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.
Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 4-0 win at SGS Essen on the 24th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga 2025/26.
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Bayer 04 put in a brilliant performance to beat RB Leipzig 4-1 on Bundesliga matchday 32 and are now fourth in a Champions League spot. The Black and Reds took control of the game right from the start and, with 75 per cent possession at one stage, took a 2-0 lead into the break through Patrik Schick (25’) and Nathan Tella (45+1’). The visitors initially tried to do more after the break, but the Werkself remained determined and Schick scored his second goal to increase the lead to 3-0 (76'). The Red Bulls pulled a goal back through Christoph Baumgartner (80'), but the disciplined Leverkusen side were not rattled - and certainly not Schick: The Czechia international crowned a brilliant display with his third goal shortly before the final whistle to make the final score 4-1.
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In the previous game against RB Leipzig in December last year, the Werkself turned came from behind to win 3-1 and further improved Leverkusen's already strong record against the Red Bulls. Montrell Culbreath stood out with his first goal on his debut for the Black and Reds. While the 18-year-old would certainly like to score a second goal against Leipzig on Saturday night, the attack-minded visitors come to the BayArena in confident mood after five Bundesliga victories in a row. The Nordkurve12 supporters group knows the Werkself will therefore once again be reliant on the vociferous support of the fans, and has once again called for the ‘Finally Red’ campaign in the run-in. Today’s matchday news.
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Video games manufacturer Electronic Arts (EA), together with the German Football League (DFL), announced the top male and female selections for the 2025/26 Bundesliga season this week. Bayer 04 striker Vanessa Fudalla is in the starting eleven of the women's "Team of the Season". Alejandro Grimaldo and Aleix Garcia have been selected as bench players in the men's team.
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