The players completed a range of diagnostic procedures including the functional movement screen and spiroergometry in the Werkstatt, the Bayer 04 rehab and training centre, on the third floor of the BayArena.
First up were a group comprising U19 new signing Madi Monamay, Zidan Sertdemir and Iker Bravo. Under the eyes of the coaching staff of Gerardo Seoane, Patrick Schnarwiler and Alberto Encinas they started with physical measurements carried out by the fitness and physio team. Then came the first strenuous minutes on exercise bikes looking out onto the training ground. The other players followed in small groups.
With loud music – the songs were chosen by Robert Andrich – and high spirits there were several drills on the training area on isometric and hip power measurement before functional agility was assessed using FMS and Y balance tests. With these methods and a standardised sequence of movements, key figures were recorded in the areas of ordination, agility and stability.
The most strenuous part of the Bayer 04 performance test always comes at the end: spiroergometry. All players end the day on the treadmill – complete with a respirator mask. Spiroergometry determines the maximum endurance potential. With crimson faces and bathed in sweat they all richly deserved the chance to cool down at the end.
Seoane will welcome his players to the training ground for the first time in this preseason tomorrow, Monday 27 June. The session starts at 10.30 CEST in the shadow of the BayArena. The training session on pitches one and two is open but car park P3 between the stadium and the training ground is closed until the end of July due to an event in and around the BayArena.
HERE is the information on the resumption of training.
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
Show moreTo all Bayer 04 fans: The Fanwelt will be closed all day next Monday 30 June. This is due to preparations for the change of kit supplier from Castore to New Balance on Tuesday 1 July.
Show moreThe Norway U23 international Julie Jorde has completed the move from Bayer 04 Leverkusen to Brøndby IF. The twelve-time champions of Denmark have signed the midfielder on permanent terms after her loan move from the Bundesliga to Denmark in the winter.
Show moreIt is almost two years since Bayer 04 new signing Abdoulaye Faye first stepped foot into the BayArena as a player for the Swedish club BK Häcken in the opening match in the 2023/24 Europa League campaign. A day before his nineteenth birthday, the central defender did not play in the 4-0 win for the Werkself but it was "an incredible night" for him on 21 September 2023 as he explained in his first interview on bayer04.de. "I watched the players and saw the fans. I liked it." It was also the first European night early on in his career. He only joined the then champions of Sweden in the cold north of Europe from his home in Senegal a few weeks before that special moment. Bayer04.de profiles our new defender.
Show moreWelcome, Abdoulaye Faye. The 20-year-old Senegalese central defender joins Leverkusen from top-flight Swedish club BK Häcken. In his first interview he talks about his move to Bayer 04 and his targets with the Werkself.
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