The group stage (24 June) and the Round of 16 and quarter-finals (25 June) for 'DETO' were today (Sunday) followed by the semi-finals. And the clashes with Mohammed 'MOAUBA' Harkous developed into a spectacular showdown on the consoles. The Leverkusen player won the first leg against the reigning world champion 3-1 but lost the second meeting by the same scoreline.
So it went down to a decider. And in this encounter, 'DETO' won with a golden goal on 29 minutes thanks to a strike from the virtual Kevin Volland to go through to the overall final. "Getting through to the final pleases me for the whole club. You can see what it means to the members of staff," said the #B04eSports player after the semi-final.
The oldest of all four semi-finalists faced Augsburg's 'YANNIC0109' in the online final. The man from Augsburg somewhat surprisingly defeated Dylan 'DULLENMIKE' Neuhausen (VfL Wolfsburg) in the last four. 'DETO' and the FCA player completed the first leg on PS4. The Augsburg player won this 2-1, leaving the #B04eSports player under pressure to perform on the unfamiliar Xbox One console.
And it initially looked good for the former world champion. He took the lead after half an hour to level the overall result. However, 'YANNIC0109' then hit back late on to secure the title of champion of Germany 2020. "I'm disappointed with the way I approached the final," said a disappointed 'DETO' initially but then declared: "It's been an impressive season for Fabi (Leverkusen's Xbox player Fabian 'B04_DUBZJE' de Cae, ed.) and me. I'd like to thank the whole team at Bayer 04 and my fans for their support."
The club is also happy with the achievement. "I'm incredibly proud of the whole team: Kai, Fabi and everybody in the background. We worked hard for the great finish in the Club Championship and in the Grand Final. Unfortunately it wasn't enough for the big target of the overall victory," said Florian Dederichs, head of internationalisation and eSports at Bayer 04, who went on to promise: "We'll be back again next year!"
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
Show more
From special edition jerseys to fan banners, the home game against Mainz 05 was all about the many Bayer 04 fan clubs. Accordingly, a fitting tribute to the long-standing Werkself supporters was not to be missed during half-time in the Bundesliga match. Fernando Carro, CEO, honoured the up to 50-year anniversaries of six fan clubs in front of the coaches' benches at the BayArena.
Show more
It is an expression of solidarity and a tribute to the unique fan culture Under the Cross: Bayer 04 Leverkusen make a special statement with the "50 Years of Fan Clubs" jersey. To mark the founding of the "First Fan Club 1976 Leverkusen", which was followed by many more over the years right up to the present day, the Bundesliga club is commemorating 50 years of passion with this new jersey. Highs and lows, successes celebrated together as well as defeats suffered are manifested in this piece of white fabric, a symbol of unwavering identification with the Werkself.
Show more
There’s lots going on at the BayArena today. The home game against FSV Mainz 05 is all about the numerous Bayer 04 fan clubs, whose birth - the founding of the "1. Fanclub 1976 Leverkusen" - dates back 50 years. A number of fan club representatives will be involved in awards, a banner display and a half-time matchday chat, and the Werkself are set to play in a special white fan club jersey. During half-time, Leverkusen mayor Stefan Hebbel and javelin world champion Steffi Nerius will also talk about the Olympic bid involving Leverkusen. Black and Red fans are advised to get to the stadium in good time today. Matchday news.
Show more
The Werkself host Premier League club Arsenal in the Round of 16 first leg in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League campaign. The match at the BayArena is on 10/11 March. Read on for information on ticket sales for this fixture.
Show more
