This week all the turf at the BayArena was removed and the base level below was aerated. "We have worked-in soil nutrients and that will allow the roots of the new turf to take up nutrients straightaway," explained Georg Schmitz, head of the ground staff at Bayer 04. Finally, the 1.2 metre wide and 15 metre long rolls of turf were rolled out and laid next to each other - the first cut will be made tomorrow (Saturday). The ground staff ordered the turf from Schwerin as it is particularly hard-wearing. "Theoretically, you could play on it in three days," said Schmitz but – in ideal weather conditions – it takes around eight weeks for the new playing surface to bed in. Until then, it is a question of mowing, feeding and watching.
The pitch at the neighbouring Ulrich Haberland Stadium is also being replaced at the moment. After the turf is taken away, work will be done on the undersoil heating before the new seed is sown. The surface will probably be playable again at the beginning of September.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without centre-back Edmond Tapsoba in the coming weeks. The Burkina Faso international returned to the Werkself from the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco with a muscle injury.
Show more
The Werkself are away to Hamburg SV at the end of the Hinrunde in the 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign. The match at the newly promoted club is on Tuesday night, 13 January (kick-off: 20:30 CET). Ahead of the first encounter with HSV since 2018, Kasper Hjulmand spoke about the strengths of the opponents, lessons learnt from the home defeat against VfB Stuttgart and provided a squad update.
Show more
In Germany, the temperatures are currently around zero, leaving even professional footballers freezing - but not the Bayer 04 Women. Roberto Pätzold's team have fled the cold to the south and are preparing for the second half of the season at a training camp in the Algarve, almost 2,000 kilometres away from home as the crow flies. The Leverkusen squad landed in Faro on Saturday morning and have already completed the first three training sessions over the weekend.
Show more
It was a disappointing Saturday night. The Werkself lost 4-1 to VfB Stuttgart to start the new year on Bundesliga matchday 16 in 2025/26, a result that left both players and fans disappointed. "We played without any passion," said Alejandro Grimaldo honestly afterwards. Teammate Jarell Quansah was even more self-critical, emphasising: "We were miles off it in the first half. You can't put in a performance like that, especially in front of our own fans and I can only apologise to them, to be honest." Read on for the reaction, facts and stats from the clash with VfB Stuttgart in the Werkself review.
Show more
