It was a day full of emotion: At the final home game of the season against SC Freiburg it was time to say farewell to Rudi Völler after 28 years at Leverkusen. We documented his last official duties as sporting managing director using numerous photographs. There was one message at all times: Thank you, Rudi.
The face of Bayer 04 takes a step back as a member of the shareholders committee and as a club ambassador but his statements will continue to carry weight in the future. For example, he writes to the Black and Red family in the current edition of the Werkself Magazine: "You will all make a contribution to everything carrying on wonderfully at Bayer 04."
He probably also included Lukas Hradecky. Our captain talks in a big interview about his passion for small talk, the value of authenticity and the hope of silverware.
"Racing through Europe," is the title of the profile of our new signing Sardar Azmoun. Reading the Werkself Magazine is recommended for anybody who might want to know why our number nine did not become a volleyball player, where his passion for horses comes from and how he got to Leverkusen from Iran via Russia.
Further highlights in the final edition of 2021/22: Looking back at the Champions League final of 2002 with Werner Wenning and Dimitar Berbatov; assistant coach Alberto Encinas introduces his "04 best" on the touchline; we look back at the #Bayer04MexicoTour and review special moments in the season for the Bundesliga Women's team, the U19 and U17 sides plus the Veterans team.
On the bottom line is the production again of 104 informative and entertaining pages in partnership with the agency Derichs & Graalmann,which are designed to shorten the wait for the new season for the Bayer 04 family.
You can look these up and many other interesting insights into the world of the Werkself now in Werkself Magazine number 36. If you would like to receive the print edition then you can become a member. Click here for membership.
You can also look through all previous Werkself Magazines since the first edition in 2015/16 at bayer04.de.
After the 4-0 win at SV Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round of the DFB Pokal, goalscorers Lucas Vázquez and Nathan Tella spoke to Werkself-TV...
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 4-0 win at Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round of the DFB-Pokal 2026/27...
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Bayer 04 have comfortably reached the DFB Pokal second round thanks to a 4–0 victory away to Liga 3 side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. Patrik Schick put the Werkself ahead in the first 45 in the first competitive match under head coach Carles Martínez with debuts for new signings Miguel Gutiérrez, Afonso Moreira and Facundo Medina. After the break, Lucas Vázquez (47'), Nathan Tella (69') and Christian Kofane (79') also found the back of the net.
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Today brings the first match of the season for the Werkself. Bayer 04 kick off the 2026/27 campaign today, Saturday 22 August, at 13:00 CEST with a first-round DFB Pokal tie away to third-tier side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. The 3,700 travelling fans can not only look forward to what will hopefully be a successful start to the season, but also now organise their journeys to Black and Reds games even more easily via the WERKSELFgo car-share platform. Meanwhile, following two defeats at the start of the league season, SV Wehen are hoping to spring a surprise in the DFB Pokal tie. Today’s matchday news.
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