
Stalwart Julian Baumgartlinger has taken another step towards playing in the European Championship finals. The 33-year-old has returned to full training with the Werkself. “It felt great to be back on the training ground with the lads after less than four months. The first sessions went better then expected and I feel really good. Now I’m going to carry on working towards playing for Austria at the Euros,” said Baumgartlinger.
Austria coach Franco Foda has called up his captain as well as Werkself central defender Aleksandar Dragovic to the preliminary Euro squad on Wednesday afternoon.
There is one match to play in the Bundesliga and then the Werkself players will set off for a well-deserved holiday or to one of the biggest international tournaments in the summer. In the final week after having Monday off there were sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday. The team led by head coach Hannes Wolf will maintain that rhythm up to the away game at Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, 22 May (kick-off: 15.30 CEST).







The former Leverkusen player Toni Kroos does not believe his participation in the European Championships is threatened by his latest Covid-19 infection. “Of course I’ll be ready,” said the Real Madrid midfielder who played for the Werkself from January 2009 to June 2010. Joining the Germany training camp could be delayed by a few days under certain circumstances. The team under coach Joachim Löw will prepare for the European Championship finals from 28 May in the Austrian Tyrol. Bayer 04 wish Toni a swift recovery and a successful Euros.
Bayer 04 and sponsors club partner apotal.de have provided Werkself first aid packages to all participants in the first parent workshops. The parents were given a wide range of materials such as wound treatment sets and analgesic gel.

60 per cent of the families took up the offer of the workshop. Assessment of the feedback forms revealed a high level of satisfaction and interest and that means the youth section at Bayer 04 can really look forward to the already planned next parent workshop. That will be held in June and deals with the issue of the pressure to perform. The Bayer 04 sports psychologists Simon Borgmann and Timo Heinze will be advisors for the event.
In keeping with the impending retirement of Lars and Sven Bender, we have selected the Bender edition of Connect 04 for you to enjoy. Has one of the two ever pretended to be his twin brother? HERE is the video.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended the contract with U19 midfielder Jonah Berghoff ahead of schedule. The Germany U18 international has signed professional terms with the club to 30 June 2030.
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With sixth place at the end of the 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign, Bayer 04 ended a season in the top third of the table for the ninth time in a row. While the Werkself were narrowly eliminated in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 by eventual finalists Arsenal, the Black and Reds reached the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal for the third season in succession. As in previous years, you once again have the opportunity to vote for your Player of the Season. Voting is exclusively for Bayer 04 Club members and only via the Bayer 04 app up to and including 11 June.
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With 46 points in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga, the Bayer 04 Women’s team once again broke the previous season's club record and ended up in fifth place - 15 wins is also a record. As in previous years, you now have the opportunity to vote for your Player of the Season. Voting is open exclusively to Bayer 04 Club members and only via the Bayer 04 app by 11 June.
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The guests at the Scala Club in Leverkusen were amazed when host Reiner Calmund suddenly brought the Managing Director of Sport at Bayer 04, Simon Rolfes, and record Werkself appearance maker Rüdiger Vollborn onto the stage. As part of the show "An Evening with Football & Friends", organised by long-serving Bayer 04 managing director and general manager Calmund, the two surprise guests drew plenty of applause - and provided great entertainment in exciting conversations about the past and future.
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