It was an emotional get-together before the Werkself entered the home straight at the end of the season on Monday. Peter Bosz and his team are back in action on Saturday (15.30 CET, live text commentary and web radio in German at bayer04.de) with Hertha Berlin providing the final challenge of the campaign in Bundesliga season number 56. And against the team from Berlin, it is once again a case of all or nothing for the Black and Reds – Kai Havertz talked about the "most important game of the season" on Tuesday.
It's all about playing in the Champions League next season. Just two goals separate Bayer 04 from fourth place with Borussia Mönchengladbach in that position at the moment. And Eintracht Frankfurt, with one point less than the Werkself and Gladbach lying in sixth place, also are in with a chance – while Wolfsburg are outsiders In the race for a Champions League spot due to their significantly worse goal difference. The fact Gladbach (at home to Borussia Dortmund) and Frankfurt (away to Bayern Munich) are wrapped up in games against the top two clubs gives hope to the Werkself. "We have to win," said Havertz laying down the line and on Saturday the hope is the two potential title winners can lend a hand. "We'll do all we can this week to prepare perfectly for Berlin. And we have to give our all again and then see what happens in the end," said the Werkself top goalscorer who has found the back of the net in each of the last six games.
The last open training session of the season was held on Tuesday morning – all the squad were involved with the exception of Julian Baumgartlinger (rested) plus the long-term injured players Karim Bellarabi, Leon Bailey and Joel Pohjanpalo (all in rehab training) and, at the end of the session, the group made the watching fans happy with selfies and autographs.
After a day off on Wednesday, the last part of preparations for Berlin will be held behind closed doors before the Werkself set off for the capital on Friday afternoon.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have given U17 player Francis Onyeka a long-term contact. The club has agreed a deal with the 16-year-old to 30 June 2027.
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#B04eSports team suffered the first defeat of the season on matchday five in the VBL Club Championship 2023/24. Last night’s other games ended in a win and a draw. The Black and Reds are now fifth in the North West division.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen back continuity at the top of the club. The Bundesliga and Europa League participants have extended the contract with sporting managing director Simon Rolfes to 2028. The former midfielder and long-standing Werkself captain took over this position as the successor to Rudi Völler in the summer of 2022. He was previously the sporting director at Bayer 04 for three and a half years.
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The fans have decided: The goal scored by Florian Wirtz to make it 1-0 for Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the 2-1 home win against SC Freiburg was voted Goal of the Month for October with 45 % of the votes cast. The 20-year-old Werkself player won the vote conducted by ARD-Sportschau by a clear margin ahead of second-placed Harry Kane (Bayern Munich).
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BK Häcken have yet to gain a point in Group H. The club from Gothenburg entertain the Werkself on Thursday 30 November (kick-off: 21.00 CET). Häcken will be looking to improve their record in the last European home game of the year against the group leaders.
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