13 Werkself international players are on the road at the moment; Paulinho (torn cruciate), Patrik Schick (thigh) and Moussa Diaby (foot) are injured – international breaks always give youth players the opportunity to show what they can do. Goalkeeper Jakob Brambach, defenders Cem Türkmen and Christian Schwieren, midfielder Samed Onur and striker Emrehan Gedikli trained with the first team squad on Tuesday and Wednesday.
And the session on Wednesday was a real workout: FFT – Football Fitness Training was on the agenda. The warm-up and different passing drills were followed by a competitive scenario on a reduced-sized pitch. While regular first-team players Karim Bellarabi and the Bender brothers were able to finish before the intensive part of the session, Gedikli and Co. completed all the drills. Including gasping after completing the workout.
Daley Sinkgraven has yet to take part in full training. The Dutchman was substituted due to a head injury in the middle of the first-half away to VfB Stuttgart. He trained on his own on Wednesday and the left-back is expected to return to full training in the next few days.
It was the first Bundesliga home goal in the new season – and what a strike it was! Kerem Demirbay scored with a long-range effort and the help of the underside of the bar in the 1-1 draw against RB Leipzig. The strike by the 27-year-old was voted the September ‘Goal of the Month’ by Werkself fans. The vote was presented for the first time by the new, official Bayer 04 mobility partner like2drive .
Moreover: Demirbay’s strike was also nominated for the ARD-Sportschau ’Goal of the Month’. Our number 10 has the final digit 2 with votes cast by phone (0049 (0)1371/36900 – 2) or online at sportschau.de. The deadline for entries is Saturday, 17 October at 19.00 CEST.
Sami Hyypiä knows Bayer 04 in two ways: The Finn signed for Bayer 04 in the summer of 2009 after ten years at Liverpool, where he won the Champions League in 2005, and he hung up his boots after two seasons playing for the Werkself. After switching to the dugout and working as assistant coach with Finland, Hyypiä finally returned to Leverkusen in April 2012. He coached the Black and Reds for more than 40 games. That was followed by coaching jobs with Brighton & Hove Albion and FC Zürich. He is now the assistant with Finnish top-flight side FC Haka – and also 47-years-old on Wednesday. Bayer 04 say: Happy birthday, Sami!
Nico Schneck and Jürgen Kohler have also just celebrated their birthdays. Schneck, now 33 years old and assistant coach with the MSV Duisburg Women’s team, was the assistant coach to Heiko Herrlich at the Werkself for eighteen months. Kohler was the Leverkusen coach from 2003 to 2004. The 1990 World Cup winner is 55. Bayer 04 wish the duo: A belated happy birthday!
Bayer 04 have signed left-back Carolin Simon from champions Bayern Munich for the coming season. The 33-year-old former Germany international, who played for Leverkusen from 2013 to 2016, has signed a contract to 30 June 2028.
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Bayer 04 Women have strengthened for the coming season with the signing of Lobke Loone. The 23-year-old Dutch striker joins from Utrecht on a contract until 30 June 2028.
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The Werkself returned from the near one-month break in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga with a convincing victory at home. Roberto Pätzold's side beat SC Freiburg 4-1 on Sunday afternoon, with goals from Katharina Piljic, Estrella Merino Gonzalez, Cornelia Kramer and Carlotta Wamser ensuring a 13th win of the season at the Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion. The Black and Reds, who are now on 40 points, move up to fourth place at least overnight.
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The fifth consecutive derby win over 1. FC Köln was a hugely significant one in terms of the battle for the UEFA Champions League places. Goalkeeper Janis Blaswich, speaking for the whole team, dedicated the 2-1 victory in the cathedral city to the travelling support: "I'm especially happy about this victory for our fans!" Get the rest of the reaction from those involved and the media, as well as some impressive stats on two-goal hero Patrik Schick and a look at the all-time Bundesliga table, in the Werkself Review.
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