Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fussball GmbH is often referred to in the form of Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Bayer Leverkusen or simply Leverkusen is a professional football team that is based within Leverkusen located in North Rhine-Westphalia. The club plays in the Bundesliga which is the top level in German soccer and plays home matches in the BayArena.
The club was established on 1904 and was founded by the employees of German drug firm Bayer AG which has its headquarters located in Leverkusen and from where the club gets its name. It was once the most well-known department within TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen which is an sport club which also has members who participate in gymnastics, athletics, basketball field handball, as well as other sports like those of the RTC Bayer Leverkusen (rowing, hockey and tennis). In 1999 , the football department was split from the sports team and is officially named Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fussball GmbH. Bayer were first elevated to Bundesliga in 1979 and have been within the highest division since. Bayer's primary colours are black and red as both were employed as the primary shirt colours, with the black and red stripes being utilized as the club's home colors.
Bayer Leverkusen have finished five times as runners-up in Bundesliga and haven't won the championship, which is an unbeaten record in German football. Bayer Leverkusen have had one win in the DFB-Pokal and one UEFA Cup. Bayer was also runners-up at the 2001-02 UEFA Champions League, losing to Real Madrid in the final. Their closest opponents are 1. FC Koln.
