Leverkusen vs RW Essen Prediction 1 August 2026
🔊 Bayer are starting life under their third manager in a year. On August 1, the Werkself host Rot-Weiss Essen at the BayArena - a third-division side for whom this friendly is the biggest test of pre-season. The match is closed to away fans: at the request of police, tickets were sold exclusively to Bayer supporters.
Head-to-Head
📊 Essen broke Bayer's season five years ago. In February 2021, the fourth-division club hosted the Werkself in the Round of 16 of the DFB-Pokal - conceded to Leon Bailey in the 105th minute, then held on to win in extra time (2:1). Bayer arrived as finalists from the previous edition; Essen reached the quarter-finals for the first time in 27 years. Three years later the two sides met in a pre-season friendly, and Leverkusen came out on top (2:1).
Head-to-head statistics Leverkusen - RW Essen
Bayer Leverkusen Team Overview
Last season at Leverkusen is not one anyone looks back on fondly: sixth in the Bundesliga, out in the Round of 16 in the Champions League, and a semi-final exit in the DFB-Pokal. After Xabi Alonso left, the club went through two managers - Erik ten Hag was gone after two Bundesliga matchdays, Kasper Hjulmand saw out the season and didn't stay either. From July 1, the team has been run by 42-year-old Carles Martínez: he comes from Toulouse, where he spent three years, and learned his trade in the Barcelona academy. His contract runs until 2028.
Pre-season has been low-key. In their last friendly they took apart Belgian side Genk 4-0. Straight after the Essen match the squad heads to a training camp in Blankenhain, and the first competitive fixture isn't until August 22 - a DFB-Pokal tie against Wehen Wiesbaden.
Match Results: Bayer Leverkusen
RW Essen Team Overview
Last season, the visitors came agonizingly close to the 2. Bundesliga: third place in the third division and a playoff defeat to Greuther Fürth. Uwe Koschinat has been in charge since December 2024 - the squad is largely unchanged, two academy players have been promoted to the first team, and Ekin Celebi and Luca Bazzoli are back from loan.
Pre-season started with heavy wins over amateur sides: Bottrop (11:0) and ETB (5:1). Then the opposition got tougher and the results followed - defeats to Austrian side Ried (0:3) and Borussia Mönchengladbach (1:2). The Gladbach match drew 8,821 fans to the Hafenstraße. Essen's league season kicks off on August 7, so they arrive in Leverkusen in good shape.
Match Results: RW Essen
Total Prediction
Trends- Under 4.5 goals has landed in 7 of Bayer's last 8 matches (Friendlies, clubs).
Outcome Prediction
Trends- Bayer win at home in 8 of their last 9 matches (Friendlies, clubs).
- Bayer win in 7 of their last 8 matches (Friendlies, clubs).
⭐ Editor's Pick
The gap in quality is obvious, but the schedule isn't doing the favourites any favours. Bayer are playing their fourth preseason friendly in a row and head straight to training camp after this one, while Essen kick off their league season in a week - they need a proper 90 minutes. Backing a clean shutout win feels too risky. Bayer have scored at home in 21 of their last 22 friendlies, Essen have scored away in 9 of their last 10, and last week the visitors got one past Gladbach - even if it came in stoppage time. The main bet is Both Teams To Score (Yes). Bayer's attack is already up and running: four goals against Genk says enough. Predicted score: 3:1.
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Betting Tips: Bayer Leverkusen - RW Essen
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