The Mexico striker took time out to pose for photos with the waiting fans and sign autographs as the squad stepped onto the training ground for the first session just after eleven o’clock. The Werkself had a busy day with an hour-long fitness session in the gym prior to putting theory into practice on pitch number one at the BayArena.
In glorious sunshine and a very pleasant 29 degrees Lars Bender, Karim Bellarabi, Wendell and Co. were led through through a range of drills and runs by fitness coach Oliver Bartlett.
Stefan Kießling and Ömer Toprak completed individual sessions at the BayArena in the morning. When the ball came into play in the afternoon the duo joined in with the rest of the squad on the training ground for an intense work-out (sprints, passing and a long game).
The demanding training programme involves four training sessions ahead of a third friendly against TUS Koblenz on Friday night (18.30 CET).
Chicharito is expected to be followed back to Leverkusen in the next few days by Hakan Calhanoglu, Julian Baumgartlinger, Rambo Özcan, Admir Mehmedi and Tin Jedvaj. Copa America winner Charles Aránguiz returns to training on Monday. Bernd Leno and Jonathan Tah will rejoin their team-mates at the training camp at the end of next week.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without centre-back Edmond Tapsoba in the coming weeks. The Burkina Faso international returned to the Werkself from the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco with a muscle injury.
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Bayer 04 face Hamburger SV for the first time in almost eight years. Although the Hanseatic city team are often below par on the road, they are regularly in top form in front of their own fans. In particular, 18-year-old shooting star Luka Vuskovic is proving to be a real bonus for Merlin Polzin's team, both in attack and defence. However, that should not scare the Werkself: Not only was the last defeat against the newly promoted team 17 games ago, but Kasper Hjulmand's players are in with a chance of securing their fifth win in six games against HSV. Today’s matchday news.
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Hamburger SV and Bayer 04 meet again in the Bundesliga for the first time in almost eight years. This Tuesday evening, 13 January (kick-off: 20:30 CET), the promoted team with impressive home form welcome the Werkself to the Volksparkstadion to round off the Hinrunde. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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The Werkself are away to Hamburg SV at the end of the Hinrunde in the 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign. The match at the newly promoted club is on Tuesday night, 13 January (kick-off: 20:30 CET). Ahead of the first encounter with HSV since 2018, Kasper Hjulmand spoke about the strengths of the opponents, lessons learnt from the home defeat against VfB Stuttgart and provided a squad update.
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