The Werkself senior squad are set to return to training ground on the west side of the stadium for the first time in 2020 around 11.30 CET on Friday. Lars Bender (muscular problems) and Mitchell Weiser (ankle injury) are expected to join their team-mates on the training ground but they are likely to complete a more relaxed session. The South Americans Lucas Alario, Paulinho, Charles Aránguiz, Wendell, new signing Exequiel Palacios plus the Jamaican Leon Bailey will not be there. They are all heading straight to La Manga in Spain for the Bayer 04 winter training camp that starts on Saturday 4 January. The Werkself kick off the second half of the Bundesliga season on 18 January with an away game at promoted club SC Paderborn 07 (kick-off: 18.00 CET).
The Black and Reds conceded the fourth-lowest number of goals (21) in the first half of the Bundesliga season. Goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky played a big part in that achievement. His impressive performances in the second half of 2019 have been recognised by the Kicker sports journal with his inclusion in the team of the first half of the season. The Finn had an average mark of 2.68. The 30-year old is joined by Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) and Timo Werner (RB Leipzig) in the top eleven – with an average of 2.44, the two top strikers in the league were the only ones have a better rating then Hradecky.
“At the end of the first half of the season he almost secured all of Leverkusen’s points on his own – including in Europe,” praised the pundit and former Leverkusen keeper Rene Adler. The Werkself shot-stopper was named fourth in the Kicker rankings in the international category. Only the FC Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer was above him with the Germany number one being ranked as world class.
No world class or international class ratings in the position of central defender – the Kicker did not choose anybody in the two categories. Werkself defender Sven Bender in ranked third. “He has improved immensely is now the absolute leader in his team,” was the verdict of the editorial board. His partner Jonathan Tah was in the international category in the summer. He is not included in the latest ratings. The reason given: “A poor first half of the season where he lacked assurance and energy.” Let’s cross our fingers that he can rediscover his form of last season in the second half of this campaign.
The decade of the 2010s is over. The BILD tabloid has selected a Bundesliga team of the decade. This includes three current Bayer 04 players in Kai Havertz, Lars Bender and Charles Aránguiz; in Stefan Kießling and Simon Rolfes there are two former players now members of the club’s management. The eleven also includes world stars Toni Kroos, Arturo Vidal and Heung-Min Son. Bayer 04 player Julian Baumgartlinger is named in the FSV Mainz 05 team of the decade.
Now that’s what you call a debut! For the first time, Bayer 04 striker Kevin Volland took part in celebrity curling in Oberstdorf in Bavaria – and he was in the winning team ‘Hape KerCurling’ with his best friends. The Germany international said tongue-in-cheek: “You need good coordination and we’ve all got that.” Much more important than the sporting success was the background to the event: 2,000 euros went to the St. Maria in Kalzhofen children’s home, and 500 euros to the youth section at Volland’s hometown club FC Thalhofen. The same amount was donated to the youth section at EC Oberstdorf. A great event that Volland would like to take part in again in 2020 if the fixture list permits.
For Werkself player Julian Baumgartlinger, there is more to celebrate in the new year: The defender, who joined Leverkusen from Mainz in 2016, is 32 today (Thursday). Former Bayer 04 player Hanno Balitsch (2002 to 2005 and 2010 to 2012), who will be 39, and Jakub Bednarczyk also celebrate their birthdays. The latter, now 21, left the Black and Reds for FC St Pauli in January 2019. Many happy returns!
Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...
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Sustainability once again had many faces at Bayer 04 in 2025: In community activity, the club supported countless regional campaigns, including the Leverkusener Tafel, the Frauenennotruf Leverkusen e.V. and the homeless aid organisation "Kältegang". But the Black and Reds have also been involved in good causes around the world - including the Young Coaches training programmes in Uganda and Ecuador plus the Genuine World Cup in the USA, where the Inclusion Werkself competed. Bayer 04 was also fully committed to the environment and underwent external and independently certification in accordance with the European environmental management standard EMAS, for example, to analyse and optimise the club’s environmental efforts. Looking back at sustainability in 2025.
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Two Saturdays, one Friday and one Sunday: The dates for the Bayer 04 Women's team games on matchdays 16 to 19 have been finalised. Three of the four matches scheduled by the German Football Association (DFB) on Tuesday will be played at home at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium.
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Bayer 04 currently have a number of promising young talents on loan to various clubs in Europe with the aim of gaining match practice and furthering their individual development. Francis Onyeka and Farid Alfa-Ruprecht, for example, play for VfL Bochum 1848, while Artem Stepanov is a striker with 1. FC Nürnberg, coached by World Cup winner Miroslav Klose. Tim Oermann is a defender in the Austrian Bundesliga at top club SK Sturm Graz and Abdoulaye Faye is playing in France for FC Lorient, promoted to Ligue 1 this season. Bayer04.de reviews the first six months for the Leverkusen players out on loan.
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