Leverkusen face unknown Celje as Martinez seeks Europa breakthrough
Bayer 04 Leverkusen travel to the BayArena on Wednesday 16 September 2026 for their Europa League opener against NK Celje, with kick‑off scheduled for 19:00 GMT. Carles Martinez, the club’s 42‑year‑old Trainer, will be under pressure to deliver early success.
Das Team have collected only four points from three Bundesliga matches, a return that falls short of the Rhein‑based club’s ambitions. Critics have begun drawing parallels with the brief tenure of Erik ten Hag, dismissed after three games in summer 2025. Simon Rolfes, Bayer’s sport director, warned that the Europa League is a very important competition and that the home game demands a full display.
Martinez told reporters on Tuesday noon, “Es hat sich etwas verändert. Wir sind keine Zauberer, wir wissen nicht, wie sie spielen werden – ob mit Vierer‑ oder Fünferkette. Deshalb sollten wir den größten Respekt vor Celje haben.” The German Coach admitted the lack of knowledge about Celje’s tactical setup adds to the challenge.
Celje, the defending Slovenian champions, sit seventh after nine rounds in a ten‑team league and have lost four of their last five matches across competitions. After the surprising dismissal of Vitor Campelos, the club announced on Tuesday that former co‑coach Zoran Zeljkovic will return to lead the side, taking charge from Wednesday evening at 21:00 in a live WDR radio broadcast.
Broadcast options across regions
In Germany the clash will be shown free‑to‑air on RTL with a simultaneous stream on RTL+. The match is also listed on WOW and Sky Sport. Les broadcasters in Africa will carry the game via New World Sport 4 in Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi and Cameroon. British fans can watch via a streaming service, while in the United States the game is available online. Live text updates are provided by FotMob, and Flashscore.
Key voices on the tie
Bayer boss Fernando Carro rejected the Erik ten Hag comparison, stating, “Wir sind verpflichtet, ihm als Verein zu helfen. Es ist ein Vergleich, der für mich völlig an den Haaren herbeigezogen ist.” Strategy chief Aleix Garcia added, “Wir wollen den Wettbewerb gewinnen. Natürlich ist das ein Ziel des Klubs.” Ibrahim Maza, currently recovering from an infection, will be cleared shortly before kick‑off; Die Mannschaft hopes the decision will be positive.
Der Trainer knows the stakes are high. With the Europa League home fixture looming, Martinez and his coaching staff must turn the Team’s average performances into consistency. A positive result could silence the critics and set a stronger tone for the Bundesliga campaign, while a setback would deepen the pressure on the newly appointed Trainer.