It's full steam ahead for the Werkself preparations for the Bundesliga home game against Schalke 04. After a day off on Sunday and an intensive session of the start of the week, Charles Aránguiz and Co. now have a training session every day up to the clash with the Royal Blues on Saturday, 3 April (kick-off: 15.30 CEST). The new head coach Hannes Wolf has big plans and he wants the Black and Reds to at least qualify for the Europa League.
The Bayer 04 players worked for over 90 minutes on Tuesday with shooting taking priority. The session ended with a practice match on a reduced-sized pitch and it was won by the Yellow team against the Red team, narrowly by 17 to 16 – both sides produced some admirable strikes.
In addition to Lukas Hradecky and Niklas Lomb, the U17 keeper Maximilian Neutgens joined the session late on for a spell between the posts. The 17-year-old had just come from training with his youth team across to the senior squad to replace U19 shot-stopper Marcel Johnen who ended the training session early as a precaution after colliding with Nadiem Amiri.
A successful conclusion to the international break for Edmond Tapsoba: The Leverkusen central defender was on the winning side with Burkina Faso in the 1-0 victory against South Sudan in the Africa Cup qualifiers. The only goal of the game was scored by Aston Villa's Bertrand Traore on 50 minutes. Tapsoba went the full distance again. Burkina Faso were already through to the Africa Cup last week thanks to a goalless draw in Uganda. The win against South Sudan now ensures they finish top of the group.
Tapsoba now returns to Leverkusen and, after the usual coronavirus tests, the 22-year-old will complete his first training session under the new Werkself head coach Hannes Wolf in the event of a negative test.
The Germany U21 team are playing to qualify for the European Championship quarter-finals on Tuesday night. The team under coach Stefan Kuntz won their opening game against Hungary 3-0 and then drew 1-1 with the Netherlands. The Germany team, including Bayer 04 keeper Lennart Grill, have to pick up at least one point against Romania to be sure of finishing as one of the final eight teams. The kick off in Budapest is at 18.00 CEST and the last group match for the Germany U21s will be broadcast on ProSieben.
The knockout rounds of the U21 European Championship will be played from 31 May to 6 June. This will involve the teams finishing first and second in the four qualifying groups.
Patrik Schick is set to play for Czechia in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday night. The kick off in Cardiff is at 20.45 CEST and it will be broadcast live on the streaming service DAZN.
Schick scored the leveller at 1-1 in the 6-2 opening win against Estonia. The Werkself centre forward missed the 1-1 draw against Belgium last Saturday as his home country and thereby also the venue Prague are currently in a "virus variant area". Czechia lead Group E in the World Cup qualifiers at the moment.
Bad news from Munich: Ivana Rudelic, who joined league leaders FC Bayern in the winter from the Bayer 04 Women, suffered a torn cruciate in her left knee in the away game for the Munich team at MSV Duisburg last Sunday (6-0). Bayer 04 wish her a speedy recovery.
Rudelic played for the Werkself Women in 2018, scoring 14 goals in 49 games before the 29-year-old striker returned to her former club in Munich in January.
30 March has a special significance for Bayer 04: In the media on this day in 1993, the DFB Cup semi-final in the 1992/93 season was seen as the ‘real’ final. Eintracht Frankfurt were at home to the Werkself in a cup clash between two top Bundesliga teams while the other semi-final was between Hertha Berlin Reserves and Chemnitz FC.
Bayer 04 were fully focused from the start at the Waldstadion and took an early lead through Andreas Thom on six minutes. Ulf Kirsten made it 2-0 in the second half (72'), and Thom netted his second goal at 3-0 three minutes later – and Leverkusen were through to the final in Berlin.
The rest of that cup campaign is well known: The Werkself played Hertha Berlin Reserves in the final and, thanks to a goal from Kirsten (77'), won 1-0 to take the DFB Cup back to Leverkusen.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have agreed Kerim Alajbegovic’s transfer to Italian record champions Juventus. The club brought the 18-year-old attacking player back to Leverkusen this summer via a buy-back option, following a season at Red Bull Salzburg. Until his move to Austria, the Bosnia international had been playing for Bayer 04’s Under-19s.
Show more
With 22 days to go until the start of the Bundesliga campaign, the Bayer 04 Women’s team have gained a fresh boost of confidence. In a friendly against Belgian top-flight side KRC Genk on Saturday afternoon, coach Roberto Pätzold’s team secured a 1–0 win. Lobke Loonen (20’) scored the winner for the Black and Reds at the Kurtekotten training centre.
Show more
Werkself TV shows the highlights of the 3-0 victory in the friendly match against Rot-Weiss Essen...
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without Kennet Eichhorn for the time being. Following specialist medical examinations, the new signing from Berlin has been diagnosed with a metabolic disorder requiring treatment. This was preceded by excessive physical strain and weight loss, partly as a result of a gastrointestinal condition.
Show more
A successful fourth preseason friendly ahead of the start of the training camp: The Werkself secured a 3-0 victory over Rot-Weiss Essen at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The goals in what was a commanding and dominant performance by Leverkusen from the outset were scored by Ibrahim Maza (8'), Patrik Schick from the penalty spot (23’) and, in the second half, Montrell Culbreath with a header (79’). The team set off for their training camp in Blankenhain in the Weimarer Land region after the game.
Show more
