Back
25.04.2025Werkself-TV

Alonso ahead of #B04FCA: “The fans deserve a good performance”

The first of the Werkself’s remaining 04 fixtures of this season comes on Saturday at home to Augsburg (kick-off: 3.30pm CEST). Ahead of the Matchday 31 encounter, head coach Xabi Alonso reflected on previous weeks, spoke about goals for the remainder of the campaign and also Jonathan Tah.

Display videos

Yes, I'd like to see videos dispalyed.

“I’m not pleased with the football we’ve played in the last two weeks and hope we put in a better display tomorrow against Augsburg,” Alonso said at Friday’s press conference. “We’ve worked hard and now want to give our all again. The fans deserve a good performance.”

Alonso: “Want to have fun again”

Leverkusen are up against one of the Bundesliga’s form teams in Augsburg, who are enjoying the best season in their top-flight history with 42 points from 30 games. Their points haul for 2025 ranks them third behind Bayern Munich and Bayer 04, while they have lost only one of their last 14 matches and none at all on the road this calendar year.

Going into this game and the final three afterwards, Alonso said he wants the team to “have fun playing football again. Our feeling right now isn’t the best. We had a big objective in our minds. Now we need to create new goals. We want to end the season as well as possible.”

Alonso on Tah: “Top professional, top player, top person”

Alonso will be without Nordi Mukiele and Alejo Sarco, as well as long-term absentees Jeanuel Belocian, Martin Terrier and Mario Hermoso. All other players are fit and have “trained well,” according to the Spaniard.

When asked about central defender Tah, Alonso stated: “We need to respect his decision. He’s earned the right to decide his own future. His attitude, his professionalism and his consistency this season have been incredible. He’s been really important for me since the first day. I can only thank him for what he’s given us and the club. He’s a top professional, a top player and a top person.”

Sold-out home section – ‘Finally Red’ campaign

The home section of the BayArena is sold out for Saturday, with around 600 fans travelling from Augsburg.

Finally Red

The Nordkurve12 fan group has also created the ‘Finally Red’ campaign for the end of this season. Werkself fans should come to the stadium for both home and away matches wearing red. There will be T-shirts, stickers and other items on sale at the stadium from 12.30pm before the game tomorrow.

Related News

Nordi Mukiele und Alejo Sarco
Bayer 04 - 24.04.2025

Bayer 04 players Mukiele and Sarco sidelined

Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without defender Nordi Mukiele and the Argentinian striker Alejo Sarco for the time being. Both players suffered muscle injuries in yesterday's Werkself training session.

Show more
Kids-PK
Football School - 23.04.2025

Goalkeeper duo Hradecky and Schlich at Kids press conference

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
Bayer 04
Bayer 04 - 23.04.2025

Seven Werkself players nominated for Bundesliga Team of the Season

The video games manufacturer Electronic Arts (EA) in conjunction with the German Football League (DFL) have started the vote for the annual Bundesliga Team of the Season. Werkself fans now have the opportunity to put forward seven Bayer 04 players for the top eleven in the 2024/25 Bundesliga season. Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka, Jonathan Tah, Piero Hincapie, Patrik Schick, Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo are in the vote. Voting ends on Sunday, 27 April (19:59 CEST).

Show more
Sporting Director Programme in der BayArena
Bayer 04 - 23.04.2025

Sporting Director Programme with Falkenberg, Southgate and Bierhoff at the BayArena

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