After a two-year enforced break due to the coronavirus pandemic, Bayer 04 have now finally been able to continue the traditional partnership with the Leverkusen Sports Association in the established way: As this year's patron of the Birkenberg Soccer School, Werkself player Florian Wirtz did not fail to provide attention to the girls and boys taking part at the end of the summer holidays. In a relaxed round of questions at the SC Leverkusen ground, the 19-year-old Germany international gave up lots of time for the children on Wednesday afternoon and he was rewarded with enthusiasm and beaming faces. A total of 450 children have taken part in football courses over the past six weeks.
After the Werkself had a day off on Monday, the players under head coach Gerardo Seoane were fully focused on preparing for the top match in Dortmund the next day. There was a tough shift in the glaring Leverkusen sunshine: In addition to sessions on the speed caught inside the BayArena there were press-ups on the pitch, intense passing drills, six vs six matches in restricted space and more.
The Werkself completed a slightly changed but equally intense session in front of a large number of fans today and they certainly worked up a sweat in tropical temperatures of 34 degrees. While Lukas Hradecky, Andrey Lunev and Niklas Lomb worked separately at the start of the 90-minute plus session, the Black and Red goalkeeping trio joined their teammates for the final practice game. Head coach Seoane again and again interrupted the match in training and gave instructions or had discussions with players and his fellow coaches.
Amine Adli worked one-on-one with fitness coach Markus Müller, and Timothy Fosu-Mensah also trained on his own. The two Werkself players completed a range of sprints and running drills.
The Werkself Women's team are also hard at work with a large number of sessions this week. On Monday, head coach Robert de Pauw held the first training session of the week with many others following in the next few days. A trio consisting of Anna Klink, Kristin Kögel and Elisa Senß headed off to Frankfurt on Tuesday for the DFB Media Day. Their teammates focused on defensive work in the training session in Leverkusen.
On Saturday 6 August (kick-off: 14.00 CEST) the Bayer 04 Women's team play top Dutch club PSV Eindhoven in a friendly before the players led by de Pauw travel on two days later to a five-day training camp in Kaiserau by Kamen in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Congratulations, Anne. The youth goalkeeper at Bayer 04 has won the award for the best save of the month for July. In the friendly against the Mexican first division Club América Femenil (0-1), which the Werkself Women played last month on the #Bayer04MexicoTour, the 17-year-old keeper kept her team on terms with a sensational save. You can watch her fine save again HERE.
Happy birthday, Achim Feifel. The Baden-Württemberg-born coach today celebrates his 58th birthday. The graduate sports teacher focused on coaching women's teams early on. After coaching top clubs in international women's football such as Hamburg SV, the Russian club FC Rossiyanka and FFC Turbine Potsdam, Feifel took over the posts of coach with the Bayer 04 Women's team in 2019. Since this year he has worked for the Werkself as the sporting director of women's football.
Bayer 04 today remember Werner Röhrig who would have been 88 years old today (Wednesday). The former Werkself captain, who was under the Bayer Cross for many years, was born in Leverkusen and died in his home town at the age of 76. During his time as a professional football player, Röhrig only played for one club: Bayer 04. After the former midfielder ended his playing career, he spent several years on the board of the football department as well as the senior committee of TSV Bayer 04. Röhrig also helped build an archive on large parts of the history of Bayer 04, which he also helped to write for nine years (1955-1964) – a true Leverkusener who will never be forgotten.
After just two points from their last four games, the situation has become trickier for Borussia Mönchengladbach in the bottom third of the table. Only three points separate the Foals from the relegation play-off spot. Coach Eugen Polanski's team is under pressure ahead of the home game against the Werkself on Saturday, 7 February (kick-off: 18:30 CET). The lowdown on our next opponents.
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Calling all eSports fans: On Saturday, 21 February (from 16:00 CET), the Werkself Wildcard Cup will take place at XPERION Köln (Hansaring 97, 50670 Cologne). Interested EA FC 26 amateur players will have the opportunity to win attractive prizes and a place in the VBL Open Play-offs by WOW. The play-offs are the final preliminary stage of the VBL Grand Final by WOW, the tournament for the German individual championship and, alongside the club championship (VBL CC), the most important sub-competition in the German eSports scene. Read on for information on registration.
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At its first general meeting on 5 February 2026 in Frankfurt am Main, the Frauen Bundesliga FBL e.V. made key decisions regarding the future direction of the Women’s Bundesliga. The meeting was based on the results of the negotiations with the German Football Association (DFB) over the past few weeks.
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Another efficient performance from the Werkself in the 3-0 home win against FC St. Pauli saw them reach the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal for the third time in a row, and it was not the only record set on what was a successful evening. It meant head coach Kasper Hjulmand was delighted to "still be in with the chance of winning something". Like the coach, however, the ambitious Edmond Tapsoba also stated that he wanted to keep "improving" bit by bit: "We'll continue to give our all, no matter who we come up against." The Werkself review of the clash.
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