
The Werkself skipper will present his opposite number from Leipzig with a basket of fruit ahead of kick-off. Before that, six members of the Lions Club will hold a banner with the campaign motto '#FitvormTor' ('Fit in front of goal') as the teams come onto the pitch. Furthermore, the BayArena catering will provide a discount on the popular 'Bulgur Cup' on Saturday.
Away from the campaign matchday, Bayer 04 place great value on the subject of health and diet particular with regard to children and teenagers. In addition to the various, age-related campaigns of the 'Bayer 04 goes to school' project, the club is also committed to providing regular exercise opportunities for youngsters – whether that's every day ('Dance shoes for your kindergarten') or at home games (e.g. the Werkslöwenpass for the concourse at the BayArena). On top of that, Bayer 04 organise a range of events to make the issue of health and diet for young and old more attractive: For the youngest there are regular physical activity offers including training like the Werkself or training with the patrons (as at the end of March with Dominick Kohr and the Lion Club kids). There are also constant health-related offers for older fans such as cooking lessons, 'football fans in training' for overweight men and women or walking football sessions for the Silver Lions.
Bayer 04 have other activities planned to raise the profile of the subject of health and diet in the future.

With 22 days to go until the start of the Bundesliga campaign, the Bayer 04 Women’s team have gained a fresh boost of confidence. In a friendly against Belgian top-flight side KRC Genk on Saturday afternoon, coach Roberto Pätzold’s team secured a 1–0 win. Lobke Loonen (20’) scored the winner for the Black and Reds at the Kurtekotten training centre.
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A successful fourth preseason friendly ahead of the start of the training camp: The Werkself secured a 3-0 victory over Rot-Weiss Essen at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The goals in what was a commanding and dominant performance by Leverkusen from the outset were scored by Ibrahim Maza (8'), Patrik Schick from the penalty spot (23’) and, in the second half, Montrell Culbreath with a header (79’). The team set off for their training camp in Blankenhain in the Weimarer Land region after the game.
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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 personal 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…
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You have voted – your ‘Team of the Quarter-Century’ has been decided! This historic selection, covering the period from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2024, features honorary captains, Bundesliga champions, double winners and Champions League finalists. Edmond Tapsoba is the only player from the current Bayer 04 squad to make it into the starting XI, while his team-mate Patrik Schick is on the bench. Simon Rolfes, the current managing director sport, is also in the lie-up. A truly special team that brings together a quarter of a century of Bayer 04 history – and has left a decisive mark on the club.
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Following Patrik Schick, Mark Flekken, Ibrahim Maza and Kerim Alajbegovic earlier this week, the next World Cup participant is back on the training ground in Leverkusen: On Thursday 30 July, Malik Tillman rejoined the squad, completing his first training session under head coach Carles Martínez.
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