Bender and Chicharito set to miss Gladbach game
Bayer 04 will have to manage without Lars Bender and Chicharito in Saturday night’s Bundesliga opener away to Borussia Mönchengladbach (18.30 CET).
Bayer 04 skipper Bender suffered an ankle injury playing for Germany in the Olympic final against hosts Brazil on Saturday. The extent of the injury was revealed in an MRI scan by team doctor Dr. Burak Yildirim at the Mediapark Clinic in Cologne.
Chicharito broke his right hand falling down the stairs in his flat last night. The Mexican underwent a successful operation performed by professor Bertil Bouillon, senior consultant for emergency surgery at Merheim Clinic. As with Bender, Chicharito will not play at Mönchengladbach with the two players likely to be sidelined for at least two weeks.
Related News
Champions League - 19.01.2026
‘I was very happy in Leverkusen’: 04 questions for former Werkself player and Olympiacos captain Panagiotis Retsos
Panagiotis, known as Panos, Retsos wore the Bayer 04 jersey for three years. Including his loan spells, he was under contract with the Werkself for a total of four and a half years. "It's a very special club for me," said the 27-year-old, who returned to his boyhood club Olympiacos in 2022, in an interview with bayer04.de. The former Leverkusen man is now captain and a first choice for the Werkself's next opponents in the UEFA Champions League. Ahead of the clash on Tuesday night, 20 January (kick-off: 21:00 CET), Retsos talks about his fond memories of his time in Leverkusen and the imminent reunion with some of his former team-mates. He also talks about who brought him to Leverkusen and why he likes getting older.
Show more
Bayer 04 - 18.01.2026
AFCON blog: Senegal win the tournament
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...
Show more
Bayer 04 - 18.01.2026
Flekken and Tella out injured
Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without goalkeeper Mark Flekken and forward Nathan Tella for the time being.
Show more
Women - 18.01.2026
‘Focus on attacking moves’: Women finish winter training camp in the Algarve
After a week in the Algarve, the Bayer 04 Women returned home on Saturday afternoon. The Werkself had six training sessions, two friendlies and a lot of time together as a team. Roberto Pätzold's team will be back in action in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga next Friday for the start of matchday 15.
Show more
Bundesliga - 18.01.2026
Werkself review #TSGB04: ‘Every opportunity to be more effective’
"We didn’t make the right decision at the right moments," said captain Robert Andrich after the 1-0 defeat away to TSG Hoffenheim, where Bayer 04 endeavoured to control the game but failed to score. The Werkself also had two enforced substitutions due to injuries. Nevertheless, the coach, captain and debutant Janis Blaswich are positive about the coming weeks. The Werkself review.
Show more
