Lukas Hradecky, Aleksandar Dragovic, Julian Baumgartlinger, Tin Jedvaj and Kai Havertz were still playing international matches at the beginning of June and exactly like Paulinho, who was involved in an international tournament for Brazil in Toulon up to the middle of June, will return to full training on Monday 8 July. Jonathan Tah (U21 Euros), Charles Aránguiz (Copa America) and Leon Bailey (Gold Cup) will join their team-mates over the course of the training camp in Austria (15 to 21 July).
There have been no changes to squad numbers. The new signings will have the following numbers: Kerem Demirbay (10), Moussa Diaby (19), Daley Sinkgraven (22) and returnee Niklas Lomb the number 36 again.
The squad for the 2019/20 season (As at 1 July 2019)
1 Lukas Hradecky
3 Panagiotis Retsos
4 Jonathan Tah
5 Sven Bender
6 Aleksandar Dragovic
7 Paulinho
8 Lars Bender
9 Leon Bailey
10 Kerem Demirbay
13 Lucas Alario
15 Julian Baumgartlinger
16 Tin Jedvaj
17 Joel Pohjanpalo
18 Wendell
19 Moussa Diaby
20 Charles Aranguiz
21 Dominik Kohr
22 Daley Sinkgraven
23 Mitchell Weiser
28 Ramazan Özcan
29 Kai Havertz
31 Kevin Volland
33 Jan Boller
36 Niklas Lomb
38 Karim Bellarabi
Standing on the pitch where the Werkself players perform - for many Bayer 04 club members, this wish became reality at this year's Members' kickabout. Around 400 active participants of all ages took the opportunity to experience the BayArena from a new and special perspective. And there was also plenty going on in the stands: The event attracted more than 1,000 visitors in total and provided an atmospheric end to the season.
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Lying third in the Bundesliga, the Werkself made a faltering start in 2026 after the winter break, but gradually rediscovered winning ways and, as in the previous campaign, were among the top 16 in Europe and the top four in the DFB Pokal. In the Bundesliga, the Werkself also remained in the race for Champions League qualification right to the end. However, because setbacks repeatedly crept into the Werkself's performances between good displays and crucial games, it was not quite enough to secure a UCL spot in the end. A season with many ups and downs brought sixth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Part II of the review of the 2025/26 season.
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Rogier Meijer is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and returning to his native Netherlands: The 44-year-old will take over at Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on 1 July. Meijer has been part of the Werkself coaching set-up since the start of the 2025/26 season - first as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag, then on Kasper Hjulmand's staff.
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Following the final match of the 2025/26 season, the prevailing feeling was naturally one of disappointment after missing out on qualification for the Champions League. The Werkself finished the Bundesliga in sixth place, meaning they'll start the 2026/27 campaign in the Europa League. "But to talk negatively about everything now because of that would be wrong," stressed captain Robert Andrich following the final game, knowing that the past year at Bayer 04 was marked, more than almost any other, by the start of a new era and the courage to change – and in particular, the belief in a positive direction. Everyone was aware this process would need time. The first part of the 2025/26 season review.
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