After a strenuous an intensive week of training, the players had a later start to the day. After breakfast it was start of preparations for the Lazio match with a video and team meeting. That was followed by packing bags, a final lunch at the team hotel Tauern Spa and off into the team bus headed for Grödig. The hotel could return to quieter normality. But have no fear, Bayer 04 will return in the summer of 2018 for the next pre-season.
Just before lunch, Bayer 04 head coach Heiko Herrlich took time out to review events in Zell am See with the media. Overall, the coach was very happy with the training camp. "It's been a hard week of training. We had two intensive sessions every day up to Friday. I felt all the players were ready to get fully involved without any complaints," said a positive Heiko Herrlich.
There was one last challenge before the Bayer 04 group could start the return journey back home. The Werkself played their sixth friendly of the pre-season in Grödig near Salzburg in the afternoon. And it was a game against team that finished fifth in Serie A last term, Lazio. With Bayer 04 sporting director Rudi Völler and sporting manager Jonas Boldt looking on, the Werkself felt the effects of the rigours of the past seven days and the high temperatures that led to a disappointing 3-1 defeat.
After a shower and an evening meal it was off in the team bus to the nearby Salzburg Airport for the charter flight to Cologne/Bonn airport. That was the final chapter of the visit to Austria in 2017. Charles Aránguiz returns on Monday for performance tests and Heiko Herrlich will lead the next training session on Wednesday.
High spirits and previously untold stories: Around 100 Bayer 04 fans packed the Schwadbud fan pub in the east stand of the BayArena on Thursday evening to be there in person for the first instalment of the new series of events entitled “Rudi lädt ein” (Rudi invites you). They listened intently as long-serving Werkself players Gonzalo Castro and Stefan Kießling chatted with record appearance-maker Rüdiger Vollborn and presenter and stadium announcer Tobias Ufer about their many years together at the club, shared amusing anecdotes and revealed dressing room secrets. Anyone who missed the premiere can already look forward to the second instalment – on 12 May, Rudi will be testing the expert knowledge of Bayer 04 fans during a quiz night.
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The Bundesliga home game against VfL Wolfsburg in the first half of the season was one of those classic ‘days to forget’ for Bayer 04 Women. It started with goalkeeper Charlotte Voll being shown a red card in the first minute of the game, and following a further sending-off, coach Roberto Pätzold's 9-women side ended up losing 5-1 to last season's runners-up. At 18.30 CET on Sunday, they'll have the chance to exact revenge at the AOK Stadium - and pick up valuable points in the race for third place.
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Sofie Zdebel is up for the Goal of the Month award for February on ARD-Sportschau. Fans have until 21 March (19:00 CET) to vote for the Germany U23 international's volley to make it 2-0 in the Bayer 04 Women's derby against FC Köln (2-1).
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen are further expanding their partner network: The feed manufacturer PerNaturam is an official sponsor of the Bayer 04 Womens team. The partnership opens up a wide range of opportunities for the company to position its brand in the Bundesliga environment.
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Do you dream of wearing the Bayer cross on your chest? To play in black and red like your role models Loreen Bender, Cornelia Kramer, Kristin Kögel and co. from the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga? Then take your chance now! Our female youth teams are once again on the lookout for new talent. That's why Bayer 04 are organising a talent day on 12 April 2026 for the first time this year with trials for female juniors.
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