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Bayer Leverkusen Factfile
Managing Directors: Reiner Calmund & Wolfgang Holzhauser
Head Coach: Klaus Toppmoller
Stadium: BayArena (22,500)
Website: Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Club Honours:
Bundesliga: Runners-up (4) 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2001-02)
German Cup: Winners (1) 1992-93
European Champion Clubs' Cup: Runners-up (1) 2001-02
European Cup Winners' Cup: Quarter-finalist (1) 1993-94
UEFA Cup: Winners (1) 1987-88
Most Matches: Rudiger Vollborn (401 league matches)
Most Goals: Ulf Kirsten (182 League goals) |
There were 72 teams and 197 games in last season's Champions League - but only one winner. Well, maybe. Real Madrid may have got their hands on the European Cup for the ninth time, but spare a thought for Klaus Toppmoller's Bayer Leverkusen who came from nowhere to push the Spanish giants every step of the way - and defeat reigning Premiership champions Manchester United in the semi-finals in the process. After a turbulent 2000-2001 season in which Bayer saw three top class coaches come and go - Cristoph Daum, current German national boss Rudi Voeller and present Scotland chief Berti Vogts - the German side brought in Toppmoller - known affectionately by the fans as Toppi - who had just guided Saarbrucken to a place in the Bundesliga. Toppmoller transformed Bayer in his first season in charge, taking a side that finished fourth in the Bundesliga in 2001 with no chance of silverware into a side that was within touching distance of completing a memorable treble in May. But Bayer ended up empty-handed after losing the German Cup final to Schalke, losing their final league game of the season to Hertha Berlin which let Borussia Dortmund take the title by a point and then fell at the last hurdle in the European Cup against Vicente Del Bosque's all-conquering Real Madrid in Glasgow. To finish with nothing after such a tremendous season on all fronts was a disappointment for Toppmoller but that was nothing compared to the bitter blows of losing German international midfielder Michael Ballack and Brazilian winger Ze Roberto to Bayern Munich over the summer. Both were influential figures for Leverkusen last season and their presence has been missed in the current campaign, although the club still possesses talent in the shape of German internationals Oliver Neuville, Jens Nowotny, Carsten Ramelow and Bernd Schneider along with Turkish midfielder Yildiray Basturk and Brazilian international defender Lucio. After last season's exploits, former Eintracht Frankfurt and Bochum manager Toppmoller had established his credentials as a European coach of repute and he was widely expected to move onto pastures new over the summer himself but ended up putting pen to paper on a new three year contract with Bayer instead. The new season has seen Bayer struggle in the Bundesliga with the number of goals conceded at home of particular concern to Toppmoller. At least Bayer have had their Champions League campaign to sustain them. After a stuttering start in which Bayer lost their opening two Group F games, Toppmoller piloted his side to second place in the first group stage behind Manchester United.
 The early signs were not good, with Olympiakos thrashing the Germans 6-2 in Greece and then Manchester United winning 2-1 in Leverkusen. But Bayer hit back with three straight victories, doing the double over Israeli minnows Maccaba Haifa and winning in Germany against Olympiakos, before losing their final game against the Red Devils. Bayer have been hit heavily by injuries in the first half of the season, with stars such as Juan, Pascal Ojigwe, Nowotny and Diego Placente all having problems but Toppmoller is convinced that when he is able to name his strongest team Leverkusen can again be successful in the Champions League. He said: "If we get all our players fit for the New Year then I am sure we will be able to cause a few upsets." Painting a picture of Euro's late developer.... | 
