Back
19.09.2018Bayer 04

Lars Bender and Hradecky on board

The Werkself flew out to Bulgaria on Wednesday morning for the opening game in the Europa League. And there was good news on the personnel front: Lukas Hradecky and Lars Bender were on the charter flight with the Bayer 04 squad departing from Cologne-Bonn Airport.
Ankunft_Varna.jpg

"I'm assuming he will be able to play tomorrow," said head coach Heiko Herrlich referring to his captain. The same applies to Lukas Hradecky who has served a one-match ban for picking up two yellow cards in the Europa League qualifier on 6 August 2015 when he was playing for Bröndby IF. The 28-year-old shot-stopper  and Bayer 04 received the surprise news in the past few days. "We received an e-mail from UEFA last week where they confirmed the suspension has now lapsed and that I can play tomorrow," said Hradecky before departure .  

After two and a half hours, around 16.00 local time, the Werkself charter plane landed at the airport in Varna. The squad then travelled on the team bus to their hotel in Rasgrad, which is a ten-minute drive away from the Ludogarets Arena. 

This evening brings the usual pre-match press conference and final training session ahead of the Europa League opener against Ludogorets Rasgrad (20 September, 21.00 CET). 

Schwadbud_MediumRectangle_UEL_300x250px_Rasgrad.jpg

Related News

crop_imago1071437261.jpg
Bayer 04 - 18.01.2026

AFCON blog: Senegal win the tournament

Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...

Show more
Ibrahim Maza
Bundesliga - 17.01.2026

Werkself edged out 1-0 at Hoffenheim

No points in the Kraichgau: the Werkself lost 1-0 away to top-six rivals TSG Hoffenheim on Bundesliga Matchday 18. Wouter Burger scored the only goal with a free kick in the ninth minute. In an uneventful contest, the Werkself tried hard to find an equaliser but were repeatedly thwarted.

Show more
Kurzpässe vor #TSGB04
Bundesliga - 17.01.2026

Matchday News #TSGB04: Hoping to extend highest away win rate

The meeting between fifth and sixth on Saturday afternoon (17 January, 15:30 CET) is a hard one to predict. While the Werkself can take confidence from their historic record at TSG Hoffenheim, the hosts are currently enjoying their second-best Bundesliga campaign and have lost just one of their last 10 games. Another good omen for Bayer 04: Daniel Schlager also refereed Leverkusen's last victory in Sinsheim (4-1). The Matchday News.

Show more
Jubel der Werkself
Women - 16.01.2026

3-0 against Servette FCCF: Women impress at end of winter training camp

At the end of the winter training camp in Portugal, the Bayer 04 Women convincingly mastered their friendly ahead of the start of the second half of the season. In the match against Swiss league leaders Servette FCCF, coach Roberto Pätzold's team won 3-0 at the Monte Gordo Sports Complex. Carlotta Wamser (4’), Vanessa Fudalla (18’) and Loreen Bender (53’) scored for Bayer 04, who have been preparing for the Rückrunde in the Algarve since last Saturday.

Show more
HSVB04
Bundesliga - 16.01.2026

Postponed match at Hamburger SV rescheduled

The German Football League (DFL) has rescheduled the postponed fixture at Hamburger SV on Bundesliga matchday 17. The match, due to be played on Tuesday, has now been rescheduled for Wednesday, 4 March (kick-off: 20:30 CET).

Show more