Rudi Völler continues to feel a close bond with his home town in Hessen even after over 40 years in France, Italy and the Rhineland. Not least because of that reason, the 60-year-old was particularly affected a year ago by the terror attack in Hanau.
For the anniversary on 19 February, the local authority decided to restrict the size of the memorial event due to the coronavirus pandemic. At the Congress Park, Germany's Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Hessen's Minister-President Volker Bouffier will be joined by Rudi Völler, a freeman of the city of Hanau since 2002. Bayer 04 also pay tribute to the nine victims of the racist attack one year ago.
Bayer 04 we're on the wrong end of a 4-3 scoreline on Thursday night in the first leg of the Europa League knockout tie at BSC Young Boys. After a first half described by head coach Peter Bosz as "very bad" with a deficit of 3-0 at the break, there was a Black and Red comeback in the second half: The Werkself got back on equal terms at 3-3 in less than 20 minutes. Niklas Lomb and Co. did concede the fourth goal just before the final whistle but the statistics after 90 minutes are on the side of the visitors from Leverkusen:
For more than eleven years, the Robert Enke Foundation (RES) has worked on research into and the treatment of depression. The educational project of 'Robert Enke Foundation on tour' has seen RES visit Leverkusen a number of times. And the project is continuing even during the coronavirus pandemic on a digital basis.
Through the project, the Foundation provides an information platform for interested parties and those affected to find out more about the illness of depression and appropriate support. Bayer 04 fans have the opportunity to make contact with a member of the foundation via an online platform on Saturday 20 February from 11.00 to 15.00 CET. Further information is available HERE.
At the age of nine, Christoph Kramer joined the Bayer 04 youth section from BV Gräfrath. Born in Solingen, he was at Leverkusen for six years before moving on to Fortuna Düsseldorf in 2006. The defensive midfielder returned to Kurtekotten after two seasons to join the U19 squad and then the first team. Kramer 'only' made 28 appearances in the top-flight for Bayer 04 due to loan periods at VfL Bochum and Borussia Mönchengladbach. He almost joined the Foals in 2016 where he has played since.
The 2014 World Cup winner has been an established Bundesliga player for many years and has already made over 200 appearances. Kramer is 30 years old today (Friday). Bayer 04 wish many happy returns to our former youth player.
Midfielder Ruby Grant is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and joining Portuguese runners-up Sporting CP a year before her contract expires. The 24-year-old has been at the Werkself since January 2025.
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Bayer 04 have loaned Brazilian full-back Arthur to Bundesliga side Werder Bremen for one year. Arthur Augusto de Matos Soares – the full name of the right-back – has a contract with Leverkusen until 30 June 2031. At Werder, the 23-year-old is expected to make an impact and help the long-established club further consolidate their position in the Bundesliga.
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Bayer 04 have loaned defender Jeanuel Belocian to Spanish top-flight side Racing Santander. The 21-year-old defender joins the team currently ninth in La Liga until the end of the current 2026/27 season. Belocian’s contract remains valid until 30 June 2029. Last season, the 1.86-metre-tall U21 international was loaned to VfL Wolfsburg for six months.
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He knows the dressing room, the pitch and the club. But, above all, he knows the feeling of playing for the Werkself at the BayArena: Moussa Diaby is back in Leverkusen after three years. The lightning-fast winger has signed a contract with Bayer 04 until 2031 and he will once again wear the number 19 jersey. The left-footed player previously played for the club from 2019 to 2023, having arrived in the Rhineland from his native France as a promising young talent and eventually leaving the club – having established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s best attackers – to join Aston Villa in the Premier League. Now he has returned to Bayer 04 from Al-Ittihad FC in Saudi Arabia.
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