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
Bayer 04 - 29.05.2026
Vote now for your 2025/26 Player of the Season
With sixth place at the end of the 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign, Bayer 04 ended a season in the top third of the table for the ninth time in a row. While the Werkself were narrowly eliminated in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 by eventual finalists Arsenal, the Black and Reds reached the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal for the third season in succession. As in previous years, you once again have the opportunity to vote for your Player of the Season. Voting is exclusively for Bayer 04 Club members and only via the Bayer 04 app up to and including 11 June.
Show more
Women - 29.05.2026
Women: Vote now for your 2025/26 Player of the Season
With 46 points in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga, the Bayer 04 Women’s team once again broke the previous season's club record and ended up in fifth place - 15 wins is also a record. As in previous years, you now have the opportunity to vote for your Player of the Season. Voting is open exclusively to Bayer 04 Club members and only via the Bayer 04 app by 11 June.
Show more
Bayer 04 - 29.05.2026
Rolfes and Vollborn on Calmund show
The guests at the Scala Club in Leverkusen were amazed when host Reiner Calmund suddenly brought the Managing Director of Sport at Bayer 04, Simon Rolfes, and record Werkself appearance maker Rüdiger Vollborn onto the stage. As part of the show "An Evening with Football & Friends", organised by long-serving Bayer 04 managing director and general manager Calmund, the two surprise guests drew plenty of applause - and provided great entertainment in exciting conversations about the past and future.
Show more
Bayer 04 - 28.05.2026
Rogier Meijer leaves Bayer 04 to join Sparta Rotterdam as head coach
Rogier Meijer is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and returning to his native Netherlands: The 44-year-old will take over at Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on 1 July. Meijer has been part of the Werkself coaching set-up since the start of the 2025/26 season - first as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag, then on Kasper Hjulmand's staff.
Show more
