The game was part of the traditional 'Trofeo Naranja', a summer tournament staged by the hosts, and it proved to be a tough test for the Werkself ahead of next Saturday's first competitive match of the new season in the DFB Cup.
Heiko Herrlich had to manage in Valencia without Lukas Hradecky (rehab after jaw operation), Panos Retsos (thigh ligament strain), Joel Pohjanpalo (circulation problems in right ankle), Karim Bellarabi (cruciate) plus Charles Aránguiz and Leon Bailey. The last two have completed individual training sessions this week on their way back from knee and shoulder problems but the trip to Valencia came too early.
Both teams played at a fair tempo in front of a crowd of 40,000 in temperatures of around 30 degrees. The Werkself keeper Rambo Özcan shone for the first time after just six minutes when he pulled off a great save to keep out a header by Kondogbia. The first chance for Bayer 04 came a minute later with an initial effort from Kevin Volland - his left-foot shot from 18 yards out went just wide of the target.
Valencia gradually gained the upper hand and the next decent chance fell to Soler but Wendell was able to make the block on 23 minutes. Five minutes later, the 'Blanquinegros' - fourth in La Liga last season - took the lead through Santi Mina who turned the ball into the far corner of the net after a back-heel from Garay - there was nothing Özcan could do. With the lead under their belt, the hosts dominated proceedings and with 36 minutes gone they doubled the lead through Rodrigo as he exploited a misunderstanding between Özcan and his fellow defenders.
Julian Brandt did have a good opportunity to score but his free kick from the left of the box went wide of the left upright on 43 minutes. Valencia took a 2-0 lead into the break.
Bayer 04 clearly played with greater intensity after the restart, putting in more robust challenges and applying more pressure up front. The Werkself now had much more possession. Kai Havertz (52') and Brandt (56') tested the Valencia substitute goalkeeper Neto with shots from distance, and the Spanish keeper also denied Volland when he saved a free kick from the striker on 62 minutes.
The hosts conceded space to the Werkself but Bayer 04 rarely threatened in the final third. Heiko Herrlich made five changes at the break including the introduction of Isaac Kiese Thelin, the Swedish striker signed this week. However, the Werkself were unable to create any further chances. The hosts sealed the victory with four minutes to play with a headed goal from Lee making it 3-0.
Bayer 04 have the first competitive game of the new season on Saturday 18 August. The Werkself are away in the DFB Cup at Baden-Württemberg Oberliga side CfR Pforzheim.
FC Valencia: Jaume (Neto 46')- Piccini (Lee 76'), Garay (Ruben Vezo 65'), Paulista (Diakhaby 46'), Gaya (Lato 65')- Soler (Murillo 78'), Parejo, Kondogbia (Ferran Torres 35'), Wass (Racic 83')- Rodrigo (Escobar 83'), Santi Mina (Zaza 65').
Bayer 04: Özcan - Weiser (Henrichs 71'), Tah, S. Bender (Dragovic 71'), Wendell - Baumgartlinger, L. Bender (Kohr 65')- Volland, Havertz (Kiese Thelin 71'), Brandt (Paulinho 65') - Alario.
The Bayer 04 players were put through their paces at the Werkstatt – the club’s rehabilitation and training centre – on Sunday as they completed the first and main part of this year’s performance diagnostics. New signings Mark Flekken, Ibrahim Maza and Axel Tape, as well as players returning from their holidays, all did the customary medical and athletic tests.
Show moreThe team departs for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Monday for the Bayer 04 Brazil Tour 2025 from July 14-24. The preseason journey marks a change from recent training camps in the Austrian Alps and Black Forest and we caught up with CEO Fernando Carro to ask him about this summer's visit to Brazil.
Show moreMalik Tillman and the USA could not quite achieve the hoped-for big win in their own country. Last Monday’s final in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Houston ended up in a 2-1 defeat for the hosts against Mexico. But the Bayer 04 new signing can be very happy with the course of the tournament and his own performances. Tillman was in the starting line-up for all six games. That concluded an impressive season for him after winning the Eredivisie title in the Netherlands with PSV Eindhoven. Bayer04.de profiles the 23-year-old new signing.
Show moreBayer 04 Leverkusen have signed the USA international Malik Tillman. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder joins the Werkself from Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven. Tillman, with German roots and born in Nuremberg, has a contract at Leverkusen to 30 June 2030. He scored 16 goals and provided five assists in 34 games for PSV last season. Three of those goals and two assists were in six matches in the UEFA Champions League.
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