at bayer04.de and on the Bayer 04 app.
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.
Show more
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.
Show more
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.
Show more
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!"
Show more
