On Saturday, SV Elversberg will be playing the first Bundesliga match in the club’s history – and welcoming one of their highest-profile league opponents in the shape of Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Manager Vincent Wagner is not trying to downplay the historic significance of the occasion, but he does not intend to lose sight of their sporting objectives. His team will need to stay bold, showcase their signature style of play, and make life harder for the strong favourites than the odds might suggest.
There comes a point when an exceptional story becomes an actual date. For SV Elversberg, that will be on 29 August 2026 at 3:30 p.m. When the starting whistle sounds in the URSAPHARM Arena on Saturday, it will mark more than just a new season for the club – because SVE will be playing their first Bundesliga match ever. Bayer 04 Leverkusen will be their first opponent, Kaiserlinde will become a first-division venue for the first time – and an event that long seemed almost inconceivable in Elversberg has suddenly become everyday sporting life.
That’s what it will all be about, at least for 90 minutes. The importance of this afternoon is obvious, but the team should not let it overwhelm them. Given this, Vincent Wagner is trying to combine two things: delight at what they have achieved and focus on what is required on the pitch. ‘Anticipation levels are hugely high. Our first Bundesliga match day – that sounds very special’, the manager said. The contrast with their usual environment could scarcely be any greater. On the one hand is a club that are competing in Germany’s top division for the first time ever. On the other, an opponent that has been consistently in the division for the last 47 years, won the championship and DFB Cup in 2024, and have long been used to playing under huge pressure of expectations on both a national and an international stage.
”
Anticipation levels are hugely high. Our first Bundesliga match day – that sounds very special.
– Vincent Wagner
SVE have had an opportunity to get back in the rhythm of official matches before this season opener, which is an advantage. Last weekend they defeated MSV Duisburg 3:1 in the first round of the DFB Cup. However, this first round was no walk in the park. The third-division team put up a fight for a long periods, Elversberg had to overcome resistance, and the final result was only procured in the final stages. It was Francis Onyeka, substituted on in the 88th minute, who secured the win with two late goals. The 19-year-old transformed a hard-fought Cup match into an ultimately definitive win – making the question of the team’s attacking lineup for Saturday an even more difficult one.
Onyeka highlights the unique nature of this game like few others. He has been under contract with Bayer 04 since 2014, came up through their youth system, and was loaned to SVE for this season. His contract in Leverkusen runs to 2032. Now, he could be playing against his home club in Elversberg’s first ever Bundesliga match. Wagner has offered no hint of whether his double against Duisburg has earned him a position in the starting eleven. His tongue-in-cheek answer to the question was brief: ‘Maybe!’
Leverkusen will be following Onyeka’s development closely. Simon Rolfes, managing director of sport at Bayer 04, described him as a player who can hold his own and is constantly working to improve. ‘He has been with us since he was young and we believe in Francis. And in his development and mindset’, Rolfes noted. It is no accident that Leverkusen chose Elversberg as the location for the next stage in his development. In recent years, as well as demonstrating their high-quality football, SVE have also showed that they place trust in young players and can help them develop. For Onyeka, this afternoon is a convergence of many things: Elversberg’s promotion, Leverkusen’s youth programme, and the opportunity for a very talented player to showcase his skills on the biggest national stage there is.
However, the link between the two clubs goes back even further. They have faced each other twice in the DFB Cup. In the summer of 2022, when Elversberg were still in the Regionalliga, SVE won a spectacular first round match 4:3 at Kaiserlinde. It was one of those Club nights that felt like a sensation at the time, but looking back was more like an early indication of what this club could do. Two years later, the Bavarian team evened the score by winning 3:0 in Leverkusen. However, Rolfes remembers this match well, as Elversberg stuck to their game plan even when facing a dominant double champion.
‘What I’ve always liked about Elversberg is that they really do play very, very good football. Football that’s a pleasure to watch’, the Bayer director noted. He added about their two previous Cup encounters: ‘We have played them twice in the DFB Cup, one of those times didn’t go so well for us.’ Elversberg also tried to play football in the second match. ‘That is their consistent signature’. This is remarkable praise as it relates to the core of Elversberg’s development. SVE did not reach the Bundesliga simply by playing as the underdogs. They have a clear idea, bold ball possession, and the willingness to actively shape play.
”
What I’ve always liked about Elversberg is that they really do play very, very good football. Football that’s a pleasure to watch.
– Bayer managing director Simon Rolfes
This identity will be tested as never before against Leverkusen. The market value of the Elversberg squad is around 59 million euros, whilst Leverkusen’s is some 514 million euros. This 455-million-euro difference will not win any tackles or score any goals, but it does highlight the quality of the individual players that SVE are facing. Patrik Schick has scored 104 goals in 211 matches for Bayer. Behind him, hugely talented attacking players like Ibrahim Maza or new signing Afonso Moreira could also step up. Captain Edmond Tapsoba will start the match in the defensive ranks, Aleix Garcia could set the pace from the midfield. In addition, Leverkusen have numerous top-quality options even for the positions where the club’s squad planning is not yet complete.
Bayer are heading to Saarland with a change of sporting backdrop. After their 2024 double and a significantly more difficult last season where they finished in sixth, Carles Martinez took over the team. The new manager is likely to deploy a four-man backfield in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation. This is a move away from the three-man backfield that previously shaped Leverkusen’s play. This transition is not fully complete. A right back and a right winger are still being sought, and there could still be some departures before the transfer window closes. Nevertheless, the potential starting eleven remains a combination of technically outstanding players with international experience.
