Bayer Leverkusen forward Ibrahim Maza sees great opportunities for his club after a rapid year of development. The 20-year-old spoke about his progress and the season's targets.
Maza, who was voted player of the season by the fans, described the past year as "crazy and wild" and a beautiful year for his development. The young attacker moved from Hertha BSC, then in the 2. Bundesliga, to Bayer Leverkusen and immediately became a regular starter in the top flight. He also played in the Champions League and represented Algeria at the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup, starting all four of his nation's matches.
The stated goal for the season is Champions League qualification for Maza and the team. "With us, something big can happen this season," the offensive player said. Die Werkself finished the previous season in fifth place in the Bundesliga with 52 points from 29 games. Their record was 15 wins, seven draws, and seven losses. The goal difference of +20 (59 scored, 39 conceded) was solid, but the gap to champions Bayern Munich was 24 points. The team enters the new season on a five-match unbeaten run (WWDDD). The next fixture is away at SV Elversberg on August 29, 2026.
The immediate breakthrough of the young player was remarkable. Alongside his club performances, he underwent a steep learning curve internationally. At the World Cup, he experienced a tough debut as Algeria lost its first match 3-0 to Argentina. Lionel Messi scored all three goals for the eventual runners-up. Maza nearly provided an assist in the opening minutes of that match and also witnessed a rough foul by Messi on Algeria's captain Aïssa Mandi. These experiences on the biggest stage have further shaped him.
Ibrahim Maza chose to represent the Algerian national team after a youth career in German youth setups up to the U20 level. This decision came against the backdrop of Jürgen Klopp becoming the new head coach of the German national team. The player has no regrets about his path and feels at home in the Algerian squad. His strong performances also attracted international interest. Before the World Cup, Atlético Madrid was reportedly interested in signing the player. However, Bayer Leverkusen's sporting director Simon Rolfes made it clear: "A sale of Ibo is not a topic." This statement shows Maza's importance for the club's future.
Carles Martínez is the third coach of Ibrahim Maza at Bayer Leverkusen, following Erik ten Hag and Kasper Hjulmand. Maza describes Martínez as a very lively coach who is active on the pitch and pays attention to small details. His work is focused on ensuring the team plays good football. The Werkself squad underwent changes in the summer, and Maza knows one of the new arrivals well: Kennet Eichhorn was his teammate at Hertha BSC. Eichhorn is currently absent due to a metabolic illness. Maza describes him as an exceptional player for his age, robust, strategic, technically gifted, strong defensively, and good at creating chances. The full squad overview is available on our squad page.
Die Werkself looks ahead to the coming season with confidence. The clear objective of Champions League qualification and the positive development of key players like Ibrahim Maza provide grounds for optimism. The team must carry the consistency from the end of last season, shown in the unbeaten run, into the new campaign. The early results will show if the team is on track. The current Bundesliga table can be viewed on our standings page.
