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.
With seven points, Mainz 05 are currently joint seventh, level on points with sixth-placed Bayer 04. In today’s head-to-head clash (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself must be particularly wary of the clinical Mainz strike duo. For Leverkusen fans who have left it to the last minute, there are still a few tickets available from the matchday ticket office. Those following the Black and Reds from home, on the other hand, have a choice: RTL is broadcasting the match on free-to-air TV, and Werkself Radio is also offering the expert commentary of former Bayer 04 player Falko Götz. Today’s matchday news.
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Back from the international break: On Saturday 10 October (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself are away to Mainz 05. Ahead of the clash at the MEWA ARENA against the side currently sixth in the table, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about the team’s work during the extended international break. The Spaniard also commented, when asked, on a number of squad matters, including Ibrahim Maza.
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FSV Mainz 05 went into the international break on the back of an away win at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Currently sixth in the table, the Rheinhessen side – who have been impressive on the road – now aim to continue their good start to the Bundesliga campaign at home when they face the Werkself on Saturday, 10 October (kick-off: 15:30 CEST). In terms of squad selection, Urs Fischer once again has more options at his disposal. Up front, the Mainz coach is likely to continue relying on what is currently the league’s most successful strike partnership. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Thomas Eichin has been working for Bayer 04 for six years – as Director of Professional Teams since July 2023 – and has contributed to the successful development of our club in many areas. Today, Friday 9 October, Freiburg-born Eichin is celebrating his 60th birthday. We wish him a very happy birthday.
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Together with his family, friends and close associates, Bayer 04 Leverkusen bid farewell to Peter Hermann. The club’s long-serving assistant manager passed away on 19 September following a serious illness. Today, Thursday 8 October, Bayer 04 held an event attended by around 200 invited guests to commemorate Peter Hermann’s legacy. Representatives from the DFB and the other professional clubs where Hermann worked paid their respects to him at the BayArena.
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