…his own style of play: I'd describe myself as an attack-minded full-back. I love getting the long diagonal passes from the centre out onto my left flank and then taking the ball with me to provide a goal threat up front.
…areas of his game he wants to work on in the coming weeks and months: I'm still very young and I can learn a lot: I'm aware of that. I can see room for improvement in certain situations in defence – and in terms of heading ability. Clearing the ball at the back isn't a problem. But I think I can pose more of a threat in attack, for example at corners. I've never scored with my head. (He laughs)
…his last season at Paris Saint-Germain where he played 40 games for the top French club: I played a lot under Thomas Tuchel (head coach at PSG up to December 2020, ed.). I played alongside the best players in the world in Paris and was on the training ground with them every day. I was able to pick up a lot, for example from players like Thiago Silva. Now I'm happy to be here and I want to play my part in this club's success.
…his targets with and at Bayer 04: I want to win every game if possible and play for the club in the Champions League. My aim is to be on the pitch week by week and help the team as much as I can.
…his impression of Germany's top flight: The Bundesliga is a great league with a higher intensity than in France. Every game is hard-fought and there's plenty of competition. I'm really looking forward to finally getting started in a few weeks time.
…the team structure within the Werkself : The first days were great fun. Everybody made it as easy as possible for me and explained how things work. I know Daley (Sinkgraven, ed.) from my time at Ajax and I played alongside Jeremie (Frimpong) in the youth national team. They helped me a lot as well. All the lads make me feel great and I can hardly wait to be on the pitch with them in the Bundesliga.
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 more
To 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 more
The 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 more
It 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 more
Welcome, 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.
Show more
