After the heatwave of recent weeks, this morning brought much more comfortable temperatures as well as plenty of work for fitness coach Daniel Jouvin: While Heiko Herrlich worked on crosses and headers on a reduced pitch, Charles Aránguiz was back on the training ground for the first time this week.
When the Chilean completed his one-on-one session, his coach 'Giga' moved straight onto the next one: Leon Bailey, who has been sidelined with a shoulder injury for the past few days, was also back on the training ground for the first time. The trip to Valencia comes too early for the pair as well as for goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky, who also completed an individual session today.
The Werkself fly out to Valencia from Cologne-Bonn Airport on Saturday morning. The friendly at the Estadio Mestalla, that kicks off at 21:30 CET, is the final friendly ahead of the season opener at Pforzheim. The match will be broadcast live on Facebook and on terrestrial TV on Sport 1.
Exciting days for our Jamaican winger: After celebrating his 21st birthday on Thursday, this evening takes him to a special event: The football journal '11 FREUNDE' rated the Jamaican as 'Newcomer of the Season' and the award ceremony takes place tonight at the Flora in Cologne. A familiar face will present the award: Stefan Reinartz will make the laudatory speech .
There was more good news for our new head analyst: Marcel Daum was a father of a son for the second time on Thursday morning. The family of four are all well and we wish them all the best and a great time together.
With sixth place at the end of the 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign, Bayer 04 ended a season in the top third of the table for the ninth time in a row. While the Werkself were narrowly eliminated in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 by eventual finalists Arsenal, the Black and Reds reached the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal for the third season in succession. As in previous years, you once again have the opportunity to vote for your Player of the Season. Voting is exclusively for Bayer 04 Club members and only via the Bayer 04 app up to and including 11 June.
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With 46 points in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga, the Bayer 04 Women’s team once again broke the previous season's club record and ended up in fifth place - 15 wins is also a record. As in previous years, you now have the opportunity to vote for your Player of the Season. Voting is open exclusively to Bayer 04 Club members and only via the Bayer 04 app by 11 June.
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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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