Martinez has made no secret of his conviction. Before their Cup match against SV Wehen Wiesbaden, he said (in English): ‘We are a f***ing good team.’ He immediately apologised for his choice of words, noting that children might be watching. However, this did not change the message. Bayer won 4:0 in Wiesbaden, despite still encountering a few issues in the first half. Leverkusen have enough quality to control matches from early on and are still in the process of developing under their new manager. This at least provides Elversberg with a starting point: the favourites are strong but have not yet consolidated all of their tactics.
However, Wagner is primarily concerned with how his team can contain Leverkusen’s mixture of individual quality and new playing style. ‘We will be facing extremely high-quality players. The new coaching team also have a very, very exciting concept of football. Keeping these two elements under control will be a big task!’, the SVE manager said. It would be presumptuous to believe that Elversberg could keep the Bundesliga team away from their goal for the entire match or control ball possession exactly as they would want. Wagner is open about what his team are likely to face: ‘We will definitely be spending two, three, four minutes just chasing after the ball at this point.’ What SVE do at moments like this is what will matter. Against teams of this quality, it is not enough just to defend deep and hope for a lucky moment. Spacing must be right, running paths must be consistent, and winning the ball must be followed by clean play. At the same time, Elversberg must not play so cautiously that they abandon their strengths. ‘We want to play our game, regardless of the opponent’, Wagner emphasised. He is expecting a deep block to be used more often than in many other matches. However, this is not an entirely unfamiliar role for the team. ‘The good thing is that counter-attacking is a type of play that we are also pretty good at.’
”
We want to play our game, regardless of the opponent.
– VW
The manager has various squad options to choose from. Nicolas Kristof will be in goal. Captain Lukas Pinckert is returning from his suspension and is expected to serve in the central defence alongside Maximilian Rohr. On the right, there is a decision to be made between Jan Gyamerah and Luca Sirch, whilst Lasse Günther is likely on the left. The back line in particular will not be able to hold off Leverkusen’s agile attacks by simply winning head-to-heads. The entire team will need to move as one, close off routes through to the centre, and stop Bayer creating opportunities untroubled between the lines.
In the defensive midfield, Lukasz Poreba and Felix Keidel played a major role in preparations. Keidel was signed as a full back, but Wagner views him as more than just an emergency option in the centre. ‘Felix Keidel is a centre player. He ended up as a full back in Ingolstadt at some point, but fundamentally Felix is a central midfielder and is just coming home’, the manager explained. The 25-year-old’s running skill and strength have given him an edge. However, Wagner sees potential for development: ‘He still has room to grow, but playing and getting involved is the only way to gain experience.’ A Bundesliga duel with Leverkusen should provide plenty of opportunity to do just that.
In front of the double six, Cole Campbell, Noah Darvich and Lukas Petkov have been the most persuasive recently. And then there is Onyeka, who is pushing for a starting spot after his Cup performance and is likely to be Darvich’s main competition. There is a good chance of Luca Schnellbacher appearing as striker once again. David Mokwa is the next recommended option, with Noel Futkeu also featuring in the squad. Although the new signing has not fully completed team preparations, he has been working on his own and has completed some training with Eintracht Frankfurt’s second team. ‘We’re definitely bringing him because he’s just too good not to be an option right away’, Wagner said.
The fact that Luca Pfeiffer was not on the list for Duisburg does not necessarily mean that he has been ruled out. Instead, this highlights the manager’s agony of choice. ‘Luca is on the ball and completed all preparations. He is easily in the best form I’ve ever seen him’, Wagner said. He has no hesitation in giving Pfeiffer some match time – but Schnellbacher, Mokwa and Futkeu have also made themselves available. Tom Zimmerschied, who has recently been out due to back issues, returned to team training (at least in part) on Thursday. Otherwise, virtually all of the players are fit. Before the biggest match in the club’s history, Wagner has almost his entire roster to choose from.
The setting will also play a part in the story on Saturday. The URSAPHARM Arena is still being renovated so Bayer will be using temporary changing rooms. This might seem atypical for a longstanding Bundesliga team but does not play a major role in Leverkusen’s preparations. Teams should be able to handle various different conditions, Rolfes noted, highlighting similar experiences in international football. ‘The pitch will be good, that is what matters.’ The Bayer director will not be underestimating the promoted team. Rolfes cited 1. FC Heidenheim as an example of how even a smaller club can do well in the Bundesliga by virtue of continuous work. He believes ‘things are no different in Elversberg’.
For SVE, this comparison serves as both recognition and a warning. Promotion opened the door to the Bundesliga, but the only way they can stay there is by staying true to the principles that have brought them this far. Names, market values, and the strength of their new opponents have changed the context, but not the demands on their own work. Elversberg are likely to have less ball possession against Leverkusen, defend more frequently, and see mistakes punished more quickly than they have in recent years. Nevertheless, the team should not look like a guest at their own party.
When the ball starts rolling at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, there will be no stopping the historic moment. Pinckert will need to keep Schick at bay, Keidel will have to put pressure on Leverkusen’s midfield, and the Elversberg attacking ranks will have to exploit the limited space they gain as decisively as possible. The past offers a happy memory in the form of 2022’s 4:3, but no edge. The future begins with a task that could scarcely be more challenging. And this is exactly why Bayer 04 Leverkusen make for such a good first Bundesliga opponent: SVE will get an immediate taste of just how high the new bar has been set – as well as their first opportunity to respond in their own particular way.